Fall 2020 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

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VOLUME 12

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BEEF PRODUCER

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER

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THE SANTA ROSA RANCH IS SELLING...

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER

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FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER

INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS BREEDERS ASSOCIATION STAFF The Frontline Beef Producer (ISSN 0006-9132) is published by Brangus Publications, Inc. (BPI), as a segment of the Brangus Journal, 8870 US Highway 87 East, San Antonio, Texas, 78263, twice yearly in the spring and fall. Periodicals postage paid at San Antonio, Texas and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Brangus Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 809, Adkins, Texas 78101.

BPI Officers and Board of Directors: Chairman: Chris Heptinstall President: Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. Secretary/Treasurer: Mike Weathers Subscriptions: Lori Edwards, ledwards@gobrangus.com, 210.696.8231 Subscription Rates: complimentary Information appearing in this issue may be reprinted only with written permission of Brangus Publications, Inc. Livestock Publications Council (LPC) Member

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VOLUME 12

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Executive Vice President Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. dwilkes@gobrangus.com 210.718.8051

Controller

Brian Sadovsky bsadovsky@gobrangus.com 210.696.8231

Director of Genomics & Research Macee Prause mprause@gobrangus.com 210.596.1300

Director of Accounting & Finance Justine Voss jvoss@gobrangus.com 210.696.8231

Director of Registry

Jessie England jengland@gobrangus.com 830.263.9384

Director of Membership & Marketing Lori Edwards ledwards@gobrangus.com 210.696.8231

ISSUE 2

Director of Information & Technology Andrew Sicotte asicotte@goregstr.com 210.696.8231

BEEF PRODUCER

Office Manager and Registry Assistant Mandie Garza mgarza@gobrangus.com 210.696.8231 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER

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Cover photo by Michelle Helm

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER A News Source for Commercial Beef Producers

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Brangus Publications, Inc. Editor Emily Lochner elochner@gobrangus.com 254.230.8444

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Melanie Fuller mfuller@gobrangus.com 979.255.3343

For daily updates and pictures Follow us and like us:

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FALL 2020 VOLUME 12

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ISSUE 2

8 NOT YOUR GRANDDAD’S BRANGUS

by Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. Today’s Brangus cattle marble well, have heat tolerance, and offer improved yield grade and cutability

14 HEDGING CALVES

by CattleFax, sponsored by Ritchie Industries One tool that is often forgotten by cow-calf producers is hedging with futures

20 THE MAKINGS OF A LEGACY

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by Laura Handke A feature on Yon Family Farms: Beef Improvement Federation Seedstock Producer of the Year

SPRING 2020

26 SETTING UP HEIFERS FOR SUCCESS: PREBREEDING SCREENING TOOLS

by Carson Andersen, University of Missouri Visually assessing potential replacement heifers is essential, but what’s on the inside counts, too

31 APPLYING EXPECTED PROGENY DIFFERENCES: THE BEDROCK OF GENETIC ADVANCEMENT

by Mark Cowan EPDs are critical in selecting herd sires to produce the next generation of feeder calves

40 A HEALTHY CALF IS THE NEW BLACK CALF

59 COOPERATORS WANTED FOR THE BRANGUS VALUE PROJECT

48 SELECTING BETTER GENETICS, PRODUCING BETTER BEEF

60 IMPACT OF BRAHMAN GENETICS ON BODY TEMPERATURE OF HEIFERS UNDER HEAT STRESS

by Emily Lochner Stocker cattle operator requests have changed, but so have the Brangus cattle designed to fit that need

by Emme Troendle Brangus cattle of today consistently meet quality grade standards without sacrificing yield grade

A new birth-to-beef evaluation is being conducted by the International Brangus Breeders Association, and commercial female herds are being recruited

by Ralcua Mateescu, University of Florida When compared against each other during times of extreme heat, Bos indicus cattle perform better than Bos taurus counterparts

EXECUTIVE CORNER

Not Your

GRANDDAD’S BRANGUS

by Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., International Brangus Breeders Association, executive vice president

The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) has been running an advertisement proclaiming that today’s Brangus are, “Not your granddad’s Brangus.” Most breeders can tell simply by looking that the cattle have changed quite significantly over the past couple decades. As Yogi Bera famously said, “You can see a lot just by observing.” Broadly speaking, Brangus breeders have moderated the frame, added base width, added body capacity, increased muscle expression, deepened the flank, tightened the sheath and, in general, made the cattle look more appealing to the majority of observers.

I can remember back when a Brangus broke a 3% IMF scan, we were doing handstands! Today, Brangus are scanning IMF’s better than the top end Angus cattle. Better overall, in fact, because of the Brangus cattle’s high yields. For a balance of yield and quality grade, you just can’t beat a Brangus.

-Donnie Robertson, ultrasound technician

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While the visible changes are fairly obvious, there are some invisible changes that have occurred in the population that are very important. It is interesting to “look under the hide” at the changes in Brangus. | TODAY’S BRANGUS BEEF FITS A WHITE TABLECLOTH MENU | Today’s Brangus are high-grading cattle. This statement surprises some people, but it is true and there’s a reason for it.

Brangus breeders utilize ultrasound to a high degree to estimate carcass traits on yearling bulls and heifers. This (continued on page 10)

DU IN E H T G IN G N A H C IS T A H T REED B A O T L L U B K C A L B R U O Y E GRAD

UP

FIND A BRANGUS BREEDER NEAR YOU gobrangus.com

STRY.

} HEAT TOLERANCE & DISEASE RESISTANCE } SHEDDING ABILITY & MULTI-REGION ADAPTABILITY } INCREASED LONGEVITY & SOUNDNESS } REDUCED INPUT COST = LONG-TERM PROFITABILITY } IMPROVED YIELD GRADE & CUTABILITY WITHOUT SACRIFICING QUALITY GRADE FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER

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EXECUTIVE CORNER Your granddad’s Brangus did not marble like this – or information feeds into IBBA’s cutting-edge genetic evaluation very few of them did. The beef industry across the board has which computes the breed’s EPDs. What may surprise many increased the percentage of cattle that grade Choice or higher. is that the average value for percent intramuscular fat (IMF) The average is now on top of 80% Choice, compared to 60 - 65% now exceeds 4%. What does that mean? IMF is an indicator of Choice less than a decade ago. Brangus breeders take pride in marbling, which is the primary determinant of USDA quality doing their part to improve the quality of U.S. beef. grade (Select, Choice, Prime). Meat scientists report that 4% This is due to genetic change. Marbling is heritable. If IMF generally places an animal in the Choice quality grade. one has access to state-of-the-art genetic evaluation (i.e.

This would be impressive if the animals being ultrasounded computation of EPDs), along with access to good genomic tests were steers and heifers on a high concentrate ration in a feedlot.

(DNA tests) which enhance EPD accuracy, and if breeders place But these are yearling bulls being fed a grow ration – and they emphasis on marbling in their selection, you can move the curve have high levels of natural testosterone which works in favor – which is exactly what Brangus seedstock breeders have done. of muscling and against deposition of IMF (marbling). The The chart below compares the actual IMF averages with Brangus data also includes yearling heifers which are developed the EPDs for IMF over the past 19 years. Clearly, the actual IMF on grass or forage-based rations and they STILL have enough increase is steeper than the IMF to grade Choice. And they EPD line, but this is expected. only have a quarter inch of EPDs tend to be conservative.

Very importantly, the average backfat on average when they Moreover, the EPD is only half has reached the point where Brangus are ultrasounded. of the actual genetic level of One has to speculate, what genetics are clearly making a the animals because an EPD percent IMF would be present is an estimate of the effect that positive contribution to the grading if these same cattle would have a random sample of 50% of profile of the higher-quality beef been on a high concentrate an animal’s genes will have on ration in a feedlot for 160 or his/her progeny. The key point industry of today. more days and delivered to a is that Brangus breeders are packer with .50-.60 inches of moving the average higher and backfat? The number would easily rise to 5.5 - 6.5% IMF which have been doing so for 20 years or longer. Very importantly, the places them in the middle of the Choice grade. It is no wonder average has reached the point where Brangus genetics are clearly then, that we see the data or hear of results of pens of Brangus making a positive contribution to the grading profile of the steers or heifers grading over 90% Choice, with 20 - 40% making higher-quality beef industry of today.

Certified Angus Beef, and up to or exceeding 10% Prime. This | HOW ABOUT MUSCLING? | is entirely consistent with the genetic trend in Brangus for Granddad’s Brangus had a reputation for being a bit flatmarbling. It’s not a fluke. muscled. Current data on Brangus make it clear that this is an (continued from page 8)

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EXECUTIVE CORNER outdated perception. Today’s Brangus cattle have muscling that places them above average in the U.S. cattle population.

Ultrasound is used to estimate the size of the rib eye muscle in live cattle. People wonder why so much stock is placed on the size of a single muscle. The reason is straightforward: The rib eye muscle, measured at the junction of the 12th and 13th ribs, is strongly correlated with the total muscle mass in an animal.

Rather than getting hung up on the actual size of the rib eye, it is more informative to look at the rib eye size in comparison to the live weight of the animal. A good rule of thumb is that an animal should have 1.1 square inches of rib eye per 100-lb. of live weight. This would be considered par for muscling when measured on animals near one-year of age. The animals within the current Brangus population which are ultrasounded for rib eye area, on average, boast 1.24 square inches of rib eye per 100lb. of live weight – which is nearly a 13% muscling “bonus” in Brangus compared to the industry rule of thumb.

As Brangus breeders have dramatically improved carcass value, some might worry that the maternal goodness of Brangus females has been sacrificed. That’s a legitimate thing to worry about because it has been known to happen in several breeds of cattle. Either by good luck or good planning, the Brangus female has become even more maternally productive while the carcass traits have been improved. | DID GRANDDAD BREED HIS BRANGUS HEIFERS AS YEARLINGS? | Probably not. It was not uncommon at all, three decades ago, to hold Brangus heifers until they were 18 months of age before breeding them. It took granddad’s Brangus a bit longer to reach puberty.

Those days are long gone. The vast majority of Brangus heifers in the IBBA database have their first calf at 2-years of age. It is not at all unusual to see 10-month-old Brangus heifers cycling.

Sexual maturity is occurring much earlier in Brangus these days. It is a result of hardnosed breeders selecting for early puberty and culling heifers that don’t breed early. | DID GRANDDAD EVER TURN OUT A YEARLING BRANGUS BULL? | Probably not. This is almost the same question as whether or not granddad bred heifers as yearlings. Sexual maturity is occurring earlier in Brangus females, and earlier in Brangus bulls also. Experienced Brangus breeders remember the days when a 30-cm scrotal size was a rare find.

Today, it is common to measure yearling bulls in the mid-30s, and yearling bulls over 40-cm are not unusual.

To be relevant in today’s ever-demanding marketplace for beef genetics, there is no place for one-dimensional cattle.

The competition is simply too fierce. Breeds of cattle that will still be here 10 or 20 years from now must connect all the dots of maternal efficiency, growth efficiency, management convenience, and end product quality. Brangus breeders are meeting the challenge.

Your granddad might be surprised by modern Brangus cattle.

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FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 13

CATTLEFAX TRENDS

HEDGING CALVES

The IBBA is proud to bring you the CattleFax Trends Publication that is sponsored by Ritchie Industries. Look for this article each month in the Brangus Journal and Frontline. If you would like to learn more about CattleFax, please go to www.cattlefax.com.

Because of where the industry is within the cattle cycle and how fragile the supply chain currently is, managing risk has never been more critical. Even once these uncertain times are in the rearview mirror, volatility and impacts from outside news or events will continue for the cattle markets. Add in the fact that reliance on international outlets has increased over the last two decades, and the ever-changing geopolitics and global landscape have a greater influence as well. For these reasons, it is recommended cattle producers in all segments thoroughly evaluate their current risk management strategy or look to incorporate one if it is not currently being done.

Considering calf prices make a low in the fall eight out of every 10 years, producers should take the necessary steps to avoid selling in the fall spot market without any price protection.

Cow-calf producers have several options to manage risk on their calf crop. Forward contracting via video sales or direct country trade is one of the more common tools. Because of the seasonality of the market, calves traded on summer video for fall delivery averaged an additional $57/head over the last 10 years versus those sold in the spot market. Some producers have opted to retain ownership in recent years, to fight against the poor leverage position the cow-calf segment has. This approach does not guarantee more profits but should give producers more opportunities to add to their bottom line. USDA’s Livestock Risk Protection Insurance can be beneficial at times, especially for smaller operations that may not have a pot load of calves to market every year.

One tool that is often forgotten by cow-calf producers but could be used more, is hedging with futures.

When a hedge is placed, the producer is essentially locking in a price for the underlying inventory. Those that are not familiar with this concept are probably thinking there is not a calf futures contract, so hedging won’t work for the cow-calf segment. This is partially accurate; however, feeder contracts can be utilized to accomplish the same goal. To protect against prices going lower before the cattle are marketed, the producer would sell a feeder futures contract, or take a short position. If you typically sell your calves in October, the October feeder contract would likely be the best to sell.

If calves are expected to market in November, then use the November contract. When calves are sold, offset or buy back your futures position. If the futures market went down, you capture that price drop. On the other hand, if 14

FALL 2020

futures went higher, you lose money on the futures position, but should gain back that loss from the cash market improving compared to what was originally expected. It is important to remember; at one time you were satisfied with locking in your calf crop at the price you sold the futures contract. There should’ve been a reason for making this decision, whether it was for profitability and/or a fundamental outlook.

There were only a few instances in history that calves sold at similar prices in the fall compared to feeder cattle. So, when a producer hedges how does he/she know what price is being locked in? The answer is basis, or the relationship between cash and futures. It is calculated by taking cash minus futures.

The hedger needs to have an expected basis level for the time of delivery to calculate what cash price or potential margin is being locked in. The three-year or five-year average basis is good a place to start and adjustments can be made from there.

The three-year and five-year average basis against October for the U.S. 550-lb steer price is +$12.58/cwt and +$13.27/cwt, respectively. This means over the last three years, the calf price averaged $12.58/cwt higher than October futures during that month. If October feeder futures were sold at $150/cwt, this implies a cash price of roughly $162.58 is expected. There has been about a $4/cwt range around the three-average depending on supply and demand, and regional variations must be accounted for as well.

The benefit of hedging is the absolute price risk is eliminated and the hedger is only dealing with basis risk. In (continued on page 16)

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CATTLEFAX TRENDS (continued from page 14)

other words, the risk is basis changes at the time hedges are lifted compared to what was originally expected. Basically, instead of the three-average that was predicted, the basis is only +$9/ cwt – meaning the hedger essentially locked a $159 price for the calves compared to $162.58/cwt. However, basis is way less volatile, and in some instances, easier to predict compared to absolute price levels. For example, over the last three years the calf cash market had a $22/cwt range between the minimum and maximum just in the month of October.

The accompanying table lays out a potential scenario for a cow-calf producer who hedges the calf crop in mid-May and markets the inventory in mid-October, with both futures and cash falling by $5/cwt during that time period. In this instance, the loss to the cash market was offset by the gain in the futures position. The producer expected basis to be close to the threeyear average and that came to fruition when the position was lifted. Bottom line, a $167/cwt price for the calves was predicted and that is what the producer received. If actual basis was stronger at +$14/cwt, then the producer would’ve captured another couple of dollars to essentially sell the calves for $169/ Scenario: Feeder Cattle prices decrease Date Cash Market May 15 Est. October Price $167/cwt.

October 15 Sell in October $162/cwt.

NET Profit/Loss -$5/cwt.

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cwt. In the real world there are a lot of different scenarios that could play out, but this gives everyone an idea of how the math works to calculate profits or losses.

In the prior example, hedges were placed in May, but this can vary from year to year. In reality, producers could hedge next year’s calf crop at any time, especially once the volume of calves is known. The feeder cattle futures contract size is 50,000-lb., so one position represents approximately 90 head of 550-lb. steers. Another thing to consider when hedging is the margin requirements. A hedger must have sufficient funds for the initial margin and keep their balance above the maintenance margin requirement once a position is taken. If the futures move against the hedge position, there is the possibility of receiving a margin call.

In the fast-paced markets, managing risk has never been more important, even for cow-calf producers. Keep in mind, risk management is typically not all or nothing. If there is a slight chance for some upside in the markets, hedge 75% of the calf crop in case higher prices develop. Regardless, once a strategy is created, stick with it. When it comes to managing risk, an error in execution is more serious than an error in judgement.

Futures Sell OCT Feeder Buy October Feeder

Basis $155/cwt. Expected +12/cwt. $150/cwt. Actual +$12/cwt. +$5cwt. $0/cwt.

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 17

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FEATURE ARTICLE

THE MAKINGS OF A

A Feature on Yon Family Farms: Beef Improvement Federation Seedstock Producer of the Year

by Laura Handke

As first-generation cattle producers, Clemson University sweethearts Kevin and Lydia Yon were elated to land their dream job right out of college.

“We worked at Congaree Angus Farms for seven and a half years, and might still be there if the owners hadn’t decided to disperse their herd,” says Kevin.

Learning of the dispersal, the young couple knew that they were at a pivotal time in their life—they knew what they

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wanted to do, but they weren’t sure they had saved enough to get a good start after only seven years. Fortunately, for both the Yon family and the cattle industry, a customer and fate offered a solution.

“After our first year at Congaree, we started having an annual bull sale, and one of the commercial buyers from that sale offered us a small farm,” Kevin shares, “We bought 100 acres that had a tenant farmhouse on it, and he and his brother offered us the opportunity to lease adjoining land and manage their commercial herd.”

With a place to take them, and on the condition of finding a buyer for the remaining cows in the herd, the Yons proposed buying 100 cows from the Congaree herd they had been managing.

A buyer was found, the Yon family bought their herd and

FEATURE ARTICLE the rest, as they say, is history— with the exception that the Yon family is still writing a page every day. | BUILDING A LEGACY | Kevin and Lydia moved to the farm in Ridge Spring, South Carolina in 1996, set-up their farm and offered a bill of 15 bulls that following spring. To date, the Yons have never missed organizing and producing a bull sale since 1989.

“We are fortunate in a lot of ways, but two of the most important are: We moved to an area that was at the heart of our bull trade business and our children, who were 5, 4, and 2, got to grow up on our farm. They got to be a part of building our farm; all three went to Clemson and all three came back to the farm,” says Kevin.

As parents, the Yons asked their children to bring something new back to the operation to help fill management and operational gaps on the farm.

“We found out really quick that we were short on the business side of things,” Kevin says, “And we had always known that our oldest son, Drake, was coming back, so we encouraged him to get a business education that could fill that gap. Our daughter, Sally, went to school to be an ag teacher and then got her masters at Oklahoma State in communications and our youngest son, Corbin, has a degree in ag mechanics and business. He runs the farming operations that allow us to grow our own feed.”

Lydia shares that while they never thought that all three would come back to the farm, it was she and Kevin’s desire that if any of their children came back, they would have something to come back to and build from. That forward mindset, in the early years, positioned the operation for growth from the very

beginning.

“We could have kept things small, but we decided to make it bigger, and we decided to look for outside help to make it possible for us to get off of the farm once in a while,” she says of the team members who have become like family over the years.

“We have always had a great team, and have about 10 families that make a living from what we do at Yon Family Farms.”

Today, the third generation of the Yon family is being raised on the operation. | A VALUE-ADDED MISSION | The Yons have been working with the same genetics since 1989, building and culling to create commercial and seedstock cattle that are bred for the hot, humid southeastern U.S. The Angus based cow herd, and their offspring that make their way into seedstock and commercial herds throughout the southeast, are bred to not only utilize forages, but capitalize on them.

“We try to plant something that allows us to graze every day of the year and we need genetics that capitalize on that,” Kevin says.

The Yon’s grazing program consists of Bermuda grass, followed by Bahia grass, fescue, pearl millet and crabgrass with drilled annuals like ryegrass, wheat, oats and triticale filling the gaps. Kevin and Lydia also note that the majority of the fescue in their pastures is endophyte infected, which helps to identify and promote more tolerant genetics.

“We love being able to stockpile fescue and graze into the winter, and we try to make sure that at some point every one of our cows makes it to a fescue pasture,” says Lydia.

The commercial cow herd the Yons use as recipients for (continued on page 22)

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 21

FEATURE ARTICLE Yons worked with reputable seedstock producers, keeping their embryo transfer from their registered herd. desired Angus traits in mind, to develop their Ultrablack® herd.

“We try them once and then turn in a cleanup bull,” Kevin “We didn’t take the bottom end of our cows and throw them says, “and our commercial steers we feed out for carcass data.” at the cross. We used cows from every third of our herd, so we Kevin says that while the weaning weights are usually never didn’t have any surprises. We know how important the cow’s something to brag about, they are a true representation of a genetics are and we knew that we wanted to compliment what cow’s potential to wean pounds on grass and milk, alone. In we were doing without going backwards on any of our other addition to gauging that metric, the operation also records cow traits,” Kevin says. weights, body condition scores, and foot scores, but concede that Now eight years into the incorporation of Brangus the best tools on the farm for assessment genetics, the Yons share that they have are time and eyesight. received great feedback on not only [The] best tools on the “We like to look at our cattle and be the heat tolerance, but the overall farm for assessment are with our cattle,” Kevin says, “we use data doability, docility, and calving ease their as much as we practically can, but there’s Ultrablack bulls provide. And note that time and eyesight. no substitute for spending time amongst even customers who hadn’t used a lot of them.”

Brangus influence in the past are pleased with how marketable Another metric the Yons haven’t found a substitute for their calves are. is their customers’ requests and feedback. That’s why when At the end of the day, the same fortitude and forward Bos indicus and continental genetics became a part of the thinking that allowed three children to return and start their conversation, the family didn’t hesitate to incorporate either own families on the farm, has positioned the Yon Family as influence. pillars within the cattle industry.

“We’ve always told our children that the customer is “I guess if there’s one thing we want people to know,” the always right, and you do what they ask for unless it’s unethical, couple shares, “it’s that we are a family operation that’s in the dishonest or dangerous,” Lydia says. “So, when our customers, business for the long-haul. We learned a long time ago that our who were further south than we are, started asking for Brangus success depends on the success of our customers. We look at genetics, we started looking at how we could provide them.” every sale as a partnership, and we stand behind the cattle Through artificial insemination and embryo transfer, the we sell.” (continued from page 21)

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FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 23

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Town Creek Farm Bull Sale & Commercial Brangus Bred Heifer Sale AT THE RANCH NEAR WEST POINT, MISSISSIPPI

Saturday, October 17, 2020 • 12 noon 150 TOWN CREEK FARM BULLS Johnes-Free, Trich, BVD Tested.

Brangus, Ultrablack and VigorMax™ Half-Blood, 3/4 Blood and Brahman Bulls. Large selection FULL 2-year old bulls (DOB: Fall 2018).

Powerful, practical, functional bulls developed on a high roughage, forage-based ration. Bulls guaranteed.

Bulls sell guaranteed Johnes-free and BDV-PI and Trich tested. Large selection of user-friendly and calving ease bulls.

225 BRANGUS AND ULTRABLACK COMMERCIAL BRED HEIFERS

POWERFUL BULLS FROM A PROVEN PROGRAM g

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HE SELLS 14G2 – 7.04% IMF.

g g

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HE SELLS - 036G4 – 4.47% IMF. 1.28 REA/cwt.

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Select bulls from proven Brangus, Ultrablacks, Vigor Max™ (Brahman x Angus half-blood maximum heterosis), 3/4 Blood and Brahman Bulls.

Full two-year old bulls selling.

Fertility is our top priority. All other traits follow fertility.

Opportunity to buy bulls from a program that culls EVERY open female and EVERY female that doesn’t bring a calf to weaning pens.

Genetics developed and proven for more than 30 years.

Genetics are proven to develop powerful, profitable cow herds.

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Maternal bulls to develop superior replacement heifers that are fertile and long lasting with good udders.

Selection of calving ease heifer bulls.

User Friendly bulls.

Bulls are hard, ripped and toned; ready for breeding pastures.

Managed to be disease free.

ALL bulls out of Johnes-free cow.

Environmentally adapted and acclimated bulls that withstand heat and humidity.

Longevity – of bulls and their daughters.

3 Quality Assurance always comes first.

TOTAL COMMITMENT

Since 1993 HE SELLS 4861G2 – 4.78% IMF.

Go to our website or call to request a sale catalog and join our mailing list.

Bid and Buy On-Line.

Real-time bidding and buying will be available through DV Auction on sale day. Buyers must pre-register by calling (402)316-5460 or go on-line at www.DVAuction.com.

Town Creek Farm bull lots will be available for on-line viewing October 5, 2020. Bred heifers lots in groups of five available on-line Friday, October 16, 2020.

TOWN CREEK FARM

Milton Sundbeck, Owner • Office 662.494.5944 32476 Hwy. 50 East, West Point, Mississippi 39773-5207 Joy Reznicek Sundbeck 205.399.0221 • Joy@TownCreekFarm.com Clint Ladner 662.812.8370 • Cladner@TownCreekFarm.com www.TownCreekFarm.com

ALL THESE BULLS SELL.

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 25

REPRODUCTION REPORT

SETTING UP HEIFERS FOR SUCCESS: PREBREEDING SCREENING TOOLS

by Carson Andersen, University of Missouri Graduate Research Assistant

Summer days will soon be coming to an end, and fall will be on its way in a hurry. This means breeding season is just around the corner for fall calving herds. It is important to implement practices in advance that will help you set your herd up for success. Let’s focus on heifers. Heifers are the building blocks of your future cow herd, and which heifers you retain as cows will influence the success of your operation for many years to come.

How can you make sure you retain the best of the best?

Visually assessing potential replacement heifers to identify the largest candidates has been a traditional way of trying to predict which females will have the most success in the breeding season. However, size of the heifer alone is no guarantee of her fertility during the breeding season. Research both in Bos taurus and in Bos indicus heifers has shown that reproductive tract scores are predictive of when heifers become pregnant within the breeding season.

Reproductive tract scoring is a prebreeding screening tool that directly assesses the pubertal status of a heifer. Tract scoring is a metric in which a veterinarian palpates the reproductive tract including the ovaries and uterine horns, and assigns a score ranging from 1-5 (1=infantile; 2=prepubertal; 3=peripubertal; 4=pubertal, follicular phase; 5=pubertal, luteal phase). Tract scoring also allows you to identify heifers that have any abnormalities (free martins, ovarian cyst, etc.) or any that may have already become pregnant.

The information can be valuable for any management change that is needed. For example, if less than half of the heifers are cycling (reproductive tract score 4 and 5), nutritional adjustments may need to be made in order to increase

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growth and development. Heifers can be sorted into different management groups based on their pubertal status, if needed.

Tract scoring is also a profitable investment because it allows you to identity heifers that are poor candidates for breeding. Identifying culls prior to breeding season allows you to avoid additional costs in development, breeding, and health. We generally recommend that reproductive tract scoring usually take place four to six weeks prior to the start of the breeding season. Tract scores performed earlier than this time are generally not very informative, but about six weeks gives an opportunity to make management adjustments before breeding.

Pelvic measurements are another screening tool that can aid in identifying heifers that are poor candidates to retain as replacements. Pelvic measurements are particularly important if you have had history of calving difficulty. Your veterinarian can perform pelvic measurements and suggest which heifers to cull based on an abnormally small pelvic area. Identifying heifers to cull in advance can help you avoid major risks and save further costs associated with hard pulls, C-sections, dead calves, or dead heifers. Keep in mind that pelvic measurements should be thought of as a screening tool to eliminate heifers with abnormally small pelvises, not a selection tool to identify heifers with the largest pelvic areas.

It is important to know the status of your heifers prior to breeding season in order to identify the best candidates for success. Consider using prebreeding screening tools to aid in important management decisions that can help increase productivity and profitability of your operation.

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 27

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CB PR Prime Cut 415E11

DDD Masterpiece 74D19

Briggs Gulf Coast 23F5

DDD Black Gold 804S25

DDD One Source 103A4

Diamond K’s Young Gun 157D17

MBJ Fagan Dakota 201D8

MC Low Rider 101D2

KL Mr Commander 68E

Suhn’s Epic 331D16

Suhn’s Majestic Beacon 30C

Mr. PB Red Bull 521/09W

R10359393

R10242621

R10345106

R10354867

R10347223

UB10326791

R10398073

UB10335010

RR10326501

UB10292617

RR10159777

TJR Mr. Rojo’s Renegade 47/Z

SJCC Trio’s CEO 175C5 RR10301591

R10063991

Visit our website for a complete listing of bulls.

WWW.BOVINE-ELETE.COM • info@bovine-elite.com 3300 LONGMIRE DRIVE • COLLEGE STATION, TX 77845 • [979] 693-0388 • [800] 786-4066 • FAX: [979] 693-7994

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FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 29

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FEATURE ARTICLE

APPLYING EXPECTED PROGENY DIFFERENCES: THE BEDROCK OF GENETIC ADVANCEMENT

by Mark Cowan, IBBA Breed Improvement Committee chairman

You CAN have it all. With today’s technology and our increasingly improved ways of reporting data through the slowly revamped Regstr system, there is no excuse to have herd sires who fail to measure up in economically relevant traits.

From my standpoint, I encourage the Brangus breed to continue selecting for aesthetically pleasing phenotypes and cattle that are functionally sound. However, I hear many proponents of these Brangus attributes discount the value of EPDs. EPDs are the single most valuable tool connecting us with the real world of commercial cattle production. Our customer’s profits live and die based on the pounds of beef they produce.

The ultimate quality of that beef also plays a major role in their bottom line; if they retain ownership and sell their product on the rail, the affect is direct. If they market their product appropriately, the perceived value and reputation of the Brangus breed as a whole is a contributor to the dollars your bull customers receive per head.

As registered breeders we shoulder a huge responsibility.

Not only do the sires we sell have to perform, we must up our game in the Brangus breed so that sires across the entire breed are perceived to perform and contribute to our customers’ bottom line. The only way to do that is through the use of EPDs. The most accurate and useful description of a sire’s ability to transmit pounds, quality grade, milk, or fertility to your calf crop and to your future generations, are the genomically enhanced EPDs available today. Raw measures (i.e. individual animal weaning weights, scrotal circumferences, etc.) have very little value, particularly when comparing cattle across ranches and across contemporary groups because of varying management practices. Ratios are only valuable when comparing a group of cattle all handled the same. Through EPDs, these comparisons can be made from ranch to ranch and from state to state.

It’s also important to take into account all the traits that have impact on economic relevance. Take for example, two first calf heifers who recently weaned calves. Cow A weaned a calf at 500lb., while cow B weaned a calf at 600-lb. A 20 percent increase in weight is impressive, and you might be drawn to the latter

option. Yet, what’s not taken into account with these raw weights are other economically relevant EPDs such as Heifer Pregnancy and Fertility Index. Cow A is far more likely to breed back in a timely manner, while cow B ranks in the 90th percentile of the population for Fertility Index. Cow A calves regularly every spring, while cow B skips a breeding season and only calves every 18-months. In the end, after an average production lifecycle of six years, cow A has provided more total pounds of calf by consistency alone. We cannot make assumptions on the total animal right off the bat based on individual weights alone. It takes a broader approach to all of the traits that will affect profit.

Are you in need of a calving ease sire? He is easily selected, just look for Birth Weight (BW) and Calving Ease Direct (CED) scores ranking in the breed’s top 35-40 percent for these traits.

Are you in need of a growth sire to add more pounds to your program? By comparing all the herd sires available through EPDs and their percentile rankings across the breed, he is easily selected. What about milk, need more? Easily done. Need carcass traits? Again, easily done.

But what if you wish to have all the traits mentioned above in one herd sire? Now that is a little more difficult and may get to be pricier. However, with downloadable excel spreadsheets available on sale groups of bulls today through the Regstr system, it can be achieved. In fact, quite a few commercial cattlemen today request these spreadsheets as they are making their bull buying decisions, because in fact they do want it all.

One of the most exciting EPDs we have recently added to our toolbox are our Fertility Indexes and Heifer Pregnancy EPDs. Economically, fertility traits are eight times more important than growth traits in determining profitability and about 20 times more important than carcass traits. Fertility Index measures the ability of a sire’s daughters to get pregnant and calve annually in a confined season. Heifer Pregnancy measures the ability of a sire’s daughters to get pregnant for the first time.

As we accumulate more data, these are two traits that will impact the bottom line of our customers, perhaps greater than any measurement we have ever presented.

The bottom line is: We as seedstock producers are obligated to place a progressive focus on EPDs TOTAL WEIGHT OF CALVES OVER AN AVERAGE SIX-YEAR CALVING LIFE-CYCLE OF A COW to better our customers’ pocketbooks.

ASSUMING COW A CALVES EVERY 12 MONTHS, WHILE COW B CALVES EVERY 18 MONTHS. Advancements in the commercial beef Cow A Cow B industry, and the meat industry, start at Year Cow A Yearly Cow B Yearly Cumulative Total Cumulative Total the seedstock level in the form of genetics.

2020 500 lbs 500 lbs 600 lbs (spring) 600 lbs Placing emphasis on phenotype and 2021 500 lbs 1,000 lbs 600 lbs (fall) 1,200 lbs individual measures is appropriate but 2022 500 lbs 1,500 lbs ----must be kept in check with the EPDs a bull possesses. The betterment of tomorrow’s 2023 500 lbs 2,000 lbs 600 lbs (spring) 1,800 lbs beef industry starts today with EPD 2024 500 lbs 2,500 lbs 600 lbs (fall) 2,400 lbs selection and implementation.

2025 500 lbs 3,000 lbs ----2026

500 lbs

3,500 lbs

600 lbs (spring)

3,000 lbs

(EPD definitions continued on page 33)

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 31

FEATURE ARTICLE Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) provide an estimate of the genetic value of one animal compared to another animal in a defined population (i.e. Brangus). EPDs predict how future progeny of a sire are expected to perform relative to the progeny of other sires regardless of age or location of herd/animal.

EPDs are calculated using statistical equations including performance data on the animal itself (actual weight records), actual performance data compared against contemporaries (contemporary ratio), information from its ancestry (sire, dam, grandsire, granddam, etc.), indirect relatives (brothers, sisters), direct progeny, and genetic testing.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

EXPECTED PROGENY DIFFERENCES CALVING EASE DIRECT (CED)

is the difference in percentage of unassisted births when a sire is bred to first calf heifers when compared to progeny of other sires. A higher number is desirable.

BIRTH WEIGHT (BW)

is reported in pounds as the difference in average birth weight of progeny compared to that of other sires.

WEANING WEIGHT (WW)

is reported in pounds and predicts the difference in weight of progeny averaged at 205-days of age to calves of other sires.

YEARLING WEIGHT (YW)

is reported in pounds and predicts the difference in weight of progeny averaged at 365-days of age to calves of other sires.

MILK (M)

predicts the sire’s genetic merit for milking ability as expressed in his daughters compared to daughters of other sires. Milk accounts for the part of a calf ’s weaning weight attributed to milking ability of the dam.

TOTAL MATERNAL (TM)

is reported in pounds as a reflection of a sire’s daughters milking ability and growth potential of their calves when compared to other sire’s daughters.

CALVING EASE MATERNAL (CEM)

is the difference in percentage of unassisted births of a sire’s daughters as first-calf heifers when compared to daughters of other sires. A higher number is desirable.

SCROTAL CIRCUMFERENCE (SC)

is reported in centimeters and predicts the difference in yearling scrotal circumference of a bull’s male progeny compared to sons of other sires.

U.S. RIBEYE AREA (REA)

is reported in square inches as the prediction of difference in square inch ribeye area of a bull’s beef bound progeny compared to progeny of another sire.

U.S. FAT THICKNESS (FT)

is reported in inches as the prediction in difference of fat thickness on a carcass when measured between the 12th and 13th ribs of a bull’s beef bound progeny compared to progeny of another sire.

U.S. INTRAMUSCULAR FAT (IMF)

is reported in decimal terms representing percentage of intra-muscular fat, which is highly correlated with USDA marbling score, a major determinant of USDA quality grade. As with all EPDs, the absolute value has no inherent relevance, but is used to compare one sire to another.

HEIFER PREGNANCY (HP)

is reported in percentile units and represents the probability of a sire’s daughters becoming pregnant during their first breeding season compared to daughters of other sires.

STAYABILITY (STAY)

is reported in percentile units and represents the probability of a bull’s daughters remaining productively in the herd to at least six years of age, compared to daughters of another sire.

MATURE COW WEIGHT (MCW)

expressed in pounds, is a predictor of the difference in mature cow weight of a sire’s daughters when compared to daughters of other sires.

TERMINAL INDEX (TI)

is a bio-economic index which considers six growth and carcass-related traits, each trait weighted according to its heritability and economic importance in a feedlot situation with carcasses valued by weight, yield and quality grade. The value is expressed in standard deviation terms, which can be difficult to comprehend. IBBA advises breeders to evaluate the percentile rank rather than the actual index value.

FERTILITY INDEX (FI)

is a bio-economic index which considers six traits, each trait weighted according to its heritability and economic importance in a cow-calf enterprise. The value is expressed in standard deviation terms, which can be difficult to comprehend. IBBA advises breeders to evaluate the percentile rank rather than the actual index value.

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 33

NOVEMBER 20-21, 2020 Cavender’s neChes river ranCh JaCksonville, TX

250 Brangus Bulls, 150 Coming Two-Year-Olds and 100 Yearlings 80 Hand-Selected, Front-End Brangus Females

We didn’t hold anything back selecting cattle for this event.

550 Commercial Females Sorted to Suit in Groups of 5 to 8

Bred heifers, Bred young cows, 2-year-old pairs, Open replacements.

Auctioneer: Doak Lambert

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PROVEN GENETICS, TRUSTED BRAND

Schedule of Events THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19 8:00 AM

Cattle Available for Viewing

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20 8:00 AM

Cattle Available for Viewing

12:00 PM

Commercial Female Sale Begins

5:00 PM

Registered Female Sale Begins Dinner to Follow

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21 8:00 AM

Cattle Available for Viewing Breakfast Will be Served

11:00 AM

Lunch

12:00 PM

Bull Sale Begins

Sale Contacts

Steve Harrison 208-270-3065

John Milam 870-310-0781

Craig Green 870-834-1976

Grady Green 870-314-3673

Joe Cavender 903-571-1209

Justin Matejka 903-521-1070

CDPBRANGUS.COM

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 35

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FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 37

AGRICULTURE IS AN ESSENTIAL BUSINESS and we are moving forward with our “Clayton Williams Memorial” Brangus Bull Sale, Monday, October 12, 2020, at the Steiner Ranch near Bastrop, Texas. As the guidelines presented by our government leaders change daily, we will be prepared if the “number for gathering” changes. We understand and realize some people with a pre-existing health issue or other concerns may choose not to attend the sale.

We are planning our sale as usual but are preparing to offer simple options and alternative ways to purchase bulls if conditions change.

You can always view the bulls anytime by scheduled appointment.

As we near sale day our staff will be available to go through the bulls individually if you would like. Please call several days in advance so we have ample time to discuss the offering. Videos of the bulls will also be available to view prior to the sale.

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FALL 2020

DVAuction will broadcast the sale live at www.dvauction.com.

Please register online at any time, however, you must register at least 24 hours prior to the sale. We will have representatives available on sale day for cell phone bidding. If you are unable to attend, we have a 100% sight unseen policy in place.

The sale will start promptly at 12 noon and you can bid online, by phone or leave a bid with one of our representatives. We are offering options if you will not be able to congregate at the sale barn. Please call Gary at (830) 391-0766 for further information or to answer any questions. Please contact us or watch our Facebook page for regular updates as we move closer to the sale date.

Regards,

WRC MR UPGRADE 2F6 ~ R10407896 ~ DOB: 9/19/18 WRC Upgrade 11C x John Adams daughter ~ BW: 74 ~ WW: 606 ~ YW: 1019 CED BW WW YW Milk TM CEM SC REA IMF FT Stay 4.9 0.2 31 60 15 30 3.9 0.38 0.41 0.13 -0.038 1.91

WRC MR PRIME 820F19 ~ R10408675 ~ DOB: 10/4/18 Prime x Lucky ~ BW: 66 ~ WW: 549 ~ YW: 1089 CED BW WW YW Milk TM CEM SC REA IMF FT 5.0 0.6 20 39 9 19 3.6 0.42 0.29 0.00 -0.042

Stay 0.99

WRC MR PASSPORT 29F ~ R10408587 ~ DOB: 9/24/18 Passport grandson x Elegido daughter ~ BW: 75 ~ WW: 658 ~ YW: 1137 CED BW WW YW Milk TM CEM SC REA IMF FT Stay 6.5 0.5 23 38 7 19 3.4 0.37 0.20 0.04 -0.035 0.95

WRC MR TEQUILA 302G ~ R10419794 ~ DOB: 1/3/19 Tequila x 607L11 daughter ~ BW: 79 ~ WW: 641 ~ YW: 1142 CED BW WW YW Milk TM CEM SC REA IMF FT 4.8 0.8 26 42 10 23 3.7 0.58 0.41 -0.03 -0.050

Stay 1.04

WRC MR PRIME 535F3 ~ R10408646 ~ DOB: 9/10/18 Prime x 535 cow family ~ BW: 72 ~ WW: 631 ~ YW: 1064 CED BW WW YW Milk TM CEM SC REA IMF FT 4.1 2.1 30 54 10 25 3.7 0.25 0.34 0.05 -0.033

WRC MR PRIME 915F59 ~ R10408746 ~ DOB: 10/25/18 Prime x My Way daughter ~ BW: 75 ~ WW: 539 ~ YW: 1003 CED BW WW YW Milk TM CEM SC REA IMF FT 4.5 0.4 20 37 12 22 3.2 0.67 0.30 -0.06 -0.030

Stay 0.42

Stay 0.45

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 39

FEATURE ARTICLE

A Healthy CALF IS THE NEW BLACK CALF

by Emily Lochner, IBBA editor

At a Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) Conference in the While other breeds, who rapidly capitalized on strategic valueearly 1990s, Bill Fielding, the then president of Cargill Meat has added marketing campaigns, began to see superior success in been quoted as making this statement during his presentation registration numbers and breed loyalty. on cattle markets, “Bos indicus cattle will never grade.” Brangus | AN INDUSTRY IN PROGRESSION | The blatant fact is: The entire agricultural industry has breeders believed differently prior to that as the Brangus breed was founded in 1949 on the strong principle that ranchers in the progressed in every way in the past 50 years. In the past half century compared to today, producing a gallon of milk uses 90% southern United States were looking for cattle that could both withstand heat and humidity, and still have a respectable quality less land and 65% less water. Seven steers today yield the same amount of beef as 10 steers in 1977. And, each pound of that grade on the rail.

The notion of quality grade was one of only two founding beef raised uses 19% less feed, 33% less land, and 12% less water origins. How then, in a 40-year time span, had the breed strayed than in 1977. Today, the U.S. produces 20% of the world’s beef from its original intent? It likely had not [voiding the 1980s supply with just 7% of its cattle. The question then is: If the U.S. large and lean phase the entire beef supply can change that much The stereotype that’s probably not industry experienced]. It was in 50 years, why can’t Brangus just simpler to lump any calf cattle, or any breed, selectively very correct is that [Bos indicus cattle] don’t with Bos indicus-influence into improve through careful matings have the ability to achieve Choice grade. an “eared” category that lingers just a handful of data-driven And that’s just not fair, because over the past still today. But, let’s break down traits? They can. And they did.

15 years, moderate eared calves have just

The Brangus and Brangushow we got here. gotten a lot better. [The] amount of ear is far From the founding based cattle of today are being less important than the quality of the calf. membership of 57 people, forced to rise to the occasion -Brent Kuehny, Dollar K Cattle, Oklahoma the association began to grow of the beef market. Today’s rapidly in the following decades. consumer wants more than just What began as the American Brangus Association (ABA), and a well marbled steak. Today’s consumer wants an animal that later became the International Brangus Breeders Association lived a healthy life, with “value-added” perks; they want a tender, (IBBA), saw a “heyday” from the mid-1960s all the way to juicy, well marbled experience at a reasonable cost.

So, what does it take to get there? It takes a hardy animal, the late 1980s. The April 1959 Brangus Journal cover depicts a Brangus breeder, James (Jimmy) Grant of Hollywood, California, one that can withstand heat and humidity, and also be respectable on the quality grade roll. Sound familiar yet? The posing with a champion bull next to movie star, John Wayne, same goals the Brangus breed was founded on. at the San Antonio Stock Show. The 1970s and 1980s Brangus Journals had to be bound, like a book, due to the high number of | BRENT KUEHNY, DOLLAR K CATTLE | No stranger to the live beef cattle market is Brent Kuehny, of ad sales and content, launching the magazines well over 150 to Dollar K Cattle, in Elmore City, Oklahoma. For 23 years, Kuehny 200 pages in length. Brangus breeders from California to Ohio and his family have run stocker cattle at their south central were hosting black tie sale events with professional singers, and Oklahoma ranch that holds up to 4,000 head of cattle, including Brangus cattle were on display at nearly every major stock show around 400 pasture mama cows. Before building his current in the nation. In fact, it was in 1974 at the National Western facility, Kuehny served as a manager of a feedlot in Kansas – Stock Show in Denver, Colorado, that the slogan “Any country bringing his cattle experience full circle from birth to beef. is Brangus country,” was coined. In January 1982, a record was A “stocker” operator is essentially someone whom combines set when Blocker Brangus, Texas, and Windy Acres Brangus, Nebraska, purchased possession and half semen interest in Extra weaned calves off cow-calf producers, “stocks” the cattle together in large groups, and backgrounds on grass for around 90 of Brinks 192M9 for $400,000. The Brangus breed was, as Doc days before sending those animals off to the feedlot. By going Holliday would say, “In its prime.”

In the following two decades, though, a stigma arose. through a stocker operator, cattle are commingled and fed a low Unsurprisingly, a low marbling score was soon associated with energy ration, allowing them to grow at a low input cost. Then, Bos indicus-influenced cattle, alongside an unruly temperament when the cattle are shipped to a feedlot, an occurrence called ideology. For some producers or cattlemen, an “eared effect” “compensatory gain” happens when cattle are placed on high may still loiter in the back of their minds at the auction barn. protein diets, and thus, gain weight quickly, efficiently, and costFor Brangus, registration numbers never saw a decrease, but effectively. A win-win for the cattle and the pocketbook.

“We run any kind of cattle, without breed preference,” says rather remained stagnant, without growth, for many years.

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FEATURE ARTICLE Kuehny, “typically we’ll purchase a 5-weight [500-lb.] steer or heifer and run until about a 7-weight [700-lb].” The cattle will spend about 70 to 90 days with Kuehny getting their “basics” and ensuring their fundamental health needs are met before they’re off to a feedyard.

“For a lot of years, we’ve made our living off mismanaged calves that go through a local sale barn,” Kuehny states. Their operation has purchased cattle from sale barns and direct from producers, and also custom feeds customer-owned cattle, primarily developing heifers.

Today’s times are changing, and it’s forcing Dollar K Cattle to come along with the ride. “Health has become a large issue with many of the calves we see at the sale barn, their health has just gotten so poor that we are having to branch out and look for alternative options. It’s hard to put a dollar figure on how much A Brangus-influenced stocker calf on grass at Dollar K Cattle. the health affects the bottom line of feeder calves today, but I can the ability to grow. The amount of ear is far less important than tell you it’s a pretty big number,” he stresses.

“Today we’re just looking for more cattle coming direct from the quality of the calf.”

For the Kuehnys, the ultimate goal would be to find gold the source, so we can verify their background. We’ve purchased standard groups of calves in load sizes of 200-250 head. “The several cattle direct from the cow-calf producer in the past, but size of our traps hold about 250 head, so for us that’s just the the truth is we have a hard time generating the kind of volume right number. If a producer wanted to bring five head, that’s fine. we need to work off of,” Kuehny explains.

So long as we can commingle them with many other smaller or “In this part of the world, people want to sell cattle at the sale barn, and I truly think we need some kind of break through moderate sized groups of cattle to fill the trap,” he says.

Kuehny says their operation does both retained ownership educational programs to sell the fact: The sale barn is a very and point-of-sale to feedlots. Some cattle, they purchase at the inefficient step in the process. Any time an animal changes sale barn, own for 90 days, then sell to the feedlot at 700-lb. Then hands, it’s an inefficient step in the process. It’s a financial drain some cattle are purchased from a sale barn or producer, and on everyone who’s involved (the cow-calf producer, the sale barn, the trucker, the stocker, the feedlot, etc.) and the producer ownership is retained through to the plant if they’re an especially strong group of calves. And, other groups, the Kuehnys never is the one who’s getting slighted the most! Plus, the cattle are own, they simply feed for customers, and send them on their getting to where they can’t handle the stress of it all.” way once they’ve reached their desired weight. “We typically So, what does an ideal feeder calf look like? don’t retain ownership through to the feedlot. We do finish For me, the gold standard calf would be four things:1) at some, but not all. Would I like to? Probably.” minimum two rounds of viral vaccinations, 2) wormed, 3) all For the crew at Dollar K, bull calves need to be steers, and they’ve got the stocker phase 4) 45 days weaned is preferable I like feeding Brangus cattle. It’s the of the beef industry down for success, but not required,” pat. From health to low stress kind of cattle we’re looking for, [they] just he requests.“Implants are not management to nutrition, it’s a a requirement. The one thing I thrive in our operation. science. absolutely will not take is bull -Seth Taylor, Taylor Cattle Company, Texas “We’d very much like to be calves. If an order buyer sends a part of the Brangus Pipeline me a bull calf, he can just load Project. I’d like to think we’ve got our system figured out, and him right back onto the truck or leave him at my place until he now, we’re just looking for healthy calves.” comes back for him.” | SETH TAYLOR, TAYLOR CATTLE COMPANY | Eared calves or Bos indicus-influenced calves get the Due west of Fort Worth, Texas, Seth Taylor owns and green light if they’ve got the appropriate qualifications, Kuehny operates Taylor Cattle Co. in Parker and Palo Pinto counties. believes for his operation.

Taylor focuses on stocker and feeder cattle, but also runs a “I don’t think eared cattle have ever had a bad reputation commercial and registered Angus and Brahman herd – and yes, from a performance standpoint. The stereotype that’s probably he’s crossing the two breeds. not very correct is that they don’t have the ability to achieve Taylor’s grow yard holds about a 2,000-hd capacity, mainly Choice grade. And that’s just not fair, because over the past 15 comprised of grass traps with feed bunks ideal for high risk years, moderate eared calves have just gotten a lot better. For a cattle. “We mainly purchase high risk cattle, calves that are lot of the larger feedlots, they won’t take a calf that shows too coming straight off their mothers or straight from the sale barns, much ear, but a 3/8 influenced calf is fine. As long as cattle have (continued on page 42) a good conformation – being big boned, having a deep rib, and

“

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 41

FEATURE ARTICLE high-end cattle feeders. Brangus are unique among the eared and we work to get them healthy and ready to go to a feedyard. breeds in that they carry a strong dose of Angus genetics, which When they leave our location, they’ve had at least 90 days of is the industry standard for high-grading cattle. We know backgrounding on them, and the feedlots know they’re healthy,” that Brangus cattle will grow rapidly, stay healthy, and grade Taylor explains. extremely well. That’s why the association wants to help connect Purchasing cattle is the norm for the Taylor’s. “We have the dots in what we’re calling the Brangus Pipeline Project. order buyers at sales and auctions, but we also purchase cattle The association wants to offer a structured way to move straight from the producer. Right now, we own 100% of the cattle quality Brangus genetics through to the top of the beef market. in our grow yard. Most of our cattle are actually heifers at 400- to The association intends to make connections and build 600-lb., they’re 70% black with a quarter-ear. Sure, sometimes relationships with Brangus-based producers of large, medium, we feed customer cattle, but I’m quite picky about those custom and small operations, document their genetic value, utilize best fed cattle, so I tend to vet them more stringently. For me, I want practices for health and pre-feedlot management, and then the cattle to have a little ear, they just do so much better in the offer them in load lots to buyers. We will seek relationships with heat,” he describes. quality grow yards or stocker operators – like the Kuehnys and For Taylor, his gold standard feeder calf list is comprised Taylors of the world – to help group cattle and get them started of: 1) a good quality animal with proper bone, 2) health records on feed. Then, we intend to seek relationships with feedlots with at least one round of shots but preferably two, and 3) a low who will either buy the cattle, partner with the producer, or stress handling background. custom feed retained ownership cattle, and provide basic data The problem he faces, as do most producers, is that the best back to the pipeline that can be used for education and program size loads are groups of cattle that weigh 50,000-lb., just enough improvement. to fill a truck. “This 50,000-lb. request hurts a lot of cow-calf | BRANGUS BUILT™ | producers who may only have 25 cows. The best thing to do is So how are we going to do this? For many years, the IBBA get with a neighbor and start pulling groups together,” has promoted a yellow tag called the Brangus Built tag. It’s been Taylor asks. signified to represent cattle that have at minimum one registered In west central Texas, Taylor doesn’t discriminate against an Brangus parent. The Brangus Built tagging system already eared calf, he actually prefers it. has some notoriety in the marketplace and has been shown “I think there is a preference against Bos indicus cattle – but to add value to commercial heifers carrying the tag. It’s time I’ll tell you, it’s a myth. Other breeds have just done a better job to up the steaks. The Brangus Built program will now identify of marketing, but the truth is, the cattle with a feedlot-bound steers with minimum standard little ear just put more pounds on the ground. requirements.

PRODUCER Brangus cattle are all black hided, and we know Any breeder with Brangus, It’s time the Brangus Built tag came with more Brangus sired, or Ultra calves they grade, most of the time they’re qualifying weight than just a registered Brangus parent. on the grid for Certified Angus Beef (CAB).

This fall, guidelines will be set in place in order Plus, most Bos indicus cattle are killing heavier to receive the tag; guidelines such as weaning, and still meeting the quality grade of their Bos health, and nutrition protocols that set the calf STOCKER taurus contemporaries.” up for success. In the future, the yellow Brangus Any breeder willing to gather “I like feeding Brangus cattle,” Taylor Built tag will serve as a beacon of light to order Brangus calves from producers proclaims. “It’s the kind of cattle we’re looking buyers and grow yards alike; calling them in their area, commingle and for. They thrive in our operation. It’s a notowards the reliability and guarantee signified by background the calves on grass brainer if we can source cattle that are vaccinated the “brand.” until a certain weight and weaned, it takes a lot of the guess work out | POWER IN NUMBERS | of our position.”

We’ve all heard the quote, “There’s power in | THE BRANGUS PIPELINE PROJECT | numbers.” Taken literally, there’s power in the FEEDLOT It’s no secret that cow-calf producers face “numbers” leading commercial producers to A feedlot who will take the a 50,000-lb. dilemma. Brangus seedstock, or strong EPD-backed Brangus bulls for their herd. commingled groups of calves from Taken figuratively, there’s power in the number Brangus commercial producers with 25 samethe stocker and feed Bos indicussex, source-verified, vaccinated, weaned calves of producers breeding Brangus-influenced influenced cattle and report back have nowhere to take them where their hard feeder calves. Maybe it’s time we dig down to with feed intake data work can be appropriately recognized. the original roots of the breed: heat tolerance The IBBA is committed to the success of and quality grade ability. Capitalize on the two its seedstock bull producers, and commercial things this breed really is known for. Take back bull customers, both large and small. Based on the market share from five or 20 head groups of PACKER everything we know about Brangus genetics, feeder calves sold at auction; and combine these A plant who will process the which is backed with hard data, we know these beef for consumer consumption, groups into load lots that take the industry by and report carcass data back cattle will meet or exceed all the demands of storm, 50,000-lb. at a time. (continued from page 41)

to the producer

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FEATURE ARTICLE

SELECTING BETTER GENETICS, Producing Better Beef

by Emme Troendle

From ranch to rail, Brangus producers in each segment of “As the producer continues to make genetic improvements, the cattle industry are selecting for genetics that grade Choice we get better and better at fine tuning harvest dates and really and Prime. Much of the selection pressure on intramuscular fat maximizing premiums. We both get better and better over time,” (IMF) has paid off, as Brangus cattle are producing more Choice Tiffany explains.

With incentives to harvest Choice and Prime cattle, quality grade than ever before.

“Quality grade has been a big driving factor in the beef backgrounders and feedlots are looking for quality genetics industry for 20 plus years now,” says Shane Tiffany, co-owner combined with sound structure and health protocols.

Giovana Benitez, Edinburg, Texas, in partnership with her and operator of Tiffany Cattle Company, a custom feedlot father, Jesus, own MNR Cattle Co., a stocker operation where with a large Brangus base in Herington, Kansas. “We’ve made they background anywhere a concerted effort to improve between 600 to 2,000 cattle at a the consistency and the overall The Brangus cattle will be right up there time. “In our operation we use quality of our products for [averaging over 90% Choice], with other breeds such as Charolais, the end consumer through Hereford, Beefmaster, and Santa the adoption and promotion 5-15% Prime. At the same time, they Gertrudis, but when we started of quality-based EPDs and perform at or above our averages on the buying Brangus calves, we saw a marbling scores.” cost-to-gain and average daily gain.

An indicator trait for big difference in how good they -Shane Tiffany, Tiffany Cattle Company, marbling, IMF has been shown grow -- not only at our ranch, but Herington, Kansas to affect flavor, juiciness, also at the feed yard.”

In the last 10 years, Benitez tenderness, and visual reports that her Brangus cattle characteristics of meat. Brangus are placing higher in quality grade. “Brangus cattle are either producers are utilizing ultrasound scans on their bulls and grading Choice or Prime. We see the largest difference when we heifers to estimate carcass traits, feeding back into the genetic (continued on page 50) evaluation to provide more reliable EPDs and indices.

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FEATURE ARTICLE (continued from page 48)

Kari White, genetic evaluation scientist with Neogen Agrigenomics, has seen how the genetic trends in marbling and other traits have changed and improved, due in part to the combination of data and DNA tests. She says, “Brangus seedstock and commercial producers have been doing a great job remaining dedicated to genomically testing their cattle to enhance the accuracy of EPD selection.”

Dedicated to improving each segment of the industry, IBBA and Igenity®, have partnered in the development of Igenity® Brangus, a custom DNA profile to assist Brangus commercial producers in making informed selection decisions on their replacement heifers.

Seedstock and commercial producers continue to move forward and improve marbling and overall yield grade of cattle.

Brangus producers have improved the profitability in each segment of the industry by contributing to the grading profile of higher-quality beef.

John Genho, director of the Genetic Prediction Group at Neogen, stresses that Brangus cattlemen have been balanced in selecting on economically important traits such as marbling and using indexes to make these strides in producing better beef. “It’s problematic to select only based on one trait because something else will be sacrificed and the carcass won’t grade as well,” Genho remarks. “But Brangus have done well using the indexes and EPDs provided by IBBA to ensure an all-around animal.”

| TIFFANY CATTLE COMPANY, HERINGTON AND MARQUETTE, KANSAS | Brothers, Shawn and Shane Tiffany, own and operate Tiffany Cattle Company, a custom feedlot with two locations in Kansas.

In addition to the feedlot, they also graze cattle in the Flint Hills area in the summer and cover crop graze in the fall and winter.

Shawn handles the farming and grain inventory side of the business, as well as assisting in cattle health and feeding management, marketing and financial aspects of the business operations. Shane has developed country trade in surrounding areas and addresses all cattle purchasing needs of the feed yard.

His primary day to day responsibilities include overseeing office activities, feed and inventories, as well as providing risk management and marketing services for their cattle customers.

Together, the brothers provide the greatest opportunity for their customers to be profitable and produce a healthy and sustainable product for the public consumer.

| MNR CATTLE CO, EDINBURG, TEXAS | In memory of her mother and brother, Giovana Benitez and her father, Jesus Armando Benitez, started MNR Cattle Company, located in Edinburg, Texas, after a tragic accident took their loved ones lives in 1999. Each day, Giovana lives in honor of her mother’s dream to own and operate a ranch.

The cattle operation started as a cow-calf enterprise that slowly transitioned to backgrounding cattle. By 2010, they were fully immersed in backgrounding cattle from purchase to slaughter.

For the last 10 years, Benitez has focused on purchasing cattle between 400 to 600 pounds and backgrounding until they are shipped to the feedlot. MNR Cattle Co retains ownership through kill and use their harvest data to help inform their next round of purchasing. Normally, the Benitezes handle daily feeding and caring for the cattle but will hire temporary help to process and gather cattle.

source our cattle from the sale barns instead of directly from the farm. Either way, we normally at least grade Choice.”

The beef industry averages 80% Choice, and Tiffany shares that at harvest time the Brangus cattle perform at or above average, “Eight years in a row out of our facilities, we’re averaging over 90% Choice. The Brangus cattle will be right up there into the low to mid-90s, at 100% Choice with 5-15% Prime. At the same time, they perform at or above our averages on the cost-to-gain and average daily gain.”

When cow-calf operators are selling their calves at weaning, many backgrounding and feedlot facilities prefer going directly to the producer than through the sale barn. For Benitez, purchasing calves with quality genetics in good health is essential to their operation’s bottom line, “When we purchase cattle, we start with knowing what we are looking to raise. With a purpose, having good genetics and having proper nutrition, your operation is going to be successful. With the measurements we take at the ranch, we’ve been able to get the marbling and accordingly good quality grades at harvest.”

Selecting for marbling, a highly heritable trait, along with other indices provided by International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA), have pushed the needle in favor of Brangus cattle. A lot of the improvement has been in part because Brangus producers remain committed to data collection and DNA testing.

Shane and Shawn Tiffany - Tiffany Cattle 50

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Giovanna (right) with her father Jesus Armando Benitez, and her youngest brother, Jesus Armando Benitez

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The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) is embarking on a very ambitious project that will have enormous benefits for everyone who relies on Brangus genetics to profitably produce high quality beef. IBBA is seeking relationships with commercial producers to conduct a comprehensive “birth-to-beef ” test of the breed’s most promising sires.

In brief, IBBA and participating bull owners will provide semen at no cost and will help cover other costs of synchronizing and breeding commercial cows, in exchange for cooperation from commercial producers in collecting data and working with IBBA to place the calves from this project into partner feedlots. All steer calves will be fed and harvested with recovery of performance data and carcass data which will be shared with cooperating producers.

IBBA desires to feed and harvest the steer calves resulting from this project while encouraging that the heifer mates remain with the cooperators and, subsequently, enter the cooperator cowherds. This is a rare opportunity for a commercial producer to build a cowherd based on the most highly and comprehensively proven sires in the breed.

Our goal is that many cooperators who participate in 2020 will still be participating in 2030 and beyond. It is a long-term investment in the Brangus breed that will help set the stage for long-term growth and enhanced prosperity for everyone who uses Brangus genetics.

Below are some of the key factors to consider in determining if cooperation in this project fits your operation: • Fixed-time AI is preferred in most cases. This involves several trips through the chute over a 10-day period but eliminates the need for heat detection. In order to reduce stress and get the highest possible conception rates, good working facilities are essential.

• Cows should be a minimum of 45 days post-partum when the synchronization protocol is started (55-days post partum when they are bred).

• Heifers are the easiest group to synchronize and breed (no calf sorting involved), and are acceptable for use in this project, but there may be a limited number of proven calving-ease sires to be tested so anyone wanting to utilize heifers should sign up early.

• Adequate body condition is essential to any AI breeding

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program. Cows and heifers should be in a body condition score of 5.0 or better.

Ideal calving season is February - April for spring calving herds and September - November for fall calving herds.

Calving ease scores will be collected by the cooperators.

Actual birth weight recording is not required.

Calf tagging is required only to differentiate AI sired calves from natural service calves. All other identification required to connect calves with their sire will be done with DNA samples.

Calves destined for the feedlot must be pre-conditioned and, if possible, held for 45-days post-weaning. Weaning should occur between 170 and 230 days of age.

One hundred and fifty (150) head is the practical minimum number of cows/heifers per cooperator to be AI bred. If two bulls are used in a 150-head group, assuming 50-55% conception, this should produce close to 20 steers per sire which is the practical minimum.

IBBA will identify up to two feedlots where the cattle will be fed. In order to get the best comparisons amongst sires, it is desirable to feed at least 200 project steers per feedlot.

IBBA will do everything possible to secure a competitive bid on those calves that cooperators wish to sell.

Otherwise, cooperators are welcome to, even encouraged to, retain ownership through the feeding phase.

IBBA will cover the cost of carcass data collection, including the cost of extracting a rib steak from each carcass for tenderness testing.

IBBA will pay the cost of DNA testing.

IBBA will work with cooperators to pool calves in central locations so that full loads are delivered to the feedlot(s).

IBBA will arrange for cooperators to visit the feedlots and packing plants where the cattle will be fed and harvested.

There is no denying that participation in this project will require extra effort on the part of cooperators. The trade-off is the education that comes from participation and, perhaps most importantly, the quality of replacement females that the cooperators will have as a result of using top notch AI sires in this project. Over several years of participation, the accumulation of “genetic equity” in the form of replacement females will be significant.

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FEATURE ARTICLE

IMPACT OF BRAHMAN GENETICS

ON BODY TEMPERATURE OF HEIFERS UNDER HEAT STRESS

by Raluca Mateescu, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida

Bos indicus and Bos indicus-influenced cattle, like Brangus, are better able to regulate body temperature in response to heat stress due to a number of physiological and cellular level adaptive traits. The multibreed herd at the University of Florida (UF) Beef Research Unit allowed us to quantify the change in body temperature in heifers with various proportions of Brahman genes per unit increase in heat stress as measured by temperature-humidity index (THI) and to assess how different breed groups responded to varying intensity and duration of heat stress. A total of 299 two-year old heifers from six breed groups ranging from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman were evaluated under hot and humid conditions during 2017 and 2018 summer days.

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The variation in environmental heat stress conditions ranging from days with moderate heat stress conditions to days with severe heat stress conditions provided us with the opportunity to compare the response of different breed groups under a range of heat stress environments. There are two important observations illustrated by our data. As shown in Figure 1, the heat load in 2017 was severe for three consecutive days and the body temperature of all heifers, regardless of breed group, was elevated. Under these extreme heat stress conditions, even the purebred Brahman heifers were not able to maintain body temperature below 102Ëš Fahrenheit (39Ëš Celsius). When heat load was moderate or high during 2018, Brahman heifers (continued on page 62)

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FEATURE ARTICLE (continued from page 60)

had a significantly lower body temperature compared with all other breed groups (Figure 2). During these days of medium to high heat stress, Brahman heifers were able to maintain body temperature below 102˚F (39˚C) for most of the time.

This is important because it was estimated that uterine temperature exceeding 102˚F (39˚C) was associated with a reduction in conception rate. The same temperature was shown to reduce blastocyst production in Bos taurus indicus cows as a result of compromise oocyte developmental capacity. Based on our data, considering the 102˚F (39˚C) body temperature as a threshold to indicate inability to cope with heat stress, we can infer that days with a heat load greater than 34 present a challenge for all heifers, regardless of breed, to maintain body temperature bellow 102˚F (39˚C).

It is important to note that during 2017 when heifers were exposed to severe heat load for three days, the body temperature of Angus heifers was significantly higher than for Brahman heifers only for day three. This could be an indication of a superior ability of Brahman heifers to adapt to several days of severe heat stress in a row. On the other hand, during 2018 when heifers were exposed to moderate and high heat load (first and second day in 2018, Figure 2), the body temperature in Angus heifers was significantly higher than in Brahman heifers for most of the day, approximately between 09:00 hours and 20:00 hours.

Data presented in Figure 2 would also suggest that the critical factor in the ability to maintain a lower body temperature might not be the number of hours with high or extreme temperature

humidity index (THI) but rather the lack of opportunity to cool down during the night hours. During the three nights in 2017 which preceded the days with extreme heat stress conditions, the THI was not lower than 71.

The body temperature for Angus heifers when environmental THI is low, was 0.06°C greater than the population average body temperature under low THI. The body temperature of all other breed groups under low THI was not different than the population average. The body temperature for the 100% Angus breed group increased by 0.417°C for every five units of THI. The body temperature of the 25%, 32.5%, 50%, and 75% Brahman breed groups showed a numerical decrease with the increase in percentage of Brahman genes, but they were not significantly different from the population.

These results suggest that cattle with 100% Brahman genetics have a superior tolerance to heat stress, reflected in a smaller increase in body temperature in response to an increase of 5 THI units in environment. Angus cattle have a significantly lower thermotolerance reflected in a larger increase in body temperature.

A heterosis effect, defined as the deviation of the crossbreds (50% Brahman) from the average of the two parental breeds (0% Brahman and 100% Brahman, respectively) was estimated for the tolerance to heat stress. This moderate heterosis of -8.35% indicates that the resilience to heat stress of an Angus X Brahman crossbred is 8.35% better than the average of the parental breeds due to heterosis.

Figure 2. Hourly body temperature (˚C, left axis) for purebred Angus (red line) and purebred Brahman (green line) for three consecutive days during 2018. Heat load over the first, second and third day was moderate, high, and high, respectively. The hourly temperature humidity index (THI, right index) is depicted as blue shaded bars following the scale in the graph. When heat load was moderate or high during 2018, Brahman heifers had a significantly lower body temperature compared with all other breed groups and were able to maintain body temperature below 102˚F (39˚C) for most of the time.

| CONCLUSION |

conditions intensifying and expanding into currently temperate zones indicate the imperative need to develop effective strategies to ensure sustainable beef production systems. Effective strategies will require the identification of the genes conferring the superior thermotolerance in Brahman cattle. This will allow genomic selection within breeds for superior productivity under hot and humid conditions or introduction of thermotolerance variants in thermo-sensitive breeds through targeted introgression or gene editing technology.

The beneficial effect of Brahman genetics is dependent on the magnitude of environmental heat stress. When breed groups were exposed to moderate or high heat stress, the Brahman group had a significantly superior resilience to heat stress, but when exposed to severe heat stress even Brahman group could not adequately cope.

Along with the number of hours under high heat stress THI during the day, the opportunity to cool down during the night seems to be the critical factor. Climate change predictions with heat stress 62

Figure 1. Hourly body temperature (˚C, left axis) for purebred Angus (red line) and purebred Brahman (green line) for three consecutive days during 2017 when the heat load was severe for three consecutive days. The hourly temperature humidity index (THI, right index) is depicted as blue shaded bars following the scale in the graph. When exposed to severe heat stress, even Brahman heifers are not able to maintain body temperature below 102˚F (39˚C).

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INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS BREEDERS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Membership comes with complimentary issues of the Brangus Journal and Frontline Beef Producer.

Junior Membership: ______________

Junior DOB: ______________

Senior Membership: ______________

Member Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________ Ranch Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ___________________________ State: ___________________________ Zip: ___________________________ Phone: ________________________________________

Alt Phone: ________________________________________

Email: _________________________________________

Alt Email: ________________________________________

Number of Bulls: ________________________________

Number of Females: ________________________________

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Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces

FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT G O B R A N G U S . CO M / B R E E D E R -S E A R C H 68

FALL 2020

SEEDSTOCK DIRECTORY

KANSAS — LOUISIANA — MISSISSIPPI — MISSOURI — NEW MEXICO — OKLAHOMA

David Wood Magnolia, MS 713-539-5715

dwood@woodcorporation.com CDPBrangus.com

-$)&. - )"0.™ at Westall Ranch рчрч - ' * — - ' Ѷ

Top Quality Bulls

Available by Private Treaty Call today to pick your next herd sire.

575ÒŠ365ÒŠ6356

Breeding the Best.

Better. ©

Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces

FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT G O B R A N G U S . CO M / B R E E D E R -S E A R C H

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 69

SEEDSTOCK DIRECTORY

TEXAS

November 20-21, 2020

Cavender’s neChes river ranCh - JaCksonville, TX 250 Brangus Bulls • 80 Brangus Females • 550 Commercial Females PROVEN GENETICS, TRUSTED BRAND • CDPBRANGUS.COM Joe & Mike Cavender, Owners • Kenneth Welch, Manager 1200 CR 4716 • Troup, TX 75789 Home: 903/842-3178 • Mobile: 903/571-8716 Certified Free Herd # D80550202

JOE & MELANIE FULLER - BEN & TRISH FULLER 14148 N State Highway 16, Willow City, TX 78675 C. 979-255-7747 E. jw.fuller@yahoo.com

Gary & Kathy Buchholz

214-537-1285 - gary cell www.gkbcattle.com 1315 West Rd. Waxahachie, TX 75165 HEREFORDS | ANGUS | BRANGUS | BRAHMAN

JODI & DAVID JACKSON

3099 Horseshoe Bend Waco, Texas 76708 Jodi cell: 254.722.9138 jodiatbentwood@sbcglobal.net BULLS FOR SALE

Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces

FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT G O B R A N G U S . CO M / B R E E D E R -S E A R C H 70

FALL 2020

SEEDSTOCK DIRECTORY

TEXAS

MIKE SHELTON C: 713.560.8333 Colita Loop, Colita, TX 77351 www.brangusprofit.com Registered Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle

RIO RANCH Registered Brahman, Charolais and Brangus Raul Montez 832-331-6800 jraulmontez@ymail.com 39606 FM 1736 Hempstead, TX 77445 RIORANCHTX.COM

Schmidt Farms BRANGUS & ULTRABLACK

Don’t miss the Spring edition of the Frontline Beef Producer in the mail February 1, 2021. Deadline for ad placement January 10. Contact IBBA at 210-696-8231 or email mfuller@gobrangus.com make sure you’re on the list.

For Brangus Publications, Inc. advertising needs, contact Melanie Fuller at 979-255-3343 or mfuller@gobrangus.com.

Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces

FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT G O B R A N G U S . CO M / B R E E D E R -S E A R C H

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER 71

FALL 2020 CALENDAR

10 12 15-16 16-19 18-19 19 19 25 26 26 1-3 3 10 10 10 10 11 12 15 16-17 17 17 18 20 22-24 24 24 24 30-31

SEPTEMBER Ad Reservation Deadline for October Brangus Journal MBJ & TRIO Power of the Brands Sale, Wharton, Texas Cattle Raisers Convention and TSCRA Expo, Fort Worth, Texas - ONLINE Western National Brangus Show, Texarkana, Arkansas – NEW LOCATION Southeast Brangus Breeders Youth Show, Live Oak, Florida Texas Extravaganza Sale, Jacksonville, Texas Midsouth Cattle & Neal Ranch Annual Production Sale, St. Francisville, Louisiana Southeast Brangus Breeders General Membership Meeting, Auction, Banquet, & Awards Ceremony, Troy, Alabama Southeast Brangus Breeders Showcase Female Sale, Brundidge, Alabama 2020 Fall Invitational Angus and Brangus Bull Sale, Tulare County Stockyard, Dinuba, California OCTOBER Spitzer Ranch Profit Maker Brangus & Ultrablack Bull Sale, Preston, Kansas Scamardo Brangus Open House & Online Sale, Bryan, Texas Big D Ranch Brangus & Ultrablack Bull Sale, Center Ridge, Arkansas Cox Excalibur Brangus Sale, Weimar, Texas Ad Reservation Deadline for November Brangus Journal Tajo Ranch Open House & Online Sale, Waller, Texas Addison Brangus Farms and Friends Performance Sale, Cullman, Alabama Williams Ranch Company “Clayton Williams Memorial” Brangus Bull Sale, Bastrop, Texas Martin-Bruni Cattle 7th Annual Fall Bull Sale, San Saba, Texas Doguet’s Diamond D Ranch Where Performance Meets Style Fall Production Sale, Poteet, Texas Town Creek Farm Herd Bull and Commercial Brangus Bred Heifer Sale, West Point, Mississippi Oklahoma Brangus Breeders Association Bull Sale, McAlester, Oklahoma Allen Cattle Company Online Sale, Hosted by Smart Auctions Triple Crown Ranch Royal Bull and Semen Online Sale, Hosted by Smart Auctions National Brangus Show of Merit, Shreveport, Louisiana - CANCELED Oak Creek Farms Forage Developed Brangus Bull Sale, Chappell Hill, Texas The Branch Ranch Sale, Natchitoches, Louisiana L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms Best of the South 2nd Production Brangus & Charolais Bull Sale, Lyons, Georgia Quail Valley Bull and Commercial Female Sale, Blountsville, Alabama

NOVEMBER 6 GENEPLUS at Chimney Rock – Chimney Rock Challenge Pen Show, Concord, Arkansas 7 GENEPLUS at Chimney Rock Registered Brangus & Ultrablack Bull & Female, and Commercial Female Production Sale, Concord, Arkansas 10 Ad Reservation Deadline for December Brangus Journal 13-14 Blackwater Genomic Extravaganza, Lake Park, Georgia 14 Hill Country Brangus Breeders Association 45th Annual Brangus Bull & Female Sale, San Angelo, Texas 20-21 Cavender/Draggin’ M and Partners Registered Brangus Bull and Female Sale, Jacksonville, Texas 20-21 Salacoa Valley Farms Bull & Female Sale, Fairmount, Georgia DECEMBER 1 Deadline to Reserve Spot in 2021 Brangus Sire Directory 5 Southeast Brangus Breeders Association Bull Sale, Uniontown, Alabama 10 Ad Reservation Deadline for January Brangus Journal 72

FALL 2020

ADVERTISING INDEX ALABAMA Addison Brangus Farms...................................................................................28 Far Niente Farms.............................................................................................68 Lake Majestik..................................................................................................68 Quail Valley Farms.....................................................................................24, 65 TTT Brangus Farm...........................................................................................68 ARKANSAS Big D Ranch.....................................................................................................43 Chimney Rock Cattle.......................................................................................68 Draggin’ M Ranch...........................................................................34-35, 52, 68 Mobley, Luke...................................................................................................66 Sewell Cattle Co..............................................................................................52 CALIFORNIA Spanish Ranch.................................................................................................54 FLORIDA Fenco Farms........................................................................................ 24, 53, 68 Phillips Ranch.................................................................................................68 GEORGIA Blackwater Cattle Co.................................................................................. 44-45 L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms....................................................................................68 Salacoa Valley Farms.......................................................................................49 The Oaks Farms...............................................................................................53 IOWA Ritchie Industries............................................................................................15 KANSAS Suhn Cattle Company......................................................................................69 LOUISIANA MidSouth Cattle..............................................................................................13 Neal Ranch......................................................................................................13 The Branch Ranch .....................................................................................23, 69 MISSISSIPPI Double W Ranch..............................................................................................69 T3 Brangus......................................................................................................69 Town Creek Farms...........................................................................................25 MISSOURI Don Thomas & Son..........................................................................................69 GENEPLUS................................................................................ 18-19, 68, 69, 71 Vitaferm..........................................................................................................74 NEW MEXICO Brinks Brangus @ Westall Ranches..................................................................69 OKLAHOMA Dotson, Wes....................................................................................................66 Lawman Ranch...............................................................................................69 OBA.................................................................................................................64 Perry Ranch.....................................................................................................69

TEXAS American Marketing Services.............................................24, 28, 30, 49, 53, 65 Bill Austin Brangus..........................................................................................12 Bovine Elite...............................................................................................29, 66 Cavender Ranches................................................................................34-35, 70 Cavender-Draggin’ M and Partners........................................... 34-35, 68, 69, 70 Clark Cattle Services........................................................................................66 Cox Excalibur...................................................................................................61 Cross F Cattle...................................................................................................70 Doguet’s Diamond D...................................................................................... IFC DVAuction.....................................................................13, 25, 28, 38-39, 43, 61 Elgin Breeding Service....................................................................................66 Farris Ranching...............................................................................................11 Genesis Ranch.................................................................................................70 GKB Brangus.............................................................................................58, 70 Hi Point Sales & Marketing...............................................IFC, 13, 22, 43, 57, IBC Hill Country Brangus Breeders.........................................................................22 Jackson Family Brangus..................................................................................70 JLS International.............................................................................................70 Lambert, Doak................................................................................................66 L.W. Hudgins Brangus.....................................................................................17 MBJ Ranch......................................................................................................57 Mound Creek Ranch........................................................................................70 MP Brangus.............................................................................................. IFC, 70 Oak Creek Farms..............................................................................................BC Oakley, Lakin...................................................................................................66 Old Colita Ranch..............................................................................................71 Pennridge Ranch.......................................................................................12, 71 Rafter 2 Ranch................................................................................................71 Reagan, Terry..................................................................................................66 Rio Ranch........................................................................................................71 Santa Rosa Ranch..............................................................................................3 Scamardo Brangus.........................................................................................IBC Schmidt Farms................................................................................................71 Silveus Insurance............................................................................................67 Stalwart Ranch...............................................................................................51 Texas Extravaganza.........................................................................................30 TransOva.........................................................................................................56 Trio Cattle & Genetics......................................................................................57 Triple Crown Ranch.........................................................................................71 Tuna Rosa Ranch...............................................................................................5 Westway Feeds...............................................................................................63 Williams Ranch Co..................................................................................... 38-39

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