April 2021 Brangus Journal by International Brangus Breeders Association

Brangus A PR I L 2 0 2 1

April 2021

There is strength in numbers. Bred and raised by us. For you.

We are the largest registered breeder in the United States. And, on any given day, our customers select through hundreds of bulls and females and find the right fit for their programs. Everything we sell was born and raised on one location and we stand behind all that we do.

www.srrbrangus.com

Crockett and Navasota, Texas

936.624.2333

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.

CON TACTS 8870 U.S. Highway 87E, San Antonio, Texas 78263 • P.O. Box 809, Adkins, Texas 78101 210-696-8231 • Fax 210-696-8718 • info@gobrangus.com • gobrangus.com IBBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Allen Goode, Texas 1st Vice President Vern Suhn, Kansas 2nd Vice President Jeremy Jackson, Arkansas Secretary/Treasurer Mike Weathers, Texas East Region Trey Cuevas, Purvis, Mississippi treycuevas3@yahoo.com Chris Heptinstall, Oneonta, Alabama cgstall@yahoo.com Jeremy Jackson, Gentry, Arkansas jjackson101@gmail.com Rob Singleton, Seville, Florida singletons2002@yahoo.com Texas Region Lee Alford, Caldwell, Texas alfordcattle@aol.com Mary Douglass, Seguin, Texas twoheartsbrangus@yahoo.com Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas allen@triocattle.com Mike Weathers, Columbus, Texas mikeweathers@msn.com West Region Troy Floyd, Roswell, New Mexico tfloyd@leaco.net Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma shiloh518@yahoo.com Greg Romans, Vale, Oregon romansbrangus@yahoo.com Vern Suhn, Eureka, Kansas vern@geneplusbrangus.com At-Large Randy Schmidt, M.D., Texarkana, Texas doctorrand@me.com

IBBA STAFF Executive Vice President Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., dwilkes@gobrangus.com Controller Brian Sadovsky, bsadovsky@gobrangus.com Director of Registry Jessie England, jengland@gobrangus.com Director of Genomics and Research Macee Prause, mprause@gobrangus.com Director of Member Services & Marketing Lori Edwards, ledwards@gobrangus.com Product Manager Andrew Sicotte Jr., asicotte@goregstr.com Senior Software Developer Marcel Vieria, mvieira@goregstr.com Office Manager and Registry Assistant Mandie Garza, mgarza@gobrangus.com BRANGUS PUBLICATIONS, INC. STAFF Advertising Sales, Melanie Fuller mfuller@gobrangus.com, 979-255-3343 Brangus Journal Publications, Inc. Editor Lighthouse & Co. Communications editor@gobrangus.com IJBBA DIRECTORS OF YOUTH ACTIVITIES Tyler and Jessica Dean tylerwdean@gmail.com, 405-867-1421 IBBA COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Awards Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma Breed Improvement Randy Schmidt, M.D., Texarkana, Texas Commercial Marketing Craig Green, Floral, Arkansas Finance Mike Weathers, Columbus, Texas International Marcos Borges Jr., Wharton, Texas Long Range Plan Tracy Holbert, College Station, Texas Membership Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas Promotion Joe Fuller, Willow City, Texas Show Gina Gill, Beckville, Texas MEMBER OF

@gobrangus | #gobrangus 4

April 2021

INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS AUXILIARY BOARD President Brenda Brull, Atchison, Kansas 1st Vice President Tina Gardner, China Spring, Texas 2nd Vice President Ginger Pritchard, McLoud, Oklahoma Secretary Mary Beth Farris, Tuscola, Texas Treasurer Janet Greuel, Brooks, Georgia Historian Jodi Jackson, Waco, Texas INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS FOUNDATION BOARD President Bill Davis, Concord, Arkansas Vice President Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas Secretary/Treasurer Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas Chris Heptinstall, Oneonta, Alabama Tracy Holbert, College Station, Texas Steve Densmore, Bryan, Texas INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BRANGUS BOARD 2020-2021 IJBBA Board of Directors President Jacob Jones, Stillwater, Oklahoma Ex-Officio Kendra Brull, Atchison, Kansas Queen Casey Harper, Haines City, Florida Director Samuel Belt, Gatesville, Texas Director Lauren Burton, Atlanta, Texas Director April Villarreal, Brookshire, Texas Director Payge Dupre, Kathleen, Florida Director Briana Hicks, Danbury, Texas Director Brook Langford, Lawton, Oklahoma Director Cassidy Eramo, Brandon, Florida Director Jaxon Allen, Haworth, Oklahoma

Brangus AP R IL 2 0 2 1

Cover photo of Brangus beef in Carter’s Custom Cuts, Arizona. Inside photos by Steve Carter, Lauren Lettelier, Lea Stokes, Diann Watson, Jessica White

100

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Brangus AP RI L 2 0 2 1 / VO LU M E 6 9 / I S S U E 3

IN EVERY ISSUE 8 PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE 10 IBBA FACTS IN A FLASH 10 ASSOCIATION BRIEF 11 JUNIOR BOARD FEATURE 12 EXECUTIVE CORNER 34 SERVICE DIRECTORY 34 STATE DIRECTORY 40 CALENDAR 41 ADVERTISING INDEX

FEATURED

14 FROM PASTURE TO PLATE, BRANGUS PERFORM A growing number of seedstock producers are finding

value in Brangus cattle as a star performer in both the pasture and on the plate.

20 STEADY BELIEF IN BRANGUS The 2020 International Brangus Breeders Association

Pioneer of the Year Award was presented to Doug Williams of Mocksville, North Carolina.

26 HAIR SHEDDING SCORES IN BRANGUS CATTLE The University of Missouri hair shedding score project

proved differences in hair shedding attributed to genetics, age, day length, and pasture quality.

28 FLORIDA NATIONAL SHOW RESULTS 32 THE NORMALIZATION OF DNA THROUGH YOUTH How DNA has become commonplace in and out

of the show ring plus tips on how to be ready for testing requirements.

April 2021

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

DemandA PREMIUM

by Allen Goode, International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) president

Breed Brangus. Own the vigor. Demand a premium. By now, we hope that each of you has had the opportunity to have seen the new IBBA ad campaign, “Breed Brangus. Own the vigor. Demand a premium.” The ad campaign, featuring slick black and white photos was pioneered last year by the IBBA Promotions Committee. Our new promotion campaign can be seen in commercial magazines across the United States as a way to attract the attention of producers who may not traditionally select Brangus seedstock genetics. The slogan is simple – but the breakdown of each statement has real world dollars tied to it. “Breed Brangus.” This statement isn’t limited to either females or bulls, simply because Brangus succeed on both sides of the mating matrix. I think back to the old school days when there were some breeds know as dual-purpose cattle. I recall the big Simmental cattle that would be used for both dairy and meat purposes, or Shorthorns that were identified in Animal Science 101 as dual purpose. However, these breeds and many others, only have use on one side of the mating equation. Either they are used as terminal sires or used as the base of a cow herd. The fact is that the Brangus cattle of today are the dual-purpose breed of the West, Midwest, and Southeast. Our breed is dual purpose because we have both the females and bulls that cattlemen need and want. Take for example a Brangus, Red Brangus, or Ultra female dropped in the wetlands of Louisiana. She’ll need the survivability,

milking ability, and heat tolerance to wean pounds. There’s no question, the Brangus female is the maternal machine for the job. But, also consider a breeder in the desert mountains of Arizona. That herd would need a bull capable of walking miles to water through cactus and still be willing to breed cows at the end of the day. The Brangus bull is the genetic marvel for the job. Prospering with both bulls and females, Brangus cattle hit the mark every time. “Own the vigor.” The definition of heterosis itself tells us Brangus cattle perform. Heterosis is the tendency of a crossbred animal to outperform the average of its purebred parents. Certainly, Brangus is a purebred breed, and we should and need to identify as such. But the hybrid vigor of the Brahman and Angus strengths is still optimized in the proven breeding combinations. The vigor of Brangus, Red Brangus, and Ultra cattle to withstand the heat and cold elements, range of environments, and still grade on the rail should say everything to our commercial buyers. “Demand a premium.” As seedstock producers, it’s our job to take into account every tool and aspect of animal husbandry, from EPDs to pedigrees to phenotype to location when breeding the next generation of seedstock. And, it takes a balanced approach to succeed. Breeding cattle on phenotype alone doesn’t offer enough predictability; while breeding cattle on genomics alone doesn’t paint a full picture. As breeders at the top side of the beef genetic value chain, we must step up to the responsibility and take into account the entire genetic makeup of an animal. I encourage you to pull DNA for genomically enhanced EPDs and parentage. I encourage you to study the cow families of your next bull purchase, as they are a major factor in the total generational contribution he will make. I encourage you to evaluate the feet and udders of your heifer replacements, as the longevity of our breed is a hallmark. When you’ve put together a quality product that combines genetics, genomics, and phenotype it’s fair to demand a premium. As I write this letter, I am looking at a calendar of endless opportunity of Brangus, Red Brangus and Ultra cattle sales from coast to coast in the coming months. Brangus is the dual (or should I say triple!) purpose breed producing functionally superior females, genetically superior bulls, and feeder cattle as good as any of today. Take advantage, and more importantly, encourage Thatcher, Arizona • 928-428-0556 • Call for info & scheduling your fellow cattlemen and women, carterscustomcuts.com customers, and partners to take advantage of www.facebook.com/Carterbeef the Brangus opportunity in front of you.

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April 2021

ASSOCIATION BRIEF

INTERNATIONAL DEMAND OF BRANGUS SEMEN From the desk of Macee Prause, IBBA director of genetics and research: “Typically I get one to two requests a month for approval of semen to ship internationally, maybe! This past month, I assisted with the semen of nine sires to South Africa, two to Brazil, and one sire to Paraguay. This increase in international demand in semen is being seen all at once!” TEXAS SPRING SPECTACULAR SALE The Texas Brangus Breeders Association (TBBA) would like to invite you to our TBBA Annual Meeting and Spring Sale held at the Tenroc Ranch in Salado, Texas. Friday, April 2 8:00 a.m. Sale cattle begin arriving 1:00 p.m. Sale cattle must be in place 4:00 p.m. TBBA board meeting 6:00 p.m. TBBA general membership meeting 7:00 p.m. Dinner Saturday, April 3 Breakfast burritos and coffee available 8:00 a.m. Cattle available for viewing 10:00 a.m. TBBA Spring Spectacular Sale Check out and load out will be post sale

SOUTHEAST BRANGUS BREEDERS UPDATE: HOW TIME FLIES! Can you believe that the Southeast Brangus Breeders Association (SBBA) has been around for almost 50 years? Amazing! Next year marks the 50-year anniversary of the SBBA and we want to start now planning next year’s celebration for you. So, send us what you have: ideas, pictures, memorabilia, stories and any suggestions on how you would like to celebrate. We want to have a great blowout event and your input is always welcome, so let us know. Sale catalog covers, if you have a picture or pictures of Brangus cattle that you think would make a great cover for a sale catalog send them to sebrangus@hotmail.com with the subject line Sale Catalog Covers. We will put together the submittals and put it out for vote on the SBBA Facebook page, and give the winner credit and published recognition in our sale catalogs. So, photographers of all ages, let us see what you have. Speaking of sales, we have two of them each year. This is a great opportunity for producers from all over the region to come together collectively and put on a sale, the more the merrier. If you are interested in putting cattle in one of our sales let us know how we can be of assistance. Membership is on the rise again and is greatly appreciated. We are honored and blessed that you are part of the SBBA family. The membership process has changed from years past and is continuing to adapt to the changing of the times. You may have noticed that you received a membership request in your email with the ability to pay online if we had an email address on file for you and if we did not have an email on file, 10

April 2021

we mailed to you directly a membership application. Please continue to send in your membership applications and dues. For a copy of the membership application, you can find a copy on our website at www.sebrangus.com under the member services, or under the files tab on our Facebook page. Be on the lookout for the membership drive to start again November paralleling what the IBBA does for membership. If you have any suggestions on how we can better serve you, let us know and we will get it on the agenda for the next meeting to discuss. INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS AUXILIARY SOCIAL SOIREE Spring is in the air. Time for longer days, more sunshine and renewed energy. The International Brangus Auxiliary (IBA) is ready to celebrate with you! We have come one full year since our lives changed forever and we are excited to see our friends face-to-face again soon. We plan to host our annual pancake breakfast for juniors and hold our annual meeting at the National Junior Brangus Show (NJBS) this July in Belton, Texas. In the meantime, we hope to stay in touch with you through social media. While we have missed our social gatherings this past year, we are thankful for the ability to stay connected. To celebrate, the IBA would like to invite you to attend our Social Soiree on Thursday, April 29, at 7:00 p.m. If you would like to know more, follow our Facebook page, and join our event. You will have the opportunity to win some fabulous Brangus merchandise. The sale of Brangus promotional items is one way the IBA raises funds to support our scholarship program. By giving away a few items, we hope you are encouraged to purchase more in the future. You can see all of the Brangus items we have to offer by visiting our booth at NJBS this summer or looking through our Facebook page. To enter the contest, simply share our event and use the hashtag #ibagiveaway. So, until we are able to meet face-to-face again, let us get together on social media to celebrate our survival of the past demanding year. We hope to see you soon!

IBBA FACTS in a flash in the past 30 days

15 New Senior Members 7 New Junior Members 7 New Associate Members 2,526 New Female Registrations 1,933 New Bull Registrations 12 New Semen Export Approvals 1,413 New DNA Submissions

SAMUEL Belt GET TO KNOW THE IJBBA BOARD

2020-2021 IJBBA Board Member

How have the NJBS educational contests helped you become the person you are today? The contests have taught me new things, and improved my skills in certain areas. What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned while showing cattle? Hard work pays off, and you won’t get anywhere if you don’t put time into it. What advice do you have for younger members? Don’t be afraid to try new things.

Are you involved in any extracurricular clubs/activities outside showing cattle? Livestock Judging What field do you hope to attain a career in? Agriculture Why do you have interest in your future career choice? I like being around the agricultural industry.

Where are you from? Gatesville, Texas How old are you? 17-years-old Where are you going to school? Gatesville High School If you’re in high school, where do you plan to attend college? Tarleton State University

EXECUTIVE CORNER

HOW MANY

EPDs DO WE NEED?

by Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) executive vice president In this issue of the Brangus Journal you will be treated to a very interesting report from Dr. Harly Durbin on the hair shedding study that she spearheaded as a Ph.D. student at the University of Missouri. Dr. Durbin suggests that International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) develop a program to collect more hair shedding scores with the goal of creating an EPD for hair shedding. Please read the article carefully. It is informative. I spent some time on the phone recently with a Brangus breeder who believes that we should look at an EPD for foot structure and maybe another one for prepuce design. I’ve heard from others that we should get serious about an EPD for temperament. We will soon be sending sire-identified steers produced through the Brangus Value Project to feedlots, and subsequently to a packing plant. We haven’t decided yet whether to spend the extra money for feed efficiency testing and I haven’t yet asked what it would cost to pull a steak from each carcass to submit for tenderness testing. If we pull the trigger on both items, we will move a step closer to EPDs for feed efficiency and tenderness. Dr. Durbin suggests we should create an EPD for hair shedding. With all this talk about more EPDs, it is a bit ironic that I recently accepted a speaking invitation from a very progressive member who has requested that I address an audience of commercial producers and answer the question, “What do all these numbers mean?” The paradox is that we might be overloading many of our commercial bull customers with too much information, while many of our progressive breeders are asking for more EPDs. What should we do? In my opinion, we should develop EPDs for any and every trait that is economically relevant and has high enough heritability for the EPD to be meaningful as a selection tool. We don’t necessarily need to show every single EPD on every single bull to every single customer. In fact, I would argue that we need to show them fewer EPDs and replace the dozen or so EPDs with a few selection indexes that properly weigh genetic/biological factors with economic factors and, thus, produce what are called bioeconomic indexes. This is not a new idea. The pork, poultry, and dairy industries have done this for decades based on the notion that the objective of genetic change is to improve profitability. Period. I think it’s fair to say that most commercial producers don’t want to see more EPDs. So why do we need more EPDs if our commercial customers want to see fewer of them? For the simple reason that EPDs are the most powerful tools 12

April 2021

available for making genetic improvement. Those of us in the seedstock business have wittingly or unwittingly embraced the challenge of creating the PERFECT BULL. It is an elusive goal. It has never been achieved and never will be, but we all accept that and still strive to get as close to perfect as we can. The breeders who strive to produce the next generation of breed leading AI sires are constantly fine-tuning everything. If we had a foot structure EPD and a hair shedding EPD, they would use them. But this does not mean that every breeder should publish those EPDs in their sale catalog and present them to their commercial bull customers who already feel that they have more information than they can realistically use. Let’s be honest. Most commercial bull customers are focused on the big picture – growth and phenotype. All the intricate genetic fine-tuning that you do behind the scenes to produce cattle that are profitable and hassle-free is something they expect you to do because you’re a seedstock producer. That’s your job. They should be able to take for granted that you are paying attention to such things. Their confidence that you are, in fact, sweating the small stuff, leads to the single most important factor in the relationship between a seedstock breeder and his or her customers – TRUST. Whether or not IBBA proceeds to develop a hair shedding EPD as Dr. Durbin suggests, or whether we forge ahead to produce EPDs for such things as foot structure, prepuce design, or temperament, I can assure you that these topics will be sliced and diced and discussed in the IBBA committee process. We’ll look at the science – is it heritable? We’ll look at the feasibility of collecting an adequate volume of useful data on traits like this that are measured or evaluated in a more subjective way (compared to a weight, which is an objective measurement produced by a scale). One thing is known for sure – our competition is asking the same questions and, in some cases, has already decided to go forward and produce EPDs for such things as foot structure and hair shedding.

I want to acknowledge the hard work and persistence of Macee Prause, IBBA director of genomics and research, as it relates to the hair shedding study. She already had a full load of work trying to keep up with DNA testing, but she took on this project anyway because she could see the importance of it and didn’t want IBBA to be on the sidelines of this research.

FEATURE ARTICLE

From Pasture to Plate, by Mike Barnett

BRANGUS PERFORM

From the harsh, unforgiving desert of the American Southwest to the green, lush pastures of the humid Southeast, a growing number of seedstock producers find Brangus a star performer of both pasture and plate. In seedstock operations ranging across the southern tier of states, breeders like Phillip and Beth DeSalvo of Big D Ranch in Center Ridge, Arkansas say cattleman vie for their gooddoing Brangus/Ultrablack bulls for commercial herds. And consumers clamor for great tasting Brangus beef. The DeSalvos are one of four Brangus breeders we interviewed who add value to their registered herds by feeding and selling calves (who don’t meet criteria as seedstock) as beef directly to consumers. All four have a unique approach to marketing calves as beef. The DeSalvos have built a loyal clientele through local farmers markets. Dr. Bart Carter and family sell Brangus beef through their butcher shop and retail store called Carter Custom Cuts in Thatcher, Arizona. Diann Watson of Pennridge Ranch Meats, located east of Austin, sells Texas family ranch raised beef directly through the internet. Wayne Addison of Winfield, Alabama, uses his personal Facebook page to market his Brangus beef to family, friends, and repeat customers. All four breeders find loyal customers return again and

Photos courtesy of Carter’s Custom Cuts, Steve Carter 14

April 2021

again to buy good Brangus beef for their center of the plate experience. Beth DeSalvo says the flavorful meat finds consumers chiming for more. “The one thing that people come back to me and say, ‘This is absolutely the best tasting beef I’ve ever had,’” Beth says. “People can’t get over the taste. And it makes a huge difference.” Flavor, yes. But husband, Phillip, adds tenderness to the equation that satisfies customer palates. “We have cattle that have been where I did not desire them to be,” Phillip says. “They would grade high Select instead of Choice and Prime where I want them. But it’s still a very tender, enjoyable eating experience. I think that comes through with Brangus beef.” BRANGUS BEEF GOES HIGH-END Dr. Bart Carter says Carter Custom Cuts has built its reputation on providing superior cuts of Brangus beef to the high-end beef market. “We have made it pretty clear that we don’t sell meat that’s designed to be cheap. And that’s been our model from the git-go,” he says. “Our customers are middleclass people who come to our shop when they want a great cut of meat.” Dr. Carter has a 200 head registered herd (Carter Brangus) he runs on a 60-section desert ranch in Arizona.

FEATURE ARTICLE He sells 40 to 50 bulls and about 30 females as seedstock annually. The rest he puts in his feedyard to grow out and markets them as custom cuts, quarters, halves, and wholes at Carter Custom Meats. He says 60% of those cattle grade Choice or better. “Surprisingly, about 25% of our cattle are grading Prime,” he says. “When we get a Prime animal, that’s when we have a Tomahawk steak special. They go like crazy at a very high price.” Diann Watson takes a different approach heading the Pennridge Ranch Meats team. Like Carter Brangus, Pennridge Farms heavily culls and feeds out those Brangus calves who don’t make the cut as purebred sale candidates. Everything they sell as beef is Choice or Choice-plus. Those that don’t make the grade go to grind. The operation is relatively new at selling beef directly to consumers, just starting in the middle of the COVID crisis last October. So far, they have fed and harvested 18 head and market mainly through the internet. Surprisingly, most of their meat is shipped out of state to Maine, Massachusetts and New York. They also sell to Illinois, California and Oregon. “We like it when they stay in Texas,” she says. “We have some selling in Texas, but most goes out of state.” Pennridge Ranch Meats strives to produce a high-quality product and provide consumers cuts they normally wouldn’t find in the grocery store such as the petite sirloin, flat iron steak, Bavette steak (like a flank steak but thicker and more flavorful), Picanha (considered the most delectable cut in any Brazilian Churrascia), and others. They try to utilize most every part of the animal. In addition to the popular cuts of ribeyes, New York strips, briskets, and roasts, they market specialty meats such as barbacoa, liver, heart steak, oxtail, sweet breads and more. THE ROLE OF INTRAMUSCULAR FAT Wayne Addison and the DeSalvos say intramuscular fat (IMF) in Brangus is what tickles consumer tastebuds, keeping them coming back time and again for a great eating experience. Wayne says he really concentrates on IMF to improve his registered herd which carries over to the meat he sells. Although he gets high marks for his steaks and roasts from customers, time and again he receives great comments about the hamburger from his Brangus beef. “We don’t have any fat added to our hamburger,” he says, relying solely on intramuscular fat. “They really like the taste of it. They say it really tastes totally different from what you get in the store.” His growing reputation is spread mainly by word of mouth and he is processing and selling around 30 calves a year to

friends, family and many repeat customers in Northwest Alabama. Phillip DeSalvo claims high IMF in Brangus cattle leads to better tasting beef. He said many Brangus breeders, himself included, are scanning 9s on IMF, ranking right up there or exceeding many of today’s Angus sires. He said he’s also scanning 14- to 15-inch ribeyes on his calves. “They’re packed full of meat, plus carrying all of that internal muscle fat. I don’t know how you can’t say we’re raising a superior beef animal,” he says. “That’s just how far the Brangus breed has pushed the envelope and we’re still pushing it today.” BREEDER PROFILES All four breeders find feeding Brangus calves and selling direct to consumers help their bottom lines. They use data recovered from those graded in USDA approved processing facilities, and/or ultrasound data to improve the good beef characteristics in their herd. And all find customers keep returning for their flavorful Brangus beef. Addison Brangus Farms is a small registered herd, and commercial female operation in Northwest Alabama, and is

“THEY’RE PACKED FULL OF MEAT, PLUS CARRYING ALL OF THAT INTERNAL MUSCLE FAT. I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU CAN’T SAY WE’RE RAISING A SUPERIOR BEEF ANIMAL.” -PHILLIP DESALVO, BIG D RANCH, ARKANSAS

(continued on page 16)

FEATURE ARTICLE (continued from page 15)

run by Wayne Addison and his wife Leisa, with help from his dad Gary. The seedstock program has an annual sale under the Addison name that features consignments from many progressive breeders. Calves that don’t qualify for the registered herd are fed and processed as meat for consumers. He concentrates on IMF to improve his registered herd, which adds the bonus of great tasting beef for his meat customers. He’ll creep feed those going for processing to 1,200 to 1,300 pounds, which he says seems to work best. “We have a lot of feed trying to get those ready for processing,” Wayne says. “But I figure we can get about twice what we can if we take them to the stockyard, even after processing fees and all that stuff.” Pennridge Ranch and Pennridge Ranch Meats, located east of Austin, Texas, started raising Brangus cattle in 1978. A true family operation headed by Pete DeLeeuw and wife Kay, their son Pete Jr. and daughter Diann DeLeeuw Watson spend 100% of their time improving their Brangus genetics and growing their new meat business. They warranty the bulls they sell private treaty and ruthlessly cull any calf they think may have issues, feeding those out and taking them straight to the packer. Selling Pennridge Meats mostly through the internet, they target a

niche market for “all-natural dry aged beef ” and specialize in cuts that are not generally found in the grocery store. Although selling bulls is the bread and butter of their seedstock operation, the meat business is an “add-on” in diversification efforts. “It will grow more profitable in the future,” Diann says. “No doubt about it.” Carter Brangus has been selling registered Brangus bulls and females raised in the rugged desert in the Southeast corner of Arizona since 1998. Dr. Bart Carter, wife Vicki, and their son Bryce decided to vertically integrate the operation in order to cut out the middleman and to control their marketing. The result is Carter Custom Cuts and Dr. Carter estimates it has improved the bottom line of their cattle operation by 10 to 20 percent. It wasn’t an easy endeavor. Money had to be raised to establish feeding facilities, construct the building for the processing plant, and store and purchase expensive equipment for the processing plant. But he said the effort’s been worth it after two and a half years as he provides a steady stream of Choice and Choice-plus meat to a loyal, local customer base. “Our customers are very happy with the quality of the animal. The quality of the meat has been outstanding,” he says. “It’s brought positive margins where before we were breakeven or losing money.”

“FROM A CONSUMER’S POINT OF VIEW, [BRANGUS BEEF] IS AS GOOD AS ANGUS.” -DR. BART CARTER, CARTER CUSTOM MEATS, ARIZONA

April 2021

FEATURE ARTICLE Big D Ranch, located near Center Ridge in north central Arkansas, is owned and operated by Phillip and Beth DeSalvo. The idea for their Ultrablack breeding program goes back to the early ‘90s when Phillip saw great results as he purchased Brangus bulls to put on his dad’s commercial Angus herd. He started their registered Brangus operation in early 2000 through the genetics of Cow Creek Ranch. As with the other breeders, calves who don’t fit the standards as seedstock are fed out for their beef program. Beth’s passion is telling the Big D Ranch story when she sells their branded product and she finds ample opportunity visiting with their customers at local farmers markets. “Consumers expect me to be truthful about our product and be knowledgeable about what I say and what I do,” she says. “When they get home and fix that hamburger or grill that steak, they can have faith that they are putting something great on their plate—putting something on their plate that we put on our plate every night.” A MATTER OF CONFIDENCE All four breeder/entrepreneurs see a bright future for the breed as cattlemen increasingly see the benefits of using Brangus bulls in their commercial herds. It’s the best of both worlds. The bulls pass on genetics that allow offspring to survive tough environments, droughty or hot and humid conditions, and pesky insects. They produce calves that perform and survive. Add meat quality and pounds of beef to that formula and Brangus excel. “They are an excellent eating animal because of the percentage of Angus,” says Dr. Carter. ‘We don’t sacrifice anything on the retail market. It’s very, very few animals that we need to do an all grind. From a consumer’s point of view, they are as good as Angus.” It was the consensus of this group of registered breeders that Brangus stack up very favorably with the grade and marbling of Bos taurus breeds. “We have been intentional looking for carcass traits, high IMF EPDs,” says Dr. Carter, criteria the other breeders also say is important in their breeding programs. “Those are carcass traits we try to select for. I think that makes a difference.” And the sky’s the limit as far as opportunities for the Brangus breed, they say. “We’ve got a lot of things in our corner and we have a leadership team that is all about driving the Brangus breed to a level never seen before,” Phillip DeSalvo says. “And not just to worry about being the number one bull seller in the world, but giving Angus a run for their money per se.” “I’m one of those who firmly believe Angus is where they are today because of the dollar bill and marketing strategy. And I believe Brangus has a product today that meets or exceeds what’s going on with our stiffest competition right now.” 17

FEATURE ARTICLE

SteadyINBelief BRANGUS The 2020 International Brangus Breeders Association Pioneer of the Year Award was presented to Doug Williams of Mocksville, North Carolina.

by Emily Lochner The word ‘pioneer’ has a certain old-fashioned quality associated to it. For most, pioneer(ing) is likely tied to mental images of horse-drawn covered wagons, or of gold miners on a trail out west, or maybe even of cowboys pioneering the land of America generations ago. But, take each of these examples into consideration and similar characteristics appear. For example, a pioneer in the late 1800s traveling by wagon with a few chickens and a family probably had a lot of the same courage, grit, loyalty, and dedication to his craft as say, someone trying to strike a golden nugget after days of back breaking mining. The word pioneer, therefore, is not reflective of a series of actions, but rather it stands for the kind of person who is unwavering in their belief and dedication to their cause. Accordingly, the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) established the Pioneer of the Year Award in 2005 to recognize an IBBA member, past or present, who exemplifies service, loyalty and meaningful contributions to the Brangus breed. The 2020 Pioneer of the Year Award was given to Doug Williams in January 2021 at the IBBA Annual Meeting in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Doug, and wife, Glenda, have two grown children, Stevie and Tausha, and four grandchildren, Nolan, Brooks, James, and Adair. Together, they own and operate L&W Cattle Co. in Mocksville, North Carolina. “When you put the IBBA Pioneer Award in someone’s hands, you’re acknowledging the lifetime commitment they have made to the Brangus breed,” says Alvin Stinson, past president of the Southeast Brangus Breeders Association (SBBA). “Doug Williams has lived a life of his own making, all carved out of the Brangus breed.” From a young age, Williams has been surrounded by not only the beef cattle industry, but the full responsibility of ranch management. “I grew up in Clarkesville, Georgia,” says Williams. “My uncle, Carlos Lovell, ran one of the largest Angus cattle operations in northern Georgia at the time and I began working on the ranch when I was 15-years-old. I’d get up and feed and take care of my show cattle before school then come 20

April 2021

home from school and get right back to working with the cattle. I never went to college, instead I went to the school of hard knocks for my uncle, which taught me a lot about the beef industry – the best education I could’ve gotten.” Williams worked for his uncle’s ranch until 1985, when he began working for Windy Hills Charolais Farms in Commerce, Georgia, considered to have been one of the highest quality Charolais operations in the Southeast. While under the direction of Williams, Windy Hills garnered the highest title of national recognition not once, but twice, receiving National Champion Charolais Bull back-toback years at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Kentucky. It wasn’t until 1988 that Williams first found his entry into the Brangus breed, a breed to which he’d soon devote a lifelong passion. “In 1988, I moved to Mocksville, North Carolina, to work for one of the largest Brangus operations at the time, Cow Creek Ranch. I took care of the show cattle and learned a lot about selling cattle,” comments Williams. Humbly, Williams notes the years of honing his craft that ultimately earned him the IBBA Herdsman of the Year in 1993, awarded in Houston, Texas. While working at Cow Creek Ranch, a passion for the Brangus cow was lit and he began to build his own herd of registered cattle with longtime friend, Jim Latham. Together, Latham and Williams formed L&W Cattle Company in 1990. In 1995, Cow Creek Ranch relocated their headquarters to Aliceville, Alabama, at which point Williams became manager of Whip-O-Will Land & Cattle, remaining in Mocksville with his own herd of cattle. While at WhipO-Will, Williams experienced tremendous show ring success, parading the IBBA National Champion Bull, Reserve National Champion Bull and Show Bull of the Year throughout his time. A sentiment seeded in tradition since Whip-O-Will purchased their first Brangus cattle from Cow Creek Ranch, a Williams groomed program from the start. Over a decade later, Williams and Latham were fortunate enough to purchase the Whip-O-Will cattle in 2007. In

FEATURE ARTICLE addition to the main property, L&W Cattle Co. leased two other properties, continuing to grow their herd to over 150 registered Brangus females. Today, Williams is now the sole owner of L&W Cattle Co., after buying out his partner Jim Latham. After years of good partnership, the name remains the iconic L&W, running the same good Brangus cows as always. “I’ve been a marketer for many years,” recalls Williams. “When Cow Creek moved to Aliceville in 1995, I would go back and forth helping them sell cattle. In the early 2000s, I helped sell cattle at Southern Cattle Company. And now, I partner with GENEPLUS, previously GENETRUST, to market good Brangus bulls and females to breeders in the Southeast.” For Williams, an ideal cow is one who can raise a calf on milk alone, and do so in an easy doing, sound made package. “I’ve been involved in the management of many breeds - Angus, Charolais, and even a few Simmental,” he recalls. “But the Brangus cow just does the best job in this part of the country. A local neighbor of mine has a herd of Angus cattle, and when it’s a hot day in fescue country, they’ll be laid in the shade, or in a mud hole, or standing in the creek. Meanwhile the Brangus cows won’t miss a beat. They’ll be out working and grazing to produce milk to put pounds on a calf.” Though a seedstock breeder, Williams knows the importance of what makes the beef industry turn – the commercial producer. “If it wasn’t for the commercial man, the purebred operations could not stay in business,” he notes. “You really just have to think about what type of animal works best for your environment and the Brangus female is the best female of all.” For L&W Cattle Co., the majority of their stock are marketed to cattlemen in the Southeast, namely Alabama and Florida. Though private treaty is their standard, cattle are frequently consigned to Brangus sales. “The basic foundation of an operation is having a place to market your cattle. My biggest customers are down south, repeat bull customers. Truly – repeat customers is what keeps an operation going. I’ve always believed though that as a

breeder, you have to treat everyone right, and equal. Whether someone never buys an animal from you, or they buy 10 head a year, you have to treat everyone the same.” Selling cattle is a passion of Williams’, as evidenced by his management and consignment to many sales in the Southeast including the SBBA Showcase Sale, the SBBA Heart of Alabama Bull Sale, and the Cut Above Sale. “As breeders, we have to promote what we believe in. And the association is the only way I know how to do it,” Williams believes. A dedicated life to association servanthood backs Williams’ belief in the membership system. He’s served previously on the IBBA Board of Directors from 20092011, as president of SBBA for four years, and on numerous committees at both IBBA and SBBA. Prior to receiving this award, Williams was honored with the SBBA Award of Excellence, recognizing those with outstanding leadership for members maintaining the highest standard of excellence in the Brangus breed. “You know, my dad always told me, ‘You can’t pick your kin, but you can pick your friends.’ I’ve taken that to heart and always tried to surround myself with good people,” says Williams. “Joe Reznicek was the one who got me started in the Brangus business. And I would have never gotten into managing sales if it weren’t for my good friend Johnny Vines pushing me to manage the Cut Above Sale. Now 13 years later, I have managed sales across the Southeast because of a push from a friend. For me, I’ve always looked up to good cattlemen, like Vern Suhn and looked to align myself with good programs.” At the end of the day, the beef industry, as deep and powerful of a place as it holds in the marketplace can be boiled down to the simple fact that connections matter. Doug Williams leveraged good friendships and advice from mentors in his early years to pioneer his own path as a breeder, advocate and leader in the Brangus world. He sets an example for others that a commitment to a breed and lifelong loyalty reaps benefits far beyond the farm gates. And for now, the plan continues for L&W Cattle Co., breeding and raising Brangus cattle, as he says, “The best breed on earth.”

FEATURE ARTICLE

HAIR SHEDDING SCORES IN BRANGUS CATTLE A TOOL TO FINE-TUNE HEAT TOLERANCE

by Harly J. Durbin, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow, University of Missouri and Jared E. Decker, Ph.D., associate professor, state beef extension specialist, and Wurdack chair in animal genetics, University of Missouri INTRODUCTION The Brangus breed was created by mixing Brahman and Angus bloodlines with an eye towards improved heat tolerance. As we move towards improved beef production, increasing heat tolerance continues to be a focus. One tool producers in heat-stressed environments can use to identify well-adapted cattle is early-summer hair shedding scoring. Early-summer hair shedding, or the rate at which the winter coat is lost, is an adaptive trait that prepares animals to better cope with the heat. Cattle that shed their winter coat earlier are less stressed and can direct more energy toward production. Hair shedding scores are used to evaluate earlysummer shedding of the winter coat, as opposed to hair coat scores which evaluate whether the hair is short and smooth versus long and shaggy. For example, Bos indicus cattle will almost always have shorter, less dense hair than most Bos taurus cattle and therefore have more desirable coat scores on average. However, both Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle shed winter coats and can be evaluated for hair shedding score. Even within Bos indicus-influenced breeds like Brangus, there is ample variation in hair shedding. Consistently, we find that a hair shedding score is about 35-40% heritable. Of note, this value is about halfway between the heritability of weaning weight (about 25%) and carcass traits like marbling (about 45%). Of all the variation observed for hair shedding, about 40% is due to genetic differences between individuals. The remaining 60% is due to differences in environment, management, other non-genetic factors and interactions among these effects. This suggests that hair shedding scores, like body condition scores, could be a good benchmark to adjust our cattle management. HOW TO COLLECT SCORES When collecting hair shedding scores, cattle are evaluated using a 1-to-5 visual scale. On this scale, a 1 is completely slick (100% shed off), a 2 is 75% shed off, a 3 is 50% shed off, a 4 is 25% shed off, and a 5 still has a complete winter coat (0% shed off). While there is some variability in shedding patterns between individuals, cattle tend to shed from front to back and top to bottom. So, compared to a 5 (0% shed off), a 4 (25% shed off) will usually have shed only on her head and neck. A 3 (50% shed) has additionally lost 26

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hair along her topline, shoulder, and further down her brisket. A 2 (75% shed) usually only retains winter coat on her ﬂanks and around her belly. Hair shedding scores are easy to collect and can be recorded chute-side or in the pasture. It is recommended that producers hair shedding score their herd when they observe the most variation between individuals. Timing varies based on latitude (north to south), management, and other factors, but most producers in the Midwest and South will observe the most variation in late April or early May. Herds should be scored when there are lots of 3s, a few 1s, and a few 5s. If possible, all cattle in the herd should be hair shedding scored on the same day or within a few days of one another. This allows for large, accurate contemporary groups and ensures that all cattle are compared against the same standard. Cattle should be at least yearlings at the time of scoring. Since 2016, producers participating in the Mizzou Hair Shedding Project have collected just under 37,000 hair shedding scores on cattle across the nation, including about 2,000 hair shedding scores on registered Brangus and Ultrablack cattle (Figure 1). Most hair shedding scores were recorded in heat-stressed environments and/or on cattle grazing endophyte-infected (toxic) fescue. Analysis of this data has allowed us to create genetic evaluations of hair

Figure 1

FEATURE ARTICLE shedding score so producers can identify heat-tolerant cattle. It has also helped us to better understand the genetics and biology of hair shedding in general. HAIR SHEDDING SCORE AND MOTHERING ABILITY ARE GENETICALLY CORRELATED To evaluate hair shedding as an indicator of cow productivity in heat-stressed environments, we examined the relationship between hair shedding score and weaning weight. Early hair shedding cows tend to wean an older and heavier calf. We tested a model that created a direct tie between a cow’s hair shedding score and the weaning weight of the calf she raised that year. Using this model, we estimated the genetic correlation (shared genetic effects) between hair shedding and the maternal component of weaning weight. Though the maternal component of weaning weight is commonly referred to as “milk”, it includes everything a dam does to create an environment favorable to growth for her calf, including but not limited to milk production, behavioral characteristics, and health characteristics. We found that there is a -20% to -30% genetic correlation between hair shedding score and the maternal component of weaning weight. This means that as dam hair shedding score decreases (becomes more desirable), her ability to provide a favorable environment for her calf tends to increase. Thus, weaning weight also increases. HAIR SHEDDING SCORE VARIES ACROSS AN ANIMAL’S LIFETIME One non-genetic factor that impacts hair shedding score is age. We found that 2- and 3-year olds tend to have the highest (least desirable) hair shedding scores compared to their more mature counterparts. When we consider that 2- and 3-year olds are still growing on top of experiencing the new stress of motherhood, this result makes sense. Surprisingly, the very oldest cows (12+) tend to have the most desirable hair shedding scores. Since most beef cows die or are culled by 12 years of age, this might suggest that early-shedding cows tend to remain productive later in their life due to superior environmental adaptation. To account for these differences, we fit the effect of age when estimating hair shedding score EPDs. In order to correctly account for changes in hair shedding across an animal’s lifespan, producers need to score their entire herd every year. HAIR SHEDDING IS INFLUENCED BY DAY LENGTH AND AN ANIMAL’S ABILITY TO SENSE LIGHT As winter fades, the days become longer and temperatures begin to rise. In response to these cues, nearly all animals undergo physiological changes to prepare for summer. For cattle and other mammals, these changes include shedding thick winter coats. Since days are shorter in length the further north you move, cattle living at more northern latitudes tend to begin shedding later in the year compared with cattle living further south. In our data, we find that with each hour increase in the average number of sunlight hours for the 30 days prior to scoring, there is a 0.45 decrease in the

average hair shedding score. This means that the average hair shedding score of cattle that experienced about 12 hours of sunlight per day in the last month will be about half a score lower than cattle that experienced about 11 hours of sunlight per day in the last month. When we search for genetic variants that cause differences in hair shedding between individuals, we find genes involved in creating the parts of the eye responsible for sensing light. This suggests that part of what makes early-shedding animals more desirable is an increased ability to sense changes in day length. HAIR SHEDDING AND TOXIC FESCUE As many producers in the Midwest and Southeast know, one of the side effects of grazing endophyte-infected KY-31 (toxic) tall fescue is a rough coat that doesn’t shed off. We found that the genetic correlation between hair shedding score while grazing toxic fescue and hair shedding score while grazing other forages is nearly 1. This means that when using a hair shedding score EPD, we’d select the same animals regardless of what they’ll be grazing. However, we found evidence suggesting that physiological damage caused by fescue toxicosis impacts shedding ability. We also found that on average, cattle grazing toxic fescue have hair shedding scores about half a score higher (less desirable) than cattle grazing other improved forages. A caveat of these results is that we didn’t specifically measure ergot alkaloid levels (the chemicals that cause fescue toxicosis symptoms) as we only asked producers to report “yes” or “no” if cattle grazed toxic fescue in the spring of the recording year. However, it’s safe to say that hair shedding scores are a good evaluation of the heat stress symptoms of fescue toxicosis, and possibly reduced blood flow to the skin also caused by fescue toxicosis. Further study of the relationship between hair shedding score and other traits affected by fescue toxicosis, such as fertility, will be helpful in the future. CONCLUSIONS Hair shedding score is a new trait with a potentially large production impact for producers in heat-stressed environments. Many non-genetic factors contribute to variation in hair shedding score including age, plane of nutrition, and environmental variables like day length. However, about 40% of all variation in hair shedding score is due to differences in genetics. This moderate heritability suggests producers can improve heat tolerance in their herds by selecting for early hair shedding. As a trait that can be measured multiple times in an animal’s lifetime, hair shedding score also lends itself to an accurate EPD. Producers should start collecting hair shedding scores now to enable an IBBA EPD for hair shedding. Selection for improved hair shedding will allow us to identify more profitable cattle that are better adapted to the environment. Our research would not have been possible without the contributions of producers enrolled in the Mizzou Hair Shedding Project, including producers part of the IBBA. Thank you! 27

SHOW RESULTS

FLORIDA NATIONAL OPEN SHOW

Grand Champion Female LB Ms Stormi Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida

Reserve Champion Female KK Miss Annie 148H4 Railee Steele, Gainesville, Florida

Grand Champion Red Female Marvel’s Goldie Girl 1319 Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida

Reserve Champion Red Female Marvel’s Prime Princess 820 Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida

Grand Champion Ultra Female MCC Genevieve 4229G Madilyn Nichols, Kathleen, Florida

Reserve Champion Ultra Female CT Ms Special Lady 814G Carlee E Taylor, Lakeland, Florida

Reserve Yearling Champion Heifer: W5 Miss Presidente’s Ava 3G, Connor Ward, Christmas, Florida Senior Champion Heifer: LB Ms Stormi, Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida RED FEMALE DIVISIONS Red Junior Heifer Calf Champion: Marvel’s Prime Princess 820, Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Reserve Junior Heifer Calf Champion: Marvel’s Canni Bliss 420, Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Yearling Champion Heifer: Marvel’s Goldie Girl 1319, Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Reserve Yearling Champion Heifer: CX Ms Dream Forever 301G, Kylie B Ward & W5 Cattle LLC, Christmas, Florida ULTRA FEMALE DIVISIONS Ultra Junior Heifer Calf Champion: RLJ Ms Online 6H, Amber M Jimenez, Gainesville, Florida

Ultra Reserve Junior Heifer Calf Champion: Reba of Fancy, Britney Smith, Haines City, Florida Ultra Summer Champion Heifer: MCC Genevieve 4229G, Madilyn Nichols, Kathleen, Florida Ultra Reserve Summer Champion Heifer: CT Ms Emmalee 681G, Caden T Wingfield, Lakeland, Florida Ultra Yearling Champion Heifer: CT Ms Special Lady 814G, Carlee E Taylor, Lakeland, Florida Ultra Reserve Yearling Champion Heifer: KCH Special Design 28G, Kinley Hardee, Lakeland, Florida BULL DIVISIONS Junior Bull Calf Champion: HCT Roys Mr Boudreaux, Casey D Harper, Haines City, Florida Reserve Junior Bull Calf Champion: R3P Young Guns Comet 32H, Cassidy D Polston, Lakeland, Florida

FEMALE DIVISIONS Junior Heifer Calf Champion: KK Miss Annie 148H4, Railee Steele, Gainesville, Florida Reserve Junior Heifer Calf Champion: LB Ms Cathy 55H, Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida Senior Heifer Calf Champion: Miss JLS Faith 767G16, Casey D Harper, Haines City, Florida Reserve Senior Heifer Calf Champion: G Bar Ms Cher, Kameron Steele, Gainesville, Florida Summer Yearling Champion Heifer: Ms Rafter L Ivanna 804G, Cassidy N Polston, Lakeland, Florida Reserve Summer Yearling Champion Heifer: Ms GBB Tennille 915G14, Railee Steele, Gainesville, Florida Yearling Champion Heifer: MSC Ms Monument 111G16, Railee Steele, Gainesville, Florida 28

JUDGE: Larry Barthle, San Antonio, Florida LOCATION: Kissimmee, Florida

April 2021

(continued on page 30)

SHOW RESULTS

FLORIDA NATIONAL OPEN SHOW

Grand Champion Cow-Calf Pair Miss MS Camila 789E2 Casey D Harper, Haines City, Florida

Reserve Champion Cow-Calf Pair BT Knight’s Jasmine 617 Dundee Ridge FFA, Dundee, Florida

Grand Champion Red Cow-Calf Pair Marvel’s Toots Sweets 216 Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida

Reserve Champion Red Cow-Calf Pair Marvel’s Miami Miss 3/13 Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida

Grand Champion Ultra Cow-Calf Pair DDM Lilly Dale 215/F3 Connor Ward, Christmas, Florida W5 Cattle LLC, Christmas, Florida

Reserve Champion Ultra Cow-Calf Pair CT Ms Something Special 698E Carlee E Taylor, Lakeland, Florida

Springs, Florida Red Reserve Junior Bull Calf Champion: Marvel’s Highway Boss 120, Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Yearling Champion Bull: Marvel’s Sir Legacy 519, Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida ULTRA BULL DIVISIONS Ultra Junior Bull Calf Champion: ZF Pride of Low Nuff, Brianna Zubieta, Reddick, Florida Ultra Reserve Junior Bull Calf Champion: CHAMP Mr Salty Dawg 17H, Gary Adamek, Schulenburg, Texas Ultra Summer Champion Bull: RLJ Atlanta’s Hulk 20G, Kameron Steele, Gainesville, Florida Ultra Yearling Champion Bull: RLJ Atlanta’s Big Cat 541G, Kameron Steele, Gainesville, Florida GROUPS Champion Produce of Dam: Harper Cattle and Timber, Haines City, Florida

Champion Junior Get of Sire: Cassidy N Polston, Lakeland, Florida Champion Senior Get of Sire: KB Cattle Co., Dundee, Florida Reserve Champion Senior Get of Sire: Mixon Cattle Company, Waverly, Florida Champion Breeders Herd: Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida Reserve Champion Breeders Herd: Cassidy N Polston, Lakeland, Florida Red Champion Produce of Dam: Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Reserve Champion Produce of Dam: Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Champion Junior Get of Sire: Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida Red Reserve Champion Junior Get of Sire: Kylie B Ward & W5 Cattle LLC, Christmas, Florida Red Champion Senior Get of Sire: Kylie B Ward & W5 Cattle LLC, Christmas, Florida Ultra Champion Produce of Dam: Kinley Hardee, Lakeland, Florida

(continued from page 28)

Senior Bull Calf Champion: R3P MR Lambert 36G, Cassidy N Polston, Lakeland, Florida Reserve Senior Bull Calf Champion: R3P MR Lambert 32G, Cassidy N Polston, Lakeland, Florida Summer Champion Bull: Hoss, Britney Smith, Haines City, Florida Yearling Champion Bull: LB Mr Bruce 78F9, Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida Reserve Yearling Champion Bull: DIAMOND K’S Slugger 924G2, Kameron Steele, Gainesville, Florida Senior Champion Bull: LB Mr Black Spade 78F7, Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida Reserve Senior Champion Bull: Capo Onyx 265F1, Isabella Carrillo, Okeechobee, Florida RED BULL DIVISIONS Red Junior Bull Calf Champion: Marvel’s Beaumont 3520, Marvel Farms, High 30

JUDGE: Larry Barthle, San Antonio, Florida LOCATION: Kissimmee, Florida

April 2021

SHOW RESULTS

FLORIDA NATIONAL OPEN SHOW

Grand Champion Bull LB Mr Black Spade 78F7 Emily Lettelier, Citra, Florida

Reserve Champion Bull HCT Roys Mr Boudreaux Casey D Harper, Haines City, Florida

Grand Champion Red Bull Marvel’s Sir Legacy 519 Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida

Reserve Champion Red Bull Marvel’s Beaumont 3520 Marvel Farms, High Springs, Florida

Grand Champion Ultra Bull RLJ Atlanta’s Big Cat 541G Kameron Steele, Gainesville, Florida

Reserve Champion Ultra Bull ZF Pride of Low Nuff Brianna Zubieta, Reddick, Florida

Gentle Ranch Raised RanGe Ready ReGisteRed PRoven Bloodlines RAMRO LLC / RJ CATTLE CO 361-461-1869 713-204-4903

FEATURE ARTICLE

THE NORMALIZATION OF DNA THROUGH YOUTH

HOW DNA HAS BECOME COMMONPLACE IN AND OUT OF THE SHOW RING PLUS TIPS ON HOW TO BE READY FOR TESTING REQUIREMENTS. by Emme Demmendaal The Brangus breed was founded on the principles of producing efficient cattle that perform for the commercial producer and satisfy the consumer, a project accomplished through years of data collection. Brangus’ science-based approach is balanced with youth development. This summer, their junior program and breed advancement merge at the Texas Junior Brangus Breeders Association State Show and the National Junior Brangus Show (NJBS) hosted in Bryan and Belton, Texas, respectively. Recently, both the Texas Junior Brangus Breeders Association (TJBBA) and the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association (IJBBA) board of directors voted to require DNA parent verification. For the TJBBA, all animals entering the ring will be required to have DNA; while at the NJBS, animals born after January 1, 2021 and all percentage cattle will need parentage testing. “A number of juniors who exhibit in dual junior and open shows are already highly invested in DNA technology,” says IJBBA director of youth, Tyler Dean. “The NJBS requirement will not only help educate more members on DNA technology, but will also validate more show animals to be entered in more of International Brangus Breeders Association’s Standard of Excellence Shows.” The junior-voted regulations illustrate how DNA testing has started to become a normalized part of seedstock operations in and out of the show ring and Brangus youth are at the forefront. “As an industry, parent verification is critically important because if you don’t get the parents right, you’re not going to get the EPDs or future matings right,” explains Dr. Randy Schmidt, Brangus producer based out of Texarkana and IBBA’s Breed Improvement Committee chairman. “Our juniors select females that phenotypically fit what they can afford and fit what they want to show. And if DNA testing is done on the front end, they have a little better opportunity to know exactly what they’re getting and how it will perform.” DNA testing adds a level of transparency to exhibiting some of the breed’s top genetics. David Parkey, TJBBA advisor, says, “I might ask, why shouldn’t juniors and seedstock producers hold themselves to this standard of DNA testing? Whether it’s an open show or junior show, DNA isn’t expensive and it’s easy to do.” Dean couldn’t agree more, adding “Our junior 32

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membership is key to the survival of our breed and, as such, educating and involving them in as much technology driven advancements as we can will do nothing but improve our future as breeders.” By requiring that each animal that enters the ring will be verified to the sire and dam prior to being able to show, both the seedstock supplier and junior are protected. Schmidt and Parkey agree that parent verification is an encouraged practice for all seedstock producers prior to selling or showing cattle. DNA instills confidence that the customers are buying exactly what they think they are buying. Schmidt says, “At our operation, we are DNA testing about 300-400 head a year. We keep meticulous calving records but still don’t always get it right. When we parent verify each calf, we will have six to seven percent of our calves’ parentage incorrect. It is not always human error. There can be mix ups at the embryo or AI tank, or calves lose an ear tag prior to or after weaning. We have had calves whose dams switched babies at birth, or your AI and clean-up dates are so close together you cannot distinguish sire at calving. Because of DNA, we can run more than one clean-up bull in the breeding pasture. Parent verification eliminates those mistakes prior to marketing our registered bulls and heifers.” For Parkey and his children, implementing DNA has become a routine part of their cattle management along with showing each year. He shares that testing the whole herd all at once isn’t sustainable for many operations, but doing it slowly over the years has worked for his family. “We didn’t DNA test everything at one time. We just started off with what we were showing and kept doing a little bit more each year. We would take a DNA sample on every calf and send in the samples on the ones we exhibited and bred. Then all of a sudden, we realized we’ve DNA tested the majority of our herd and have a pretty good grasp on our genetics,” says Parkey. By requiring DNA testing on cattle in the TJBBA State Show, the board equips each attendee with the skills and abilities to succeed as a cattle producer in and out of the ring. Kyler Klepac, a Texas exhibitor and current TJBBA president is a testament to that goal. “There is a future using DNA in our operation,” she says, referring to building her own herd alongside her family’s. “We need to be able to analyze different animals and pick out what

FEATURE ARTICLE is the best and what their weaknesses are. Parent verification and DNA play a big role, because genetics can vary. We can better select cattle because the genotype of calves has a lot to do with the phenotype. We can find the best of both, pair them together to make that champion.” The adoption of parent verification at the show level actively moves the needle in making better breeding decisions sooner. Jake Trout, Texas Neogen territory representative, is a firm believer in building the future of beef production through DNA testing. He shares that juniors testing their cattle now gives them the competitive edge in future breeding decisions and as future cattlemen, they will be more prepared to make adjustments as technology advances. “Juniors are getting better information with more data. As they move into making decisions on cattle operations and have DNA incorporated into their management routine such as breeding protocols, branding and taking weights, they will be in a better position to make better breeding decisions, sooner,” says Trout. The end goal will be balanced, proven cattle that succeed in the show ring and America’s pastures. And, of course, kids with a passion for Brangus who will someday blaze their own trail in the cattle industry. WHAT DNA TESTING IS AVAILABLE: with Macee Prause, IBBA director of genomics & research To limit complications at upcoming cattle shows, it is important to keep the DNA timeline in mind. Start by choosing a DNA sample kit type and the specific test you would like to complete. When choosing DNA tests that will meet show requirements, juniors can choose the base level SeekSire (SNP) test or the SNP + STR Parentage test. The SNP + STR Parentage test should be considered if you are trying to parent verify to an older sire or dam that had STR DNA testing originally complete. If you’re unsure, feel free to email IBBA. In addition to base parentage testing, IBBA offers genomic testing which includes parent verification that will qualify the calf to show.

There are three main types of DNA sampling kits you can use to test your calf: hair, blood, and tissue (also called Tissue Sampling Unit (TSU)). Blood: A blood sample is collected on a card and should fill 75% of the circle. Allow the card to dry prior to closing and shipping, typically overnight. The most common place for blood collection is under the tail followed by the tip of the ear. Blood samples are not recommended for twins nor calves under the age of three months. Hair: A hair sample, typically pulled from the tail switch, is also placed on a card. The sample must include the root bulb of at least 30 hair follicles. Hair collection is not recommended on animals six months or younger because the follicles are smaller and more fragile. Tissue: A TSU collects a tissue sample by using an applicator gun. It punches a small hole in the ear of the animal, and the sample is immediately sealed in a preservative preventing further contamination. JUNIOR CHECKLIST FOR DNA SUCCESS:  Submit the DNA sample early! DNA testing can take up to 90-days once the sample is received at the lab.  Clean the sampling location (i.e.: ear, tail, etc.) prior to taking the sample. Any dirt, manure, tattoo ink, or foreign material may cause the sample to fail testing.  Store samples in a room temperature location out of direct sunlight prior to shipping. Improper storage can start early DNA degradation in the sample causing a sample failure.  Complete the online DNA order form. Keep a copy of the paperwork submitted for DNA processing to validate the lab’s order and your results received.  Track the package in transit to the lab. The only way to expedite DNA testing is to overnight ship the sample to the lab. For more information on how to parent verify your calf or request a DNA kit visit the IBBA website at gobrangus. com or email mprause@gobrangus.com.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

The IBBA has bound copies of Brangus Journals dating back to the 1970s. Bound yearly copies are available for sale at $100 per bound copy.

ALABAMA

GALLOWAY BRANGUS BRANGUS SINCE 1978

LARRY

cell 256-603-1945 gallowaybrangus@comcast.net

LANCE

cell 256-924-5571 gallowaybrangus@gmail.com

Farm located at Gallant, AL 35972

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 34

April 2021

STATE DIRECTORY

ALABAMA — ARIZONA — ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA

Big D Ranch Phillip & Beth DeSalvo 173 Miller Lane Center Ridge, AR 72027 (501) 208-6119 www.BigDRanch.net

Bill Davis • Owner • 336-210-1222 Derrick Miller • Manager • 318-332-2341

GENEPLUSBRANGUS.COM

JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, Arkansas www.dragginm.com 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder

Brangus & Ultrablack Bulls Available Now at the Ranch and the fall Brangus & angus InvItatIonal Bull sale

Sat., September 26, 2020

Tulare Co. Stockyard, Dinuba, California bull Photos anD matings: www.spanishranch.net Follow Us on Instagram @spanishranchcuyama

SPANISH RANCH Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle

THD ©

Daniel & Pamela Doiron l 805-245-0434 Cell doiron@spanishranch.net l www.spanishranch.net

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 35

STATE DIRECTORY

FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA — MISSISSIPPI — MISSOURI

David Wood Magnolia, MS 713-539-5715

dwood@woodcorporation.com

CDPBrangus.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 36

April 2021

STATE DIRECTORY

NEW MEXICO — NORTH CAROLINA — OKLAHOMA — TEXAS

Commercial & Registered

Isaias Castillo 903-806-4711 icastillo903@yahoo.com Daniel Castillo 903-452-1052 castillotrucking903@yahoo.com

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2021

SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021

160 Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls 20 Charolais Bulls

100 Registered Females 550 Commercial Females

CAVENDER’S NECHES RIVER RANCH JACKSONVILLE, TX

Joe Cavender, Owner Justin Matejka, General Manager | 903-521-1070 Dustin Kennedy, Cavender Brangus Ranch Manager | 903-810-2413 1200 CR 4716 • Troup, TX 75789 | CDPBrangus.com 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

EVERY DAY IS SALE DAY AT

Drake Land & Cattle

Farris Ranching Company

398 Drake Road Quanah, Texas 79252

Cell: (832) 331-2527 Ranch: (940) 663-6143 drakeranch398@gmail.com www.drakeranch.com

“West Texas Tough”

Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls est. 1924 Quanah, Texas

Danny & MB Farris Tuscola, TX 325.669.5727

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 37

STATE DIRECTORY

TEXAS

Registered Red Brangus & Ultrareds show heifers, herd sires, and replacements available Megan (713) 492-6158 John (281) 740-0572 greenwoodcattleco@yahoo.com

J ackson

JLS International, Inc. Where winning tradition and performance collide

family brangus

JODI & DAVID JACKSON

Brangus bulls and heifers available year-round at private treaty.

3099 Horseshoe Bend Waco, Texas 76708 Jodi cell: 254.722.9138

www.jlsbrangus.com Jeff Smith, Owner Myron Saathoff myronsaathoff@yahoo.com

jodiatbentwood@sbcglobal.net

251-947-5688 210-218-4804

MIKE SHELTON C: 713.560.8333 Colita Loop, Colita, TX 77351 www.brangusprofit.com

RIO RANCH

Registered Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle

MikeShelton-DirectoryCard.indd 1

Registered Brahman, Charolais and Brangus 10/19/17 Raul Montez 832-331-6800 jraulmontez@ymail.com 39606 FM 1736 Hempstead, TX 77445

RIORANCHTX.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 38

April 2021

7:32 AM

STATE DIRECTORY

TEXAS

Randy Schmidt 903.278.7777

Richard Norris 903.276.1804

Schmidt Farms BRANGUS & ULTRABLACK

Garrett Hinds 417-880-2839

www.zottarelliranches.com

Zottarelli Ranches Angelo Zottarelli 2156 FM 2414 Evant, Texas 76525

REGISTERED & COMMERCIAL CATTLE Mailing Address PO Box 400 Evant, TX 76525

gobrangus.com

254-471-5675 Ranch 512-422-3123 Mobile zrbrangus@sbcglobal.net

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 39

CALENDAR 1 1 2 2 3 10 10 10 13 17 20 22 24 29

APRIL IBA Scholarship Application Deadline IRBBA Scholarship Application Deadline IBBA Office Closed for Easter Texas Brangus Breeders Association Annual Meeting, Salado, Texas Texas Brangus Breeders Association Spring Spectacular Sale, Salado, Texas Clayton Williams Ranch Co. Share the Genetics Sale, Bastrop, Texas Oak Creek Farms Forage Developed Registered Spring Brangus Bull Sale, Chappell Hill, Texas Ad Reservation Deadline for May Brangus Journal Champions Valley Brangus Show Heifer and Genetics Sale, Hosted on Smart Auctions MP Brangus at Diamond D Ranch Where Performance Meets Style Annual Production Sale, Poteet, Texas Stockmen's Choice Online Genetic Sale, Hosted on Smart Auctions GKB Online Heifer Sale, SC Online Sales Cavender-Draggin' M and Partners Spring Female Production Sale, Jacksonville, Texas International Brangus Auxiliary Social Soiree, Hosted on Facebook

MAY 1-8 Skyhawk Brangus Private Treaty Sale, Online at Skyhawk Brangus 8 Big D Ranch's Field Day Selecting Genetics for Today & Tomorrow, Centerridge, Arkansas 8 Cut Above Sale, Cullman, Alabama 15 IJBBA National Junior Brangus Show Early Entry Deadline 21-22 IRBBA Annual Meeting, College Station, Texas 31 IJBBA National Junior Brangus Show Ownership Deadline 31 IBBA Office Closed for Memorial Day JUNE 1 IJBBA National Junior Brangus Show Late Entry Deadline 11 Quail Valley Farms Complete Mature Cow Herd Dispersal, Oneonta, Alabama 12 Quail Valley Farms Premier Invitational Elite Brangus Female Sale, Oneonta, Alabama 23-26 Texas Junior Brangus State Show, Bryan, Texas 27 Texas Invitational Show, Bryan, Texas JULY 5 IBBA Office Closed for Independence Day 40

April 2021

10 19 27-31 27

Ad Reservation Deadline for August Brangus Journal Southeast Regional Junior Brangus Show Ownership Deadline National Junior Brangus Show, Belton, Texas Southeast Brangus Breeders Female Sale Nominations Due

AUGUST 1 Brangus Futurity National Points Show, Belton, Texas 10-12 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, Nashville, Tennessee 10 Ad Reservation Deadline for Fall Frontline Beef Producer 20-21 Southeast Brangus Breeders Association Field Day, TBD 6 10 11 17-18 18 24 25 25 2 2 5 9 9 10 11 16 16 22-23 23 23

SEPTEMBER IBBA Office Closed for Labor Day Ad Reservation Deadline for October Brangus Journal Power of the Brands Sale, Wharton, Texas Southeast Brangus Breeders Junior Show, Live Oak, Florida Midsouth Cattle Co. & Neal Ranch Annual Bull & Commercial Female Sale, St. Francisville, Louisiana Southeast Brangus Breeders General Membership Meeting, Auction, Banquet, and Awards Ceremony, Troy, Alabama Southeast Brangus Breeders Association Board of Directors Meeting, Troy, Alabama Southeast Brangus Breeders Showcase Female Sale, Troy, Alabama OCTOBER Scamardo Brangus Production Sale, Bryan, Texas Spitzer Ranch Performance Bull Sale, Preston, Kansas Southeast Brangus Breeders Bull Sale Nominations Due Addison Brangus Farms and Friends Performance Sale, Cullman, Alabama CX Advantage Sale, Katy, Texas Ad Reservation Deadline for November Brangus Journal Williams Ranch Co. Bull Sale, Bastrop, Texas MP at Diamond D Ranch Where Performance Meets Style Annual Fall Sale, Poteet, Texas Town Creek Annual Bull Sale, West Point, Mississippi L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms, Inc. Best of the South Black & White Sale, Lyons, Georgia Oak Creek Farms Forage Developed Registered Fall Brangus Bull Sale, Chappell Hill, Texas The Branch Ranch Rough & Ready Bull Sale, Mansfield, Louisiana

ADVERTISING INDEX ALABAMA Addison Brangus Farms..............................15 Far Niente Farms ........................................34 Galloway Brangus ......................................34 Johnston Brangus .....................................34 Lake Majestik..............................................35 Los Palomas Ranch.....................................29 Quail Valley Farms............................7, 18, 35 Southeast Brangus Breeders......................35 TTT Brangus Farm........................................35 ARIZONA Carter Brangus/Custom Meats...............8, 35 Parker Brangus...........................................35 ARKANSAS Adams & Creasy Insurance Agency.............34 Big D Ranch .........................................11, 35 Chimney Rock Cattle Co. ............................35 Draggin’ M Ranch ......................................35 Giffin Farms................................................35 Jacksons Double J......................................35 Mobley, Luke..............................................34 Pope Farms Brangus...................................35 Red Bud Farms...........................................35 CALIFORNIA Spanish Ranch............................................35 FLORIDA Fenco Farms................................................35 Hardee Farms ............................................35 Phillips Ranch.............................................35 W.E.T. Farms................................................35 Wynne Ranch.............................................36 GEORGIA Blackwater Cattle Co. .................................36 Burke Brangus Farm ..................................36 Char-No Farm .............................................36 Greuel Family Brangus ..............................36 L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms, Inc. ......................36 Salacoa Valley Farms..................................36 KANSAS Suhn Cattle Co ...........................................36 LOUISIANA Bushley Creek Cattle Co. ............................36 Cross N Farms ............................................36

Mid South Cattle Company........................36 The Branch Ranch.......................................36 MISSISSIPPI 5K Cowbelle Brangus ................................36 Double W Ranch ........................................36 T3 Brangus..................................................36 MISSOURI Don Thomas & Sons ...................................36 GENEPLUS............................................ 21-24 Valley View Ranch.......................................36 Vitaferm.....................................................IBC Wyman Creek Cattle Company...................36 NEBRASKA DVAuction..................................................... 7 NEW MEXICO Bobby and Bobbie Brangus .......................37 Brinks Brangus @ Westall Ranches ............37 NORTH CAROLINA L&W Cattle Co.............................................37 Peterson Brangus.......................................37 OHIO Smart Auctions...........................................13 OKLAHOMA K & R Broken Bar Ranch .............................37 Lawman Ranch...........................................37 Perry Ranch.................................................37 Vorel Farms.................................................37 TEXAS 2 Hearts Brangus........................................37 2C Brangus.................................................37 American Marketing Services ................7, 18 Bovine Elite, LLC .........................................34 C&C Brangus..............................................37 Cavender Ranches .....................................37 Cavender-Draggin’ M and Partners........5, 37 Clark Cattle Services ...................................34 Cox Excalibur Brangus ...............................37 Cross F Cattle..............................................37 Diamond K Ranch ......................................37 Drake Land & Cattle ...................................37 E3 Ranch, LLC .............................................37 Elgin Breeding Services, LLC ......................34 Farris Ranching Company ..........................37

G Bar Brangus.............................................38 Gardner Cattle Co........................................38 Garry Clem Brangus ...................................38 Genesis Ranch ...........................................38 GKB Cattle ..............................................9, 38 Greenwood Cattle Co. ................................38 Hi Point Sales + Marketing ...........IFC, 13,BC Indian Hills Ranch .....................................38 Jackson Family Brangus.............................38 JLS International ........................................38 K & L Brangus .............................................38 L Ray Ranch................................................ IFC Lambert, Doak............................................34 Mound Creek Ranch...................................38 MP Brangus..........................................38, BC Oak Creek Farms.........................................38 Oakley, Lakin..............................................34 OK Farms....................................................38 Old Colita Ranch.........................................38 Pennridge Ranch..................................18, 38 Rafter 2 Ranch............................................38 Ramro LLC...................................................31 Reagan, Terry..............................................34 Rio Ranch....................................................38 Roop Cattle Co. ..........................................39 Santa Rosa Ranch...................................3, 39 Scamardo Brangus.....................................39 Schmidt Farms............................................39 Skyhawk Brangus.......................................19 Star G Ranch...............................................39 Starwood Ranch..........................................39 Stockmen’s Choice......................................13 Tajo Ranch..................................................39 Trio Cattle & Genetics..................................39 Triple Crown Ranch.....................................39 Triple JR Cattle Co.......................................39 Tuna Rosa Ranch.........................................39 Turner Brangus Farm..................................39 Union Ranch Cattle Company.....................39 Villa Ranch..................................................39 Vineyard Cattle Co......................................39 Williams Ranch Co......................................39 Zottarelli Ranches.......................................39

ABOUT THE BRANGUS JOURNAL The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) is proud to offer its members and industry affiliates the opportunity to promote themselves through Brangus Publications, Inc.’s (BPI) print and digital mediums. IBBA’s printed publications are produced by BPI and are distributed to a mailing list, comprised of addresses in Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Philippines, Thailand, and the United States; with a circulation of approximately 2,000. The Brangus Journal (ISSN 0006-9132) is published by Brangus Publications, Inc. (BPI), 8870 US Highway 87 East, San Antonio, Texas 78263, monthly except February, June, July, and September. Periodicals postage paid at San Antonio, Texas and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address change to Brangus Publications Inc., P.O. Box 809, Adkins, Texas 78101. The Brangus Journal is the official publication of the International Brangus® Breeders Association (IBBA). The Brangus Journal is published eight times annually, the purpose of the Brangus Journal is to serve the best interest of IBBA members by showcasing breeding programs, efforts, and achievements to other Brangus® seedstock producers. Lastly, the Brangus Journal serves as an outlet for the IBBA to provide updates by directly communicating with the membership. The claims made by advertisers in this publication are not verified by BPI or the IBBA. For subscriptions, contact Lori Edwards, ledwards@gobrangus.com, or 210.696.8231. Domestic periodicals (one year) $25; first class $55; foreign periodicals (one year) $25; air mail to Canada or Mexico $70; air mail to other countries $115.

The InTernaTIonal JunIor Brangus Breeders assocIaTIon

Presents

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW July 27 - August 1, 2021

Bell counTY eXPo Belton, texAs

Over

Scholarships  Premiums  Awards  Buckles  Banners

0 0 0 , 0 $5 d

e d r a w A

dna rules:

IMPORTANT NEW INfORMATION

All AnIMAls BoRn on oR AFteR JAnuARy 1, 2021 Must Be DnA PARent VeRIFIeD. All PeRCentAge AnIMAls Must stIll Be PARent VeRIFIeD to tHe IBBA RegIsteReD PARent.

DIVIsIon CHAnges: nJBs WIll noW ReCognIZe 4 DIVIsIons FoR All Contests & HIgHPoInt! noVICe (age 7-10)  JunIoR (age 11-13)  InteRMeDIAte (age 14-16)  senIoR (age 17-21) soMe Contests WIll stIll HAVe PeeWee DIVIsIons But no HIgHPoInt WIll Be AWARDeD.

hIghPoInT changes: eXhIBITors seeKIng hIghPoInT honors MusT coMPeTe In aT leasT

10 Contests to Be elIgIBle. PoInts BAseD on RAnK WIll Be AWARDeD In All InDIVIDuAl Contests. PARtICIPAtIon PoInts WIll Be AWARDeD FoR All teAM AnD sIngle DIVIsIon Contests.

aWard changes: FIRst tHRougH tHIRD PlACe WIll ReCeIVe AWARDs In InDIVIDuAl Contests. gRAnD AnD ReseRVe teAMs WIll ReCeIVe AWARDs FoR All teAM Contests.

IMPORTANT DATES

ownership Deadline: May 31 early entry Deadline: May 15 late entry Deadline: June 1 (additional $25)

For More InForMatIon: www.juniorbrangus.com

W O H

e t A th

s t s

e th

eear r G on

April 2021

April 2021 Brangus Journal

Articles inside

FLORIDA NATIONAL SHOW RESULTS

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE

HAIR SHEDDING SCORES IN BRANGUS CATTLE

CALENDAR

FROM PASTURE TO PLATE, BRANGUS PERFORM

THE NORMALIZATION OF DNA THROUGH YOUTH

EXECUTIVE CORNER