FA L L 2022 / VOLUME 14 / ISSUE 2 BEEF PRODUCER
IBBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER4 Brangus
INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BRANGUS BOARD 2021-2022 IJBBA Board of Directors President April Villarreal, Brookshire, Texas Ex-Officio Jacob Jones, Stillwater, Oklahoma Queen Payge Dupre, Florida Director Briana Hicks, Danbury, Texas Director Jaxon Allen, Haworth, Oklahoma Director Samuel Belt, Gatesville, Texas Director Tyler Towns, Bryan, Texas Director Jayden Pinkston, Shefner, Florida Director Kaily Warren, Lufkin, Texas
INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS AUXILIARY BOARD
President Jeremy Jackson, Gentry, Arkansas
President Brenda Brull, Atchison, Kansas
1st Vice Singleton,
INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS FOUNDATION BOARD President Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas Secretary/Treasurer Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas Chris Heptinstall, Marianna, Florida Tracy Holbert, College Station, Texas Traci Middleton, Puryear, Tennessee Cindy Blazek, Leona, Texas David Wood, Magnolia, Mississippi Nic Cornelison, Flat Rock, Alabama
President Rob
Florida 2nd Vice President Shiloh Hall, Oklahoma Secretary/Treasurer Allen Goode, Texas East Region Trey Cuevas, Purvis, singletons2002@yahoo.comRobjjackson101@gmail.comJeremygrady@dragginmranch.comGradytreycuevas3@yahoo.comMississippiGreen,ElDorado,ArkansasJackson,Gentry,ArkansasSingleton,Seville,Florida Texas Region Mary Douglass, Seguin, gary@fayettecountryhomes.comGscamardobrangus@gmail.comAndrewallen@triocattle.comAllentwoheartsbrangus@yahoo.comTexasGoode,Mabank,TexasScamardo,Bryan,TexasaryAdamek,Schulenburg,Texas West Region Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma vern@geneplusbrangus.comVernromansbrangus@yahoo.comGregshiloh518@yahoo.comRomans,Vale,OregonSuhn,Eureka,Kansas At-Large Randy Schmidt, M.D., Texarkana, Texas Jdoctorrand@me.comoshWalker,Ph.D.,Ben Lomond, Arkansas | josh@redbudfarms.net IBBA STAFF Executive Vice President Darrell Wilkes, dwilkes@gobrangus.comPh.D., Controller Brian Sadovsky, bsadovsky@gobrangus.com Director of Registry Jessie England, jengland@gobrangus.com Registry and Records Assistant Callie DeLarm, cdelarm@gobrangus.com Director of Genomics and Research Macee Prause, mprause@gobrangus.com Director of Shows & Youth Activities Lori Edwards, ledwards@gobrangus.com Member Services Mandie msadovsky@gobrangus.comSadovsky, Product Manager Andrew Sicotte Jr., asicotte@goregstr.com Senior Software Developer Marcel Vieira, mvieira@goregstr.com Software Developer Raul Ramos, rramos@goregstr.com BRANGUS PUBLICATIONS, INC. STAFF Advertising Sales, Melanie Fuller mfuller@gobrangus.com, 979-255-3343 Brangus Journal Publications, Inc. Editor Jessie England | editor@gobrangus.com IBBA COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN Awards Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma Breed Improvement Randy Schmidt, M.D., Texarkana, Texas Commercial Marketing Cody Glenn, West Point, Mississippi Finance Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas International Garrett Thomas, Waxahachie, Texas Long Range Plan Joe Fuller, Willow City, Texas Membership Marty Lavender, Melrose, New Mexico Promotion Lisa Neal, Morganza, Lousiana Show Gina Gill, Beckville, Texas IJBBA Advisory, Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas 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 CONTACTS MEMBER OF Cover photo by Kelsey Gibson, Town Creek Inside photos by Sarah MattTownKelseyTriangleTisdel,KRanch,Gibson,CreekandRoppolo@gobrangus | #gobrangus May 20224 8870 US Highway 87E, San Antonio, TX 78263 • P.O. Box 809, Adkins, TX 78101 (210) 696-8231 • Fax (210) 696-8718 • info@gobrangus.com • gobrangus.com :: Trey Cuevas :: treycuevas3@yahoo.com Purvis, Mississippi IBBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Jeremy Jackson, Arkansas 1st Vice President Rob Singleton, Florida 2nd Vice President Shiloh Hall, Oklahoma Secretary/Treasurer Allen Goode, Texas :: Grady Green :: grady@dragginmranch.comEl Dorado, Arkansas :: Jeremy Jackson :: jjackson101@gmail.com Purvis, Mississippi :: Rob Singleton :: singletons2002@yahoo.comSeville, Florida TEXAS REGION :: Mary Douglass :: twoheartsbrangus@yahoo.com Seguin, Texas :: Allen Goode :: allen@triocattle.com Mabank, Texas :: Andrew Scamardo :: scamardobrangus@gmail.com Bryan, Texas :: Gary Adamek :: gary@fayettecountryhomes.com Schulenburg, Texas WEST REGION :: Shiloh Hall :: shiloh518@yahoo.com Okmulgee, Oklahoma :: Greg Romans :: romansbrangus@yahoo.com Vale, Oregon :: Vern Suhn :: vern@geneplusbrangus.comEureka, Kansas AT-LARGE :: Randy Schmidt, M.D. :: doctorrand@me.com Texarkana, Texas :: Josh Walker, Ph.D. :: josh@redbudfarms.netBen Lomond,Arkansas EAST REGION :: Executive Vice President :: Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. :: dwilkes@gobrangus.com :: Controller :: Brian Sadovsky :: bsadovsky@gobrangus.com :: Director of Registry & Media :: Jessie England :: jengland@gobrangus.com :: Registry and Records Assistant :: Callie DeLarm :: cdelarm@gobrangus.com IBBA STAFF :: Director of Genomics & Research :: Macee Prause :: mprause@gobrangus.com :: Director of Shows & Youth Activities :: Lori Edwards :: ledwards@gobrangus.com :: Member Services :: Mandie Sadovsky :: msadovsky@gobrangus.com :: Product Manager :: Andrew Sicotte Jr. :: asicotte@goregstr.com :: Senior Software Developer :: Marcel Vieira :: mvieira@goregstr.com :: Software Developer :: Raul Ramos :: rramos@goregstr.com :: Editor in Chief :: Jessie England :: editor@gobrangus.com :: Advertising Sales :: Melanie Fuller :: mfuller@gobrangus.com BRANGUS PUBLICATIONS, INC. STAFF :: Awards :: Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma :: Breed Improvement :: Randy Schmidt M.D., Texarkana, Texas :: Commercial Marketing :: Cody Glenn,West Point, Mississippi :: Finance :: Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas IBBA COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN :: International :: Garrett Thomas, Waxahachie, Texas :: Long Range Planning :: Joe Fuller, Willow City, Texas :: Membership & Education :: Marty Lavender, Melrose, New Mexico :: Promotions :: Lisa Neal, Morganza, Lousiana :: Show :: Gina Gill, Beckville, Texas :: IJBBA Advisory :: Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas 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: Allen Goode President: Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. Secretary/Treasurer: Mike Weathers Subscriptions: Jessie bejengland@gobrangus.com,England,210.696.8231SubscriptionRates:complimentaryInformationappearinginthisissuemayreprintedonlywithwrittenpermissionofBrangusPublications,Inc.LivestockPublicationsCouncil(LPC)Member P.O. Box 809, Adkins, Texas 78101 info@gobrangus.com • gobrangus.com OklahomaKansasTexasFloridaTexas A News Source for Commercial Beef Producers FRONTLINEPRODUCERBEEF INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS BREEERS ASSOCIATION STAFF Executive Vice President Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. - dwilkes@gobrangus.com Controller Brian Sadovsky - bsadovsky@gobrangus.com Director of Genomics & Research Macee Prause - mprause@gobrangus.com Director of Registry Jessie England - jengland@gobrangus.com Director of Membership & Marketing Lori Edwards - ledwards@gobrangus.com Product Manager Andrew Sicotte - asicotte@goregstr.com Senior Software Developer Marcel Vieira - mvieira@goregstr.com Software Developer Raul Ramos - rramos@goregstr.com Office Manager and Registry Assistant Mandie Sadovsky - msadovsky@gobrangus.com Advertising Sales Melanie Fuller - mfuller@gobrangus.com 979-255-3343 Brangus Journal Publications, Inc. Editor Lighthouse & Co. editor@gobrangus.comCommunications
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 Social Media Coordinator Jennifer Walker, Ben Lomond, Arkansas
Cavender’s neChes river ranCh • neChes river ranCh road • JaCksonville, TX PROVEN GENETICS, TRUSTED BRAND | CDPBRANGUS.COM 18Th annual Fall ProduCT ion sale november 18-19, 2022 | 12:00 Pm 903-747-1136INFO@CDPBRANGUS.COMCDPBRANGUS.COM REQUEST A CATALOG: MARK COWAN 903-495-4522 CRAIG GREEN 870-834-1976 GRADY GREEN 870-314-3673 SALE CONTACTS: JUSTIN MATEJKA 903-521-1070 250 BRANGUS & ULTRABLACK BULLS | 30 CHAROLAIS BULLS ALSO SELLING 80 REGISTERED BRANGUS FEMALES 550 COMMERCIAL FEMALES – PAIRS, BREDS AND OPENS
VIEW OUR 2022 SEMEN CDPBRANGUS.COMDIRECTORY TO PURCHASE SEMEN, PLEASE CONTACT: MARK COWAN mark@cdpbrangus.com903-495-4522 CRAIG GREEN craig@cdpbrangus.com870-834-1976 GRADY GREEN grady@dragginmranch.com870-314-3673 VISIT CDPBRANGUS.COM FOR MORE GREAT SIRE OPTIONS SEMEN SIRES FOR EVERY PROGRAM CB PARAMOUNT 7139H2 OWNERS: CAVENDER BRANGUS, CUEVAS T3 BRANGUS $50/UNIT DMR EMPIRE 795D12 OWNERS: DRAGGIN’ M RANCH $50/UNIT DMR CASH FLOW 535F30 OWNERS: DRAGGIN’ M RANCH AND TTT BRANGUS FARM $50/UNIT CB MASTERPIECE 2051F OWNERS: CAVENDER BRANGUS AND HARDEE FARM $50/UNIT CB FREIGHTLINER 627H7 OWNERS: CAVENDER BRANGUS, HERNDON FARMS $50/UNIT CB MAVERICK 1373H19 OWNERS: JOHNSTON BRANGUS, CAVENDER BRANGUS $50/UNIT DMR JUSTIFIED 30G82 OWNERS: DRAGGIN’ M RANCH $100/UNIT DMR DOMAIN 415G35 OWNERS: DRAGGIN’ M RANCH, LAS PALOMAS RANCH AND GOLD CREEK BRANGUS $50/UNIT DMR JRT DYNAMIC 30G36 OWNERS: DRAGGIN’ M RANCH AND JRT BRANGUS $50/UNIT CED 5.3 BW 1 WW 50 YW 88 M 2 TM 28 CEM 3.2 SC 0.70 REA 0.47 IMF 0.13 FT -0.023 INDEXTERM 3.75 INDEXFERT 1.16 CED 6.1 BW 0.1 WW 38 YW 55 M -1 TM 17 CEM 4.19 SC 0.90 REA 0.56 IMF 0.03 FT -0.034 INDEXTERM 2.48 INDEXFERT 0.56 CED 5.5 BW 0.2 WW 53 YW 101 M 2 TM 28 CEM 3.73 SC 0.88 REA 0.86 IMF 0.27 FT -0.017 INDEXTERM 4.76 INDEXFERT 1.99 CED 7.8 BW -2.2 WW 47 YW 84 M 1 TM 25 CEM 4.34 SC 1.11 REA 0.58 IMF 0.5 FT -0.027 INDEXTERM 4.7 INDEXFERT 0.93 CED 3 BW 1.7 WW 41 YW 76 M 5 TM 26 CEM 3.11 SC 0.27 REA 0.56 IMF 0.17 FT -0.022 INDEXTERM 3.42 INDEXFERT 1.07 CED 5.7 BW 0.5 WW 41 YW 73 M 2 TM 22 CEM 4.51 SC 0.78 REA 0.6 IMF 0.23 FT -0.037 INDEXTERM 3.55 INDEXFERT 0.18 CED 5.7 BW 1.2 WW 37 YW 62 M 2 TM 20 CEM 3.13 SC 1.20 REA 0.39 IMF 0.28 FT -0.04 INDEXTERM 3.11 INDEXFERT 0.17 CED 6.8 BW -0.3 WW 24 YW 36 M 7 TM 19 CEM 4.64 SC 0.66 REA 0.36 IMF -0.01 FT -0.039 INDEXTERM 1.71 INDEXFERT 0.67 CED 5.8 BW -0.1 WW 33 YW 52 M 3 TM 20 CEM 3.31 SC 0.81 REA 0.48 IMF 0.06 FT -0.03 INDEXTERM 2.45 INDEXFERT 0.68
tips
Red Bud Farms & The Walker Family
Pasture managers may dread droughts. However, with proper planning and preparation, they can minimize the damage and keep operations
Managing Pastures Before & During Drought
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER8 ISSUEEVERYIN 12............................................. PRESIDENT’S LETTER 16-17 EXECUTIVE CORNER 20-22 CATTLEFAX TRENDS 50 SERVICE DIRECTORY 50 - 54.......................................... STATE DIRECTORY 56.............................................................. CALENDAR 58................................................................ AD INDEX
smoothly.running“ 41 34 Fall ‘22 FEATURED 24
article,
It all began in 1992 for Brangus breeder Josh Walker, owner of Red Bud Farms, as he started in the cattle industry at 12-years-old with the purchase of two commercial heifer calves. Today, Walker and his wife and four kids currently reside in Ben Lomond, Arkansas.
drought.. Tips
The Noble Research Institute agricultural consultants recommend agricultural producers and other natural resource managers keep strong records, evaluate their operations, plan for the future, and act accordingly at all times but especially during drought. In this consultants share their top and considerations to help producers deal with for Managing Cattle During Drought
FA L L 2022 / VOLUME 14 / ISSUE 2 BEEF PRODUCER
BR MR RESOURCE 333H6 ~ UB10469953 ~ 1st Gen BR MR DOC 5H12 ~ UB10458612 ~ 1st Gen BR MR DOC 129H27 ~ R10456980 ~ 1st Gen
OUT WORK• OUT LAST Makes bull buying more affordable. Go to www.TownCreekFarm.com to request a sale catalog. S i n c e 1 9 9 3 TOWN CREEK FARM Milton Sundbeck, Owner 32476 Hwy. 50 East, West Point, Mississippi 39773-5207 Joy Reznicek Sundbeck (205)399-0221 Joy@TownCreekFarm.com Cody Glenn (601)508-8689 Cody@TownCreekFarm.com Total Commitment √ Select your bulls from proven Brangus, Ultrablacks, Vigor Max™ (Brahman x Angus half-blood– maximum heterosis), 3/4 Blood and Brahman Bulls. √ Opportunity to buy bulls from a program that culls EVERY open female and EVERY female that doesn’t bring a calf to weaning pens. √ Cattle fit the commercial world, based on good cows behind our bull offering. √ Maternal bulls develop superior replacement heifers that are fertile, long- lasting and have good udders. √ Offering full two-year-old bulls. √ Large 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 are out of Johnes-free cows. √ Environmentally adapted and acclimated bulls that withstand heat and humidity. √ Longevity – of breeding bulls and of their daughters. √ Fertility is our top priority. All other traits follow fertility. √ Genetics developed and proven for more than 30 years. √ Your source of maternal bulls. Bulls that help your bottom line. WE ARE IN THE HEAT OF SUMMER IN GEORGIA AND OUR TOWN CREEK FARM BULLS ARE OUT STEPPING AROUND DURING THEIR JOB. WE ARE IN OUR THIRD GENERATION OF TOWN CREEK FARM GENETICS. THESE BULLS ARE WORKING AND I CAN PROVE IT. – GEORGE CHAMBERS, GEORGIA “ “ HE TWO-YEAR-OLD.589HHETWO-YEAR-OLD.343H4SELLS.-FULLSELLS.-FULLHESELLS.9733J4.HESELLS.1H3-FULLTWO-YEAROLD. Town Creek Farm bulls hold up, out-work, out-last and out-perform their peers. Fewer bulls to replace. More pounds sired over a longer period of time.! HE SELLS. 915HHALF-BLOOD.VIGORMAX™FULLTWO-YEAROLD. Town Creek Farm Sale Saturday, October 15, 2022 • 12 noon at the ranch near West Point, Mississippi 150 Brangus, Ultrablack and VigorMax™ Half-Blood Bulls (plus 3/4 Blood Bulls) 250 Commercial Brangus Bred Heifers
Youdifferent.should have the ability to travel. There are usually two and sometimes three in person board meetings annually. In the spring and fall the board members try to split up and attend as many of the sales as possible. There is a budget for hotels for the board meetings but the sales are on our own dime. Candidates should throughly read and understand the bylaws of the organization. All board members are indemnified by the organization but we strive to always do things the right way to protect the organization from liability. If any of you want to know more or have any questions that I have not answered, please feel free to contact me. I’m always happy to speak with our membership. I hope we find some candidates that can see the benefits and rewards in serving and leading BRANGUS. I love this job. It is truly one of the most rewarding things that I have ever done. We’d love to see you come help us if you feel the same way.
Just in case you have been wondering what all is involved in serving on the board, I’ll give you the short version. The key to this whole deal is to have a heart to serve and a willingness to volunteer the time required to be a good servant and leader of our great breed. Our most important obligation as board members is our fiduciary obligation. We are entrusted with the breeders money and they expect us to manage it properly. You need to understand how to or be willing to learn to read balance sheets and profit and loss reports on a monthly basis. You should have internet access and be comfortable communicating via email and Zoom meetings.
It’s September and that means it’s time to decide if you want to help lead our great organization by running for the board of directors. There are four seats up for election this fall. In Texas, there is one seat up for election. Mary Douglas is currently finishing her first term there and Mary is eligible to run for a second term if she choses. In the East, there are two seats up for election. Both Rob Singleton and Jeremy Jackson are currently finishing their first term and both are eligible to run for a second term if they chose. In the West, there is one seat up for election. Vern Suhn is finishing his second term and is not eligible to run. If you are interested in running for any of the four seats, please contact the office and they will put you in touch with the regional committee chair.
Thanks for your time and GO BRANGUS!
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER12
Speaking of communication, your phone is going to ring a lot. You have to be willing to listen to everything the members have to say. Unfortunately, you can’t make every member happy. You need to have the ability to do what’s right for the organization and the majority of the members even when other members are asking you to do something
by Jeremy Jackson
BRANGUSService
Genetics Hide ColorVS
It’s Been a Long Time in Coming . . . .
My favorite speech 20 years ago centered on a prediction that the beef industry would stop valuing cattle based on “looks” alone and would move quickly to an objective scorecard that would include a score for genetic merit – not a guess, but a score based on data. In other words, buyers would start paying for what’s under the hide rather than appearance. I gave that speech at least 100 times and, if I didn’t convince anyone else, I darn sure convinced Atmyself.thetime, I was consulting with feedlots that were feeding a lot of retained ownership cattle from ranchers. Packing plants were becoming more willing and more capable of returning carcass data back to cow-calf producers. We were at the early stages of selling cattle on a carcass grid basis rather than an average live price. We also started using EID tags and were able to efficiently gather individual weights on cattle as they entered the feedlot and when they were hanging in the packing plant. We suddenly had reams of individual animal performance data and carcass data. In short, we were overwhelmed with data that most of us had not seen before. The ranchers who were feeding their own cattle had a thousand questions about how to respond to their carcass and feeding results. My role as a consultant to the feedlots was to by Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) executive vice president help their cow-calf customers understand and respond to the data. Honestly, it was a lot of fun. My own learning curve was vertical. The data were overwhelming me too. I was seeing differences in post-weaning net profit from one herd to the next of over $200/hd – among cattle that looked very similar when they arrived at the feedlot. You have to put that $200 figure in perspective. This was when fed cattle were selling for 80-90 cents. So, an average 1200-lb steer was worth around $1,000. Even then, the profit difference from one herd to another was $200/hd. Some of it was health-related, but a huge chunk of it was due to -- you guessed it –Today,GENETICS.a1350-lb steer is worth about $2,000. I’d bet a steak dinner than the post-weaning profit spread on cattle that enter the feedlot at the same weight and generally “look” similar is at least $400/hd. And, the major driver of the profit spread is the same as it was 20 years ago – it’s still WhenGENETICS.Iwitnessed those HUGE differences in actual value of cattle, I was sure that it would trigger a revolution and that the industry would move quickly to an objective way of valuing feeder cattle. After all, there are billions of dollars trading hands in the feeder cattle trade and one cannot just keep doing what you’ve always done in the face of this compelling data. Man was I wrong!
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER16 | EXECUTIVE CORNER |
Since most Brangus are black, and therefore most Brangussired feeder cattle are black, why is the guy at the Brangus association even bringing this up? Because the same bias that exists against non-black cattle also exists against cattle with a touch of ear. And the pathway to eliminating the bias is the same in both cases – replace outward appearance and the bias that comes with it with an objective, genetics-based method of valuing feeder cattle.
The results are compelling. For obvious reasons, RAAA is frustrated that hide color is a major value driver in the feeder cattle market and the favored color is not red. So, rather than complain about it, they did a survey. What did they discover?
It is a question of whether the beef industry will continue to wager billions of dollars based on outward appearances of feeder cattle versus a system that quantifies GENETICS, puts a score on the genetics, and pays accordingly.
• Almost three-quarters of respondents agreed that the emphasis on black hide has helped the industry advance in a positive direction over the past 25 years with reference to overall feeder cattle quality.
So here we are, 20 years later, and what seemed so obvious back then is now becoming apparent to virtually everybody. We are on the cusp of transitioning to a true value-based feeder cattle market based on genetic scoring. So, it’s not so much that I was wrong about what would happen, I was just off by 20 years.
The Red Angus Association of America (RAAA), in cooperation with three highly respected university economists, recently completed a study in which they surveyed some major players in the feeding and cattle marketing business.
There is an effort underway to establish an industry-wide task force to address this issue. An industry task force is not like a legislature. They cannot pass a bill and make it happen.
• 94-95% of respondents agreed that hide color plays a significant role in feeder cattle pricing and that black hide color generates a premium over non-black cattle of equal weight, quality, sex and health history.
• Only 13% of respondents agreed that black-hided cattle are superior to non-black cattle of equal weight, sex and health history. Seventy-five percent disagreed that black hide automatically equated to superiority.
results than does hide color. At the risk of upsetting some people, I will paraphrase what I believe the survey showed. The “black revolution” has had a very positive effect on the quality of feeder cattle the past 25 years. It was a very practical first step in moving the ball down the field and improving a lot of very mediocre and mongrelized herds. Now, it’s time to move to the next level and leverage the science of genetics that has advanced dramatically over the past 25 years. It helps to digest this if one dismisses the idea that this is a fight between black and red. It isn’t. It goes way beyond that.
| CATTLEFAX TRENDS |
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A successful business model pays close attention to both expenses and revenue. With the tight margin environment currently impacting the cow-calf segment, every dollar matters. Thankfully there are several approaches to potentially increase the revenue stream. Utilizing risk management tools or understanding the seasonality of the calf market to avoid marketing during the fall when the lows typically occur are a couple of examples. Value-added programs, another approach to enhance revenue, have gained a lot of attention in recent years. The term “value-added” is somewhat of a loose term that can be used to describe specific health programs, weaning protocols, or process verified Whileprograms.participating in most value-added programs should increase the price producers receive, it is not guaranteed to improve profitability significantly, or at all, considering most programs require additional costs. How much the bottom line is impacted will vary from operation to operation depending on other underlying factors such as labor resources, time, logistics, and others. Regardless, the following discussion will provide premium estimates for several different programs. Like many things in the cow-calf segment, there will be a wide range around the values.
Some backgrounders/stocker operators and cattle feeders will not purchase calves unless they have at least two rounds of shots. Results from CattleFax’s annual Cow-Calf Survey show a positive relationship between calf value and number of times vaccinated. Over the last three years about 45 percent of producers reported vaccinating twice, while about 30 percent only vaccinate once. The three-year average difference in calf value for two versus one round of shots is $55/head. It is likely the entire price disparity is not solely due to the vaccination protocol, but it is not a fluke that the positive correlation is noticeable each year in the survey data. Healthy cattle are simply more profitable. Buyers certainly will remember the cattle purchased that had very little performance losses due to morbidity and mortality. This is the best way to establish a positive and long-lasting reputation among buyers. It is difficult to truly quantify how valuable that reputation is. Nonetheless, it is counterproductive for cow-calf producers to have the mentality that as soon as the cattle leave my place, they are somebody else’s problem.
Weaning is one of the most tried and true methods of adding value. While there are some risks that come with weaning, there are a couple of datasets that indicate calves should garner a fairly significant premium versus selling right off the Returningcow. again to the survey results, calves weaned for at least 45 days averaged $113/head more than unweaned calves over the past three years. Again, the full price difference is not entirely from weaning, but the relationship shows up in the results every year. Analysis from Superior Livestock Auction data suggests weaning pays, on average, around $50 to $60/ head or about $10/cwt.
One program, once referred to as value-added, that is now becoming standard operating procedure for most of the industry is vaccinating or implementing a solid health protocol. Rather than producers receiving a premium for vaccinating, anymore it is viewed as a discount for cattle that are not However,vaccinated.thereare different vaccination protocols, and those differences appear to have an impact on the value of calves.
VALUE-ADDED
PROGRAMSCATTLEFAXTRENDS
Fully capitalizing on weaning often requires 45-days, if not 60-days. Weaning for shorter time periods, the producer incurs the cost, morbidity and mortality risk and may not capture the benefit of getting calves heavier, fully straightened out, and ready for the next owner. Essentially, producers are barely getting the bawl out of calves and results from the survey show there is not enough of a price premium to offset the risk. In fact, calves weaned for less than 28 days, although a pretty small sample, averaged a $30/head discount to those sold right off the cow. Calves weaned for 28 to 45 days only averaged a $17/head premium relative to unweaned cattle. Bottom line, if producers are going to implement a weaning program, it must be done correctly otherwise it is a waste of time and likely turns into a financial Differentiatedloss. programs are another opportunity, and often catch the most buzz. Non-hormone treated (NHTC), natural programs, Beef Quality Assurance participation, GAP, BeefCare, and source and age verification (SAV) are some of the most common programs. Often, cattle will be marketed with a long list of programs in the description. Because of this, there will be some overlap between the premiums for each program. If enrolled in a few of the programs, it would not be uncommon for those cattle
While there is a significant range around the values in the accompanying chart, those estimates are a good starting point for each program. The premiums were calculated based on Superior Livestock Auction data from the last couple of years. As the calf market trends higher, and supply and demand relationships change for each program, the dollar amounts could adjust over the next few years.
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER22 | CATTLEFAX TRENDS | to bring an additional $5 to $10/cwt premium compared to commodity-type cattle of comparable weight and kind.
The programs that require thirdparty verification, such as verified natural, NHTC, and GAP, typically demand the biggest premiums. At the same time, they require more paperwork and operational requirements depending on the specifications of the program, and there is a monetary cost to be audited that varies depending on level of detail.
While the definition of value-added is pretty general, considering it is simply enhancing the worth of the underlying product, cow-calf producers have several different ways of achieving this when it comes to marketing their calf crop. Some may be easy additions to existing programs, while others may require more significant operational changes and/or investment. Additional value for programs varies widely based on marketing channels, and more specifically, what buyers are in the market. The cost-benefit tradeoffs for various programs can range significantly between different operations but are likely worth investigating. If the decision is made to participate, it is important to have a plan to market those calves to an audience or program that seeks those type of cattle.
One program that stands out in the chart is natural, since it shows a discount of nearly $3/cwt compared to non-program cattle. In reality it likely isn’t a discount, rather there is very limited benefit from a price standpoint for making that specific claim. The definition of natural in this analysis is owner certified natural. Essentially, producers sign an affidavit claiming they followed natural practices, which means calves never received hormones, antibiotics, or animal byproducts. The natural plus program, which is the same as natural, in addition to the seller agreeing to sign any additional affidavits for the buyer, equates to a slight premium, on average. Enrolling in these programs makes a lot of sense for producers who are already practicing natural protocols, considering the additional work is minimal.
“I attended the University of Arkansas where I majored in animal science graduating with my Bachelor’s of Science in Animal Science in 2002,” Walker said. “I then moved to Colorado, where I graduated with my masters and Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences in 2008, focusing on IVF and embryo transfer work at Colorado State University.
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Red Bud Farms
The Start
It all began in 1992 for Brangus breeder Josh Walker, owner of Red Bud Farms, as he started in the cattle industry at 12-years-old with the purchase of two commercial heifer calves. Today, Walker and his wife and four kids currently reside in Ben Lomond, Arkansas.
At one point in his life, Walker had the goal of becoming a professor at the University of Arkansas, Texas A&M University or Oklahoma State University. Walker said this was his dream until one day while in graduate school, he realized the ranch had grown to the point that he did not need to have another job, he just needed to manage the ranch. While working on his Ph.D. at Colorado State, Walker had the opportunity to lease over 1,500 acres of land where he and his family currently reside. He could not pass up the opportunity. It is evident that Walker has always been a cattleman, putting his heart into the industry that attracted him from an early age.
“I was offered a position as the Reproduction Manager when I first started at the ranch,” Walker said, “I was hired to manage
Growing up in a small town in Arkansas, Walker would attend the University of Arkansas. While away at school, Walker’s parents continued to care for the small herd of cattle, never to dream that he would soon come back to the ranch with double the amount of cattle he initially left in their care.
by Kendra Elder
& THE WALKER FAMILY
Walker Purchases Angus Herd In 2013, Walker began managing a large Angus operation in Southeast Oklahoma known as the Kiamichi Link Ranch. Walker managed over 11,000 acres south of Tulsa. The ranch was operated with a registered Angus cowherd along with a fully-functional, assisted-reproductive laboratory operation.
“Theseason.fescue is so thick and tall there are times in the year you can only point out the Ingrid’s on the cattle,” Walker explained. “I see a difference between my breeds of cattle (British cattle versus American cattle).”
Walker talks about his various breeds of cattle that graze on fescue grass and the results/impact that he noticed on the “Icattle.see a difference in my Angus cattle versus my Red/Black Brangus cattle,” Walker explained. “The Red/Black Brangus adapt better to the hot, warm summer temperatures. They are a slick haired breed so they do not have the issue of not shedding because of the fescue toxicity.” Therefore, Brangus have been a much better fit into the fescue belt environment. Southwestern Arkansas is hot and has lots of humidity on top of the rain they receive throughout the Fromyear. a cow/calf production standpoint,a producer wants his/ her cattle to perform well in their environment.
Photo: (left to right) Josh, Jennifer, Joshua, Julie, Natalie, Molly, and ‘Dogg’ Walker
25FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER the onsight IVF lab, herd health, nutrition program, and Inprogram.”reproductive2014,Walker took over the ranch as General Manager where he was in charge of all aspects: genetic timereproductivethedesignedinreproductivethebullyear,intheopportunityWalkeroperation.managementandmanagement,facilities,managementimprovement,ofthepasturemarketingsales,andoftheAngushadthetorunoneoftopAngusoperationsthecountry.Twiceatheyhostedcowandproductionsalesonranch.Walkersaidthelaboratorythetechbarnwastobealeaderinbovineassistedfieldoftechnology.AfterspendingmuchinOklahoma,Walker
Fescue Grass Management Impact on Cattle Herd Walker and his family raise Red Brangus, Brangus, and Angus and are focusing on growing their UltraRed herd. Walker grazes his cattle considerably on fescue grass. Walker specifically mentioned the Kentucky 31 fescue grass, which is known for being coarse and is used extensively for livestock pasture grass in different regions of the country. Fescue grass is a cool-season grass that tolerates the heat, cold and droughts. Livestock graze fescue grass mostly in the months of April and May, as well as late fall. In an article written by Penn State Extension, it states, “it is more tolerant of animal and machinery traffic and of mismanagement than are other cool-season grasses. Endophyte-free and friendly-
purchased Kiamichi Link Ranch Angus Ranch in 2016. Purchasing 500 Angus cows would eventually help diversify their operation, while incorporating top genetics into their growing Brangus herd. By this time, his ranch had escalated from a small operation to a considerable size cowherd. When the opportunity to buy the Angus herd was presented to him, Walker realized his dream of full-time ranching was now a reality.
endophyte varieties improve animal acceptance of and performance on tall fescue.” Walker loves fescue grass because it grows in spring and fall, which gives him an active growth at least half of his grazing
Walker believes Red Brangus has a place in the industry and he is trying everyday to get that message out.
He experienced positive results with his eared herds. They are consistently producing and raising quality calves, and most importantly doing it again next year.
According to the North Carolina State Extension website, tall fescue is of incredible importance to the beef industry across the Mid-Atlantic, Upper-South and Lower-Midwest. They state in an article, “The region, spread about 1,000 miles long and 400 miles deep is called the “Fescue Belt” and is a region that is home to about one-fourth of the nation’s beef cows.”
Other producers might find results differently; this was just what he found to be true.
Walker explained that traditional growth is difficult when the costs of land, cattle, and equipment are being examined. One strategy that Red Bud Farm strives for in progressing towards a volume producer is to expand with marketing partnerships.“Mygoalwas to grow and increase production and highlight
“My Angus pregnancy conception rates decreased 10-15% on the fescue, and calves were 50-75 pounds lighter at weaning when compared to my Brangus,” Walker explained. “We know the fescue grass raises the animals’ body temperature and depressing production but the ability of Brangus cattle to handle the heat is a big reason why they do not miss a beat on the fescue.”
The NOW
Red Bud Farms goal is to increase the industry footprint.
Walker mentioned the floods that impacted his operation in 2020, resulting in over 1,000 acres of grass covered in water. Now a few years later, the fescue grass has already grown back strongly. The resiliency/ persistence of fescue is one of Walker’s favorite things about the fescue grass. He says the economics of replacing the toxic variety did not make sense for his “Tooperation.getrid of a grass that is well known for growing back
An article written by Progressive Cattle states that according to a USDA survey, tall fescue is a deeprooted perennial that provides year-round quality feeds for producers. It may be grazed, harvested for hay or fed later for consumption.
would take re-spraying the fields multiple times then choosing another grass to replant.’ Walker explained. “Instead of choosing the expensive route, we chose to go with the cows that performed in our environment as is.”
Walker’s goal for the operation is to meet the needs of both registered and commercial beef producers while building successful marketing tactics for his operation and others. The Brangus cattle have done the best for Walker and his family in terms of production, pregnancy rates, weaning weights and consistently producing calves that they can market to “Iothers.amexcited to provide genetics to our customers that help them reach their goals,” Walker said. “I hope to continue our growth and cannot wait to see where the next generation takes us.”
Photo: (above) The Walker Family sporting their NJBS ‘22 gear
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER26
Currently, Walker manages over 3,000 acres of land while running his herd of Red Brangus, Angus and UltraBlack Brangus cattle seed stock and commercial cow calf operation.
27FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER quality genetics,” Walker said. “We have been focusing on building strong marketing alliances with other operations to not only improve our genetics, but others as well. We have met some wonderful cattlemen and women while sharing our vision and goals with them.”
“We are particularly excited about the new genetics coming from our Ultrared cattle,” Walker explained. “These Ultrareds are from our Red Brangus, our partner’s Red Angus, and our Angus derived Ultrablacks with a red gene.”
Red Bud Farms is growing in all segments of the Brangus breed as a volume breeder, as their cattle are accepted by commercial and purebred breeders, as well as some have sold to juniors for competition. They are establishing new lines to the UltraRed programs as well.
Walker not only is living the dream, but sets out each day to make the dream a little bit better, as he envisions Red Bud Farms’ large impact in the Brangus breed.
The partnerships have moved Red Bud Farms to over 1,000 registered cows to work with in their genetic pool. With the amount of volume of cattle to pull from, they feel RedLand Marketing Group will be a great way to provide Red Brangus genetics in the future to both commercial and seedstock producers.
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•increase.Testhay to know the value.
•sufficient.Cullcows using the three O’s: Old, Open, Ornery
Farmers and ranchers are no strangers to drought. Still, each dry spell brings its challenges.
• Determine hay needs and buy early before prices
• Consider finding new land to graze.
• As pond water draws down, the concentrated levels increase chances of leptospirosis and pseudorabies. Low quality pond water is less palatable to cattle and decreases gain.
•ECONOMICSAsdroughtincreases, cow prices historically decline.
• If drought persists, consider early weaning. Once lactation ends, nutritional requirements of a cow will drop 15 to 20 percent.
• Buying hay and feeding through a drought is never a good plan. On native range, hay should only be fed during inclement weather. On introduced pastures, hay use should be minimal — less than three months.
• Watch for bogging in ponds with low water.
•LIVESTOCKInventorywater sources and determine if quantity is
• As forages are grazed low, black leg cases increase due to cattle eating closer to the ground. by Hugh Aljoe
The Noble Research Institute agricultural consultants recommend agricultural producers and other natural resource managers keep strong records, evaluate their operations, plan for the future, and act accordingly at all times but especially during drought. Below, the consultants share their top tips and considerations to help producers deal with drought.
DURING DROUGHT Operations
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER34
Tips for Managing Cattle
Supplemental feed costs historically increase during drought •periods.Know production costs and keep close records to make better management decisions.
• Without a spring flush, body condition score can decline in lactating cows eating hay only.
• $5/mile for 500 miles = $2,500 one way for a load of 40 head
• $125/head for round trip trucking could be cheaper than feeding.
• Lower quality.
• Maintain 6-8 inches of stubble height for native pastures and 3-4 inches of stubble height for bermudagrass pastures.
•
• Isolate where purchased hay is fed to reduce chances of bringing in invasive species.
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER36 RANGE AND PASTURE/SOILS AND CROPS •
• Not highly erodible.
• If no stubble, you cannot take advantage of the rains we will •get.If stubble heights get below these thresholds, it triggers the need for sacrifice pastures.
• Close to the house/barn (less travel).•Have a good source of water.•Cattle still graze standing forage when they are fed hay, which is why sacrifice pastures are important.
• There will probably not be many annuals during the spring flush, if you have not received recent rain. Sheep and goats rely on the spring flush of annuals more than cattle.
• Low water levels make it easier and more affordable to renovate fish populations and provide opportunities to renovate and rebuild ponds. Low water levels in ponds can increase the chances of fish kills during the summer.
• If feeding wildlife, only use feed that is tested for mycotoxins, which can increase during drought.
• More bare ground from overgrazing can mean more grasshoppers in the WILDLIFEsummer.
Feral hogs will come to bait during drought better due to low natural foods available. This makes it easier to trap them.
• Do not drain wetlands until April or May to provide food for migrating birds as they head to the breeding grounds.
AND FISHERIES
Reduce livestock stocking rates so wildlife habitat is not negatively affected.
• If forage is needed for cattle, postpone prescribed burning.
Identify sacrifice pastures that are:
If you’re behind on rainfall from November to April, you are already in a drought. Match expected forage production with animal demand. If stocked at 100 percent, you’re already •overstocked.Ifrainfallfor year is 20-30% behind annual average by mid May, a corresponding reduction in stocking rate warrants consideration.
• Introduced pastures.
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•
•
•
The best means to prepare pastures for drought is good long-term pasture management before the drought. The fact is that well-managed pastures are more resilient during stress and recover more rapidly after stress. In application, this means pastures are managed for adequate long-term residual and litter cover, soil fertility for introduced and cropped pastures is maintained at proper levels for expected production, pastures routinely are performed well during favorable moisture conditions,
Pasture managers may dread droughts. However, with proper planning and preparation, they can minimize the damage and keep operations running smoothly. “Periods of favorable rainfall conditions make everyone a better manager. Periods of drought conditions distinguish the better managers from the rest.”
DURING
Many philosophical statements come to mind when I’m considering pasture management during drought.
THINK AHEAD
MANAGING PASTURES BEFORE
One of my favorites of all time came from Mr. Wayne Hamilton, one of my range science professors at Texas A&M during my college years: “The time to start planning for a drought is when it is raining.” He followed that statement up immediately with: “And the time to start planning for a rain is during a drought.”
The bottom line is pasture management requires planning, and there is no substitute for planning ahead. Planning ahead has two aspects: a management plan AND DROUGHT
41FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER
YOU
PREPAREmaterializes.FOR
the pastures will be in good condition when unfavorable conditions occur. In today’s world, drought conditions in a region are usually forecast and certainly easily monitored as conditions change. The Drought Monitor is an excellent tool to track soil moisture conditions. In addition, monthly average rainfall is tracked by county, and in Oklahoma the Mesonet system is positioned across the state and available to the public. Weather and climate tools such as these allow producers to stay informed about regional weather conditions, which helps with the planning process; therefore, informed producers should not be caught off-guard as drought THE WORST Drought preparation should include an appropriate contingency plan that involves strategies and activities that can be executed in an orderly fashion as adverse conditions persist. You should prepare inventories of cattle by class, stored forages and standing forage to be grazed as well as assessments of livestock water quantity and quality. It is also important to determine the period of time in which the herd could be maintained as is if drought conditions continue as well as the length of time the herd could be retained as the stocking rate is incrementally reduced. MUST ANSWER THESE to do to get to the next season of anticipated rainfall? What do I need to do to get to the next spring growing season? How can I accomplish this while limiting the long-term damage to the pastures caused by grazing livestock?
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER42
WhatQUESTIONS:doIneed
TAKE ACTION Once drought settles on a region, you need to begin implementing your drought plans. Your first thoughts should be on assessing the available and projected forage production for projected time periods, developing a destocking plan to allow for a planned marketing strategy for existing livestock should forage demand exceed projected forage supply, and determining the critical dates by which management decisions need to be made.
The second item of business is to assess livestock water supplies. Pastures with unreliable or less dependable water supplies should be grazed early while water is not limited in quantity or quality. You should maintain adequate residuals in all pastures, especially the native grass pastures, where recovery is longer and more difficult to achieve than in introduced pastures. If pastures are to be grazed harder or shorter or used as a “sacrifice area,” target introduced pastures such as bermudagrass, which – with fertility, weed management and moisture – can recover quickly. Avoid overutilization of native pastures.
EarlyINCLUDE:weaning of calves. Marketing of growing cattle. Marketing of open and problem (poor udders, eye and feet issues, poor disposition) cows. Marketing of less uniform and poorer-performing cows with the intent of maintaining the most productive and uniform cows as the core herd. Relocating the core herd to other regions of the country that are not under drought conditions is also an option. Rarely is feeding through an extended
However, early identification and purchase of required hay supplies in bulk before drought is fully realized is usually much more cost-effective than waiting until hay prices become inflated.
TYPICALLY, DESTOCKING STRATEGIES
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER44
drought a wise economic decision, but it is an option.
Third, manage the grazing by rotating the remaining cattle through pastures, monitoring closely the projected number of grazing days (weeks) ahead of the herd and the recovery rate of the pastures. If grazing expectations are not being met without overutilizing the pastures (grazing into the desired residual), destocking protocols should be further implemented.
Finally, participating in the USDA Risk Management Agency’s Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) insurance program can provide some assistance during droughts. The PRF insurance program is designed to provide coverage on your pasture, rangelands and grazed forage crops. It gives producers the ability to cover replacement feed costs when a loss of
will
your bottom line!
HAVE A SAFETY NET
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Avoid “throwing open” all the gates. Manage the grazing, recovery and residuals in the pastures throughout the duration.
If drought conditions manifest during the peak rainfall periods of spring and early fall, early and timely implementation of management practices are of greater importance to meet projected production goals. You should apply fertilizer, especially nitrogen fertilizer, early at an adequate but conservative rate. You should perform establishment practices early in the season, and only on the amount of acres that can be wellprepared ahead of planting. Apply herbicide only if the target weeds are actively growing and not drought-stressed, usually early in the season. Make weed control a priority over fertility on introduced pasture if one must be chosen over the other.
A good management practice during drought is to plow and maintain fire guards/breaks along fence lines around the perimeter of your property and pastures (including hay storage traps and barns), especially along the south borders that adjoin county roads. With prevailing southerly winds, the south boundaries are the most likely to be threatened with wildfires. This is a means to protect forage supplies in pastures during times when they are of the most value to your operation. In addition, regular planned use of prescribed fire on native pastures helps reduce buildup of plant material for wildfires to consume, aiding in suppression.
Complete DNA, ultrasound data bulls genetics developed over generations that add to
on
and performance
forage for grazing or harvest is experienced because of lack of precipitation, not just during extreme drought. Sign-up for the program is annually and occurs in the fall preceding the year of coverage. PRF insurance is supplied by local and regional independent insurance agencies and is well worth considering if you are a producer with grazing livestock and hay. It may not alleviate drought conditions, but it can make them easier to live through. However, keep in mind that the best drought insurance for pastures is good long-term pasture management before and during the drought.
45FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER
with
• IBBA will arrange for cooperators to visit the feedlots and packing plants where the cattle will be fed and harvested.
•
• Calving ease scores will be collected by the cooperators. Actual birth weight recording is not required.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
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.
• Cows should be a minimum of 45 days post-partum when the synchronization protocol is started (55-days post partum when they are bred).
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.
• 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.
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.
• 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.
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.
• Ideal calving season is February - April for spring calving herds and September - November for fall calving herds.
• 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.
Below are some of the key factors to consider in determining if cooperation in this project fits your operation:
• IBBA will cover the cost of carcass data collection, including the cost of extracting a rib steak from each carcass for tenderness testing.
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.
• Adequate body condition is essential to any AI breeding program. Cows and heifers should be in a body condition score of 5.0 or better.
• 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).
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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FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER50 | SERVICE DIRECTORY | SERVICE DIRECTORY May 202250 FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT GOBRANGUS.COM / BREEDER-SEARCH For advertising opportunities in the Brangus Journal or Frontline Beef Producer, contact Melanie Fuller at 979-255-3343 mfuller@gobrangus.com.or SERVICE DIRECTORY ALABAMA — ARIZONA — ARKANSASALABAMA 51 Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, www.dragginm.comArkansas 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder Brangus & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES SPANISH RANCH Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama available private treaty and select sales FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT GOBRANGUS.COM / BREEDER-SEARCHSTATE DIRECTORY L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 Sky Herdon, Co-Owner 912.245.0428 Kevin Asbury, Manager 850.252.7290 Herndon Businesss Card ad.indd 1 7/15/21 1:57 PMTTT BRANGUS FARM Fayette, Alabama Jimmy & Marsha Trice 205-270-6488 | jtrice@watvc.com MT RegisteredBrangusCattleAvailableForSaleMT
51FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER | STATE DIRECTORY | ARKANSAS - CALIFORNIA - FLORIDA - GEORGIA - LOUISIANA 51 Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, www.dragginm.comArkansas 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT GOBRANGUS.COM / BREEDER-SEARCHSTATE DIRECTORY L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 7/15/21 1:57 PM John Milam, Owner Grady Green | 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, Arkansas | www.dragginm.com SALE DATES ONLINE AT CDPBRANGUS.COM Brangus Bulls • Brangus Females • Commercial Females PROVEN GENETICS, TRUSTED WWW.CDPBRANGUS.COMBRAND. SPANISH RANCH Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle Pamela & AJ Doiron l 805-245-0434 Cell doiron@spanishranch.net l www.spanishranch.net Brangus & Ultrablacks Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls and Females Available Now at the Ranch Private Treaty THD © VISIT US ONLINE www.spanishranch.net Follow Us on Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER52 | STATE DIRECTORY | LOUISIANA - MISSISSIPPI - MISSOURI - NEW MEXICO - OKLAHOMA - TEXAS 51 Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, www.dragginm.comArkansas 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder Brangus & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES SPANISH RANCH Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama available private treaty and select sales FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT GOBRANGUS.COM / BREEDER-SEARCHSTATE DIRECTORY L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 7/15/21 1:57 PM Breeding the Best Better © Top Quality Bulls Available by Private Treaty Call today to pick your next herd sire. 575 365 6356 ™ at We stall Ran ch David Wood Magnolia, 713-539-5715MS dwood@woodcorporation.com CDPBrangus.com
53FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER | STATE DIRECTORY | TEXAS 51 Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, www.dragginm.comArkansas 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder FIND A BREEDER NEAR YOU VISIT US AT GOBRANGUS.COM / BREEDER-SEARCHSTATE DIRECTORY L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 7/15/21 1:57 PM JODI & DAVID JACKSON 3099 Horseshoe Bend Waco, Texas 76708 Jodi cell: jodiatbentwood@sbcglobal.net254.722.9138 BULLS FOR SALE 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 Sales: 2nd Friday in March, 4th Thursday in March, 4th Saturday in April, 4th Weekend in October 3rd Weekend in November GREAT BRANGUS BULLS - PRIVATE TREATY Joe and Melanie Fuller - Ben and Trish Fuller 14148 N State Highway 16, Willow City, TX 78675 C. 979-255-7747 E. jw.fuller@yahoo.com Gary Buchholz 214-537-1285 | gary@gkbcattle.com wwww gkbcattle com Brangus Cattle Manager: Andrew Conley - 706.781.8656 HEREFORDS | ANGUS | BRANGUS | BRAHMAN
54 | STATE DIRECTORY | TEXAS 51 Contact Melanie Fuller at mfuller@gobrangus.com or 979.255.3343 for advertising spaces ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, www.dragginm.comArkansas 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder GOBRANGUS.COM / BREEDER-SEARCHSTATE DIRECTORY L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 7/15/21 1:57 PM RIORANCHTX.COMRegistered Brahman, Charolais and Brangus Raul Montez Hempstead,39606jraulmontez@ymail.com832-331-6800FM1736TX77445 RIO RANCH BRANGUS & ULTRABLACK Schmidt Farms
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER56 | CALENDAR OF EVENTS | SEPTEMBER ACE @ WILEY RANCH SOUTHERN HARVEST FEMALE SALE10 MBJ & TRIO POWER OF THE BRANDS SALE10 MIDSOUTH & NEAL FAMILY ANNUAL BULL AND FEMALE SALE17 SBBA FIELD DAY 50 YR CELEBRATION MEMBERSHIP MEETING, BANQUET, & AWARDS CEREMONY 23 CALIFORNIA’S ONLY DROUGHT-BUSTER BULL SALE24 SBBA SHOWCASE FEMALE SALE24 VILLA RANCH INAUGURAL ONLINE SALE30 OCTOBER CONTINUED CX ADVANTAGE SALE8 46TH ANNUAL ROCKHAMPTON BRANGUS SALE10 TREASURES OF THE OZARKS ONLINE SALE12 LITTLE CREEK FARMS & FRIENDS BRANGUS BULL SALE14 MP BRANGUS AT DIAMOND D RANCH FALL SALE15 TOWN CREEK FARM SALE15 ALLEN CATTLE COMPANY- RANCHING FOR PROFIT, FALL SALE16 4TH ANNUAL L.G. HERNDON, JR. FARMS BULL & FEMALE SALE21 BRIGGS RANCHES 19TH BULL & COMMERCIAL FEMALE SALE21 STAR G RANCHES ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE22 PHILLIPS – FENCO BULL SALE25 OAK CREEK FARMS FORAGE TESTED FALL BULL SALE29 TRIPLE CROWN RANCH ONLINE BULL AND SEMEN SALE30 SOUTHEAST REGIONAL JUNIOR BRANGUS SHOW23 TELPARA HILLS ANNUAL BULL & FEMALE SALE17 EXPO BRA NOA 202221 CALENDAR FOREST HILLS BRANGUS SALE27 30 NATIONAL SHOW OF MERIT – ENTRY DEADLINE OCTOBER SCAMARDO BRANGUS PRODUCTION SALE 10 GREATER JACKSONVILLE FAIR – OPEN ENTRY DEADLINE BCR VENTURES SELECT HEIFER SALE9 TAJO RANCH ONLINE FROZEN GENETICS & LIVE SALE19 CHAMPIONS VALLEY BRANGUS ONLINE SHOW HEIFER SALE10 1 3 SBBA BULL SALE NOMINATIONS DUE ROOP CATTLE COMPANY INAUGURAL ONLINE HEIFER SALE4 DIAMOND K RANCH ONLINE SHOW HEIFER SALE6 ADDISON BRANGUS FARMS & FRIENDS “PERFORMANCE” SALE8 BIG D RANCH – BUILDING YOUR TOMORROW SALE8 SPITZER RANCH PROFIT MAKER ONLINE BULL SALE1 NOVEMBER GENEPLUS AT CHIMNEY ROCK CATTLE COMPANY NATIONAL SHOW OF MERIT – NATIONAL SOE POINT SHOW44 GREATER JACKSONVILLE FAIR – IBBA NATIONAL SHOW5 THE BRANCH RANCH – ROUGH & READY BULL SALE QUAIL VALLEY FARMS FALL REGISTERED FEMALE & BULL SALE11 CATTLEMEN’S CONGRESS – ENTRY DEADLINE (NO LATE FEE)15 SBBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATIONS DUE15 SBBA JANET GREUEL SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DUE15 SBBA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE FOR 2023 BEGINS16 AUSTRALIA’S SUSTAINABLE FARMING EXPO710 For Detailed Information, Visit GoBrangus.com
FALL 2022 FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER58 ADVERTISING INDEX ALABAMA Addison Brangus Farms.................................................................... 21 American Cattle Enterprise IFC,5,45,50,51 Far Niente Farms .............................................................................. 50 Lake Majestik 30-33,50 Quail Valley Farms IFC,50 Saddle Hill Cattle Company ........................................................ 38-39 Southeast Brangus Breeders Assn 40 TTT Brangus Farm 50 ARKANSAS Adams & Creasy Insurance Agency 50 Big D Ranch ..................................................................................... 35 Chimney Rock Cattle Co. 30-31,51 Draggin’ M Ranch 51 Mobley, Luke .................................................................................... 50 Sewell Cattle Co., Inc. 51 CALIFORNIA Spanish Ranch 51 FLORIDA Fenco Farms ........................................................................... 38-39,51 Phillips Ranch 38-39,51 GEORGIA L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms 51,IBC KANSAS Hurla Farms Feedlot 49 Jensen Livesotck Agency 50 Suhn Cattle Co ........................................................................... 30-33 LOUISIANA Bushley Creek Cattle Co. 52 Cross N Farms .................................................................................. 55 Midsouth Cattle Company 13 Neal Ranch 13 The Branch Ranch ....................................................................... 10,52 Wiley Ranch IFC,5,51 MISSISSIPPI Double W Ranch .......................................................................................................... 52 JM Cattle Co. 15 Pine Belt Alliance 15 Spur S Cattle ..................................................................................... 15 T3 Brangus 15,52 Town Creek Farm 11 MISSOURI Don Thomas & Sons ......................................................................... 52 Gariss Ranch 30-33 GENEPLUS 30-33,51 Wyman Creek Ranch ........................................................................ 52 NEBRASKA DVAuction IFC,15,21,28,35,IBC NEW MEXICO Brinks Brangus at Westall Ranch ...................................................... 52 OHIO Smart Auctions 14,37 OKLAHOMA Lawman Ranch ................................................................................. 52 Live Auctions BC Oklahoma Brangus Association 47 TEXAS Bovine Elite, LLC 50 Briggs Ranches 43 Cavender Ranches .....................................................................6-7,53 Cavender-Draggin’ M and Partners 6-7,51,52 Cox Excalibur Brangus 28 Cross F Cattle .................................................................................... 53 Elgin Breeding Services, LLC 46,50 Farris Ranching Company ................................................................ 42 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo 36 Genesis Ranch 53 GKB Cattle ................................................................................... 29,53 Hi Point Sales + Marketing 13,14,19,35,37,IBC International Red Brangus Association 18 Jackson Family Brangus ................................................................... 53 JLS International 5353 Lambert, Doak .................................................................................. 50 Mound Creek Ranch 53 MP Brangus 37,53 Oak Creek Farms ............................................................................... BC Oakley, Lakin 50 Pennridge Ranch 54 Ramro LLC/RJ Cattle Co. .................................................................... 47 Reagan, Terry 50 Rio Ranch.......................................................................................... 54 Santa Rosa Ranch 3,54 Scamardo Brangus 19 Schmidt Farms ....................................................................... 30-33,54 Stalwart Ranches 23,54 Star G Ranch 54 Texas Drovers .................................................................................... 45 Tuna Rosa Ranch 54 Villa Ranch ....................................................................................... 14, Westway Feed Products 55 Wild M Brangus 54 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, email info@gobrangus.com, or call 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.
Oak Creek Farms salutes the cattlemen that developed True 3/8th x 5/8th Brangus 70 years ago. They fit the environment better and thrive in the heat and still produce good, high-quality BEEF. • True Brangus can take the heat…they have larger and more numerous sweat glands. • Carcass merit…OCF produces restaurant-quality beef. 120 OCF steers graded 95% Choice & Prime. • Longevity…you can expect 1 to 2 more calves in their lifetime. • Better foragers…adapted to grazing on forage and shrubs. • Increased heterosis…growth enhanced by the stabilized 3/8 Bos Indicus in OCF’s 3/8 x 5/8 Brangus resulting in better performance with less inputs. • Insect tolerance…OCF is in our 7th year with no fly treatment!
