SPRING 2024
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VOLUME 16
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ISSUE 1
BEEF PRODUCER
GENEPLUS GENEPLUS
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
IBBA STAFF The Frontline Beef Producer (ISSN 0006-9132) is published by Brangus
Publications, Inc. (BPI), as a segment of P.O. Box 809, Adkins, Texas 78101
Brangus Journal, 8870 US Highway rangus.com •thegobrangus.com 87 East, San Antonio, Texas, 78263, twice yearly in the spring and fall.
INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS BREEERS ASSOCIATION STAFF
as
Periodicals postage paid at San Antonio, Executive Texas Vice and President additional mailing offices.
Texas
POSTMASTER: send address changes to: Controller Brangus Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 809,
Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. - dwilkes@gobrangus.com Brian Sadovsky - bsadovsky@gobrangus.com
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Macee Prause - mprause@gobrangus.com
BPI Officers and Board of Directors: Director of Registry Chairman: Rob Singleton Jessie England - jengland@gobrangus.com
ida
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Product Manager Jessie England, Andrew Subscriptions: Sicotte - asicotte@goregstr.com
jengland@gobrangus.com, 210.696.8231 Senior Software Developer Subscription Rates: complimentary Marcel Vieira - mvieira@goregstr.com
Software Developer Information appearing in this issue may Raul Ramos - rramos@goregstr.com be reprinted only with written permission Office Manager and Registry Assistant Mandie Sadovsky - msadovsky@gobrangus.com of Brangus Publications, Inc.
Advertising Sales MelanieLivestock Fuller - mfuller@gobrangus.com Publications Council 979-255-3343
(LPC) Member Brangus Journal Publications, Inc. Editor Lighthouse & Co. Communications editor@gobrangus.com
o
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FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER A News Source for Commercial Beef Producers
:: Executive Vice President :: Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. :: dwilkes@gobrangus.com :: Director of Field Services & Strategic Projects :: Kyle Caldwell :: kcaldwell@gobrangus.com :: Director of Media & Marketing | Editor :: Jessie England :: jengland@gobrangus.com :: Director of Shows & Youth Activities :: Lori Edwards :: ledwards@gobrangus.com :: Director of Genomics & Research :: Macee Prause :: mprause@gobrangus.com IBBA BOARD OF DIRECTORS :: Director of Registry Services :: President Rob Singleton, Florida Callie DeLarm :: cdelarm@gobrangus.com :: Member Services :: 1st Vice President Shiloh Hall, Oklahoma Mandie Sadovsky :: msadovsky@gobrangus.com 2nd Vice President Grady Green, Arkansas :: Controller :: Secretary/Treasurer Jeremy Jackson, Arkansas Brian Sadovsky :: bsadovsky@gobrangus.com :: Product Manager :: EAST REGION Andrew Sicotte Jr. :: :: Trey Cuevas :: treycuevas3@yahoo.com 8870 U.S. Highway 87E,::San Antonio, Texas 78263 • P.O.::Box 809, Adkins, Texas 78101 Software Developer Purvis, Mississippi 210-696-8231 • Fax 210-696-8718 • info@gobrangus.com • gobrangus.com Raul Ramos :: :: Grady Green :: grady@dragginmranch.com BOARD OF DIRECTORS INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS IBBA STAFF El Dorado,IBBA Arkansas President Jeremy Jackson, Gentry, Arkansas Executive Vice President AUXILIARY BOARD :: Jeremy Jackson :: jjackson101@gmail.com 1st Vice President Rob Singleton, Florida President Brenda Brull, Atchison, Kansas Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., 2nd Vice President Shiloh Hall, Oklahoma dwilkes@gobrangus.com 1st Vice President Tina Gardner, China Purvis, Mississippi Secretary/Treasurer Allen Goode, Texas Spring, Texas Controller BRANGUS PUBLICATIONS, :: Rob Singleton :: singletons2002@yahoo.com 2nd Vice President GingerINC. Pritchard,STAFF Brian Sadovsky, bsadovsky@gobrangus.com East Region McLoud, Oklahoma Director of Registry:: Editor in Chief :: Seville, Florida Trey Cuevas, Purvis, Mississippi Secretary Mary Beth Farris, Tuscola, Texas Jessie England, jengland@gobrangus.com treycuevas3@yahoo.com Jessie England :: editor@gobrangus.com Registry and Records Assistant Treasurer Janet Greuel, Brooks, Georgia Historian Jodi Jackson, Waco, Texas Callie DeLarm, cdelarm@gobrangus.com TEXAS REGION Grady Green, El Dorado, Arkansas :: Advertising Sales :: Social Media Coordinator Jennifer Walker, Director of Genomics and Research grady@dragginmranch.com :: Mary Douglass :: twoheartsbrangus@yahoo.com Kyle Caldwell :: kcaldwell@gobrangus.com Ben Lomond, Arkansas Macee Prause, mprause@gobrangus.com Seguin, TexasJeremy Jackson, Gentry, Arkansas Director of Shows & Youth Activities jjackson101@gmail.com Edwards, ledwards@gobrangus.com INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS :: Allen Goode :: allen@triocattle.com Lori Member Services IBBA COMMITTEE FOUNDATIONCHAIRMEN BOARD Rob Singleton, Seville, Florida Mabank, Texas Mandie Sadovsky, President Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas singletons2002@yahoo.com :: Awards :: msadovsky@gobrangus.com Secretary/Treasurer Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D. :: Andrew Scamardo :: scamardobrangus@gmail.com Texas Region Product Manager Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas Oklahoma Bryan, TexasMary Douglass, Seguin, Texas Andrew Sicotte Jr., asicotte@goregstr.com Chris Heptinstall, Marianna, Florida twoheartsbrangus@yahoo.com Senior Software Developer Tracy Holbert, :: Breed Improvement :: College Station, Texas :: Gary Adamek :: gary@fayettecountryhomes.com Marcel Vieira, mvieira@goregstr.com TraciBen Middleton, Puryear, Tennessee Josh Walker, Ph.D., Lomond, Arkansas Goode, Mabank, Texas Schulenburg,Allen Texas Software Developer Cindy Blazek, Leona, Texas allen@triocattle.com Raul Ramos, rramos@goregstr.com David Wood, Magnolia, Mississippi :: Commercial Marketing :: Cornelison, Flat Rock, Alabama Andrew Scamardo, Bryan, Texas Cody Glenn,WestNicPoint, Mississippi WEST REGION BRANGUS PUBLICATIONS, INC. STAFF scamardobrangus@gmail.com Advertising Sales, Melanie Fuller INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR BRANGUS BOARD :: Shiloh Hall :: shiloh518@yahoo.com :: Finance :: Gary Adamek, Schulenburg, Texas 2021-2022 IJBBA Board of Directors mfuller@gobrangus.com, 979-255-3343 Okmulgee, Oklahoma gary@fayettecountryhomes.com President April Villarreal, Brookshire, Texas Jeremy Jackson, Arkansas Brangus Journal Publications, Inc. Editor Gentry, Ex-Officio Jacob Jones, Stillwater, Jessie England | editor@gobrangus.com West Region :: Greg Romans :: romansbrangus@yahoo.com :: International :: Oklahoma Vale, OregonShiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma Queen Payge Dupre,Texas Florida Garrett Thomas, Waxahachie, IBBA COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN shiloh518@yahoo.com Director Briana Hicks, Danbury, Texas Awards Shiloh Hall, Okmulgee, Oklahoma DVM :: wbydvm@hotmail.com :: Warren Young, Director Jaxon Allen, Haworth, Oklahoma Long Range Planning :: Greg Romans, Vale, Oregon Breed Improvement::Randy Schmidt, Director Samuel Belt, Gatesville, Texas Blanchard, Oklahoma romansbrangus@yahoo.com M.D., Texarkana,Joe TexasFuller, WillowDirector City,Tyler Texas Towns, Bryan, Texas Commercial Marketing Cody Glenn, Director Jayden Pinkston, Shefner, Florida Vern Suhn, Eureka, Kansas West Point, Mississippi :: Membership &Director Education :: Lufkin, Texas Kaily Warren, AT-LARGEvern@geneplusbrangus.com Finance Allen Goode, Mabank, Texas Belinda Lavender, Melrose, New Mexico International Garrett Thomas, At-Large :: Randy Schmidt, M.D. :: doctorrand@me.com Waxahachie, Texas Randy Schmidt, M.D., Texarkana, Texas :: Promotions :: Texarkana, Texas Long Range Plan Joe Fuller, doctorrand@me.com Grady Green, El Dorado, Arkansas Willow City, Texas photo by :: Josh Walker, Ph.D. :: josh@redbudfarms.net Brangus Cover Josh Walker, Ph.D., Ben Lomond, Kelsey Gibson, Membership Marty::Lavender, Ben Lomond,Arkansas Show :: Arkansas | josh@redbudfarms.net Town Creek Melrose, New Mexico Allen Goode, Inside photos by Promotion Lisa Neal, Morganza, LousianaMabank, Texas Sarah Tisdel, Show Gina Gill, Beckville, Texas MEMBER OF Triangle K Ranch, :: IJBBA IJBBA Advisory, Brandon Belt, Advisory :: Kelsey Gibson, Gatesville, Texas Brandon Belt, Gatesville, Texas Town Creek and
CONTACTS
MAY 2022
@gobrangus | #gobrangus
, Texas
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S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
4
May 2022
Matt Roppolo
IN EVERY ISSUE
Spring ‘24 8................................................ PRESIDENT’S LETTER 12.............................................. EXECUTIVE CORNER 18............................................... CATTLEFAX TRENDS 46............................................. SERVICE DIRECTORY 46 - 51.......................................... STATE DIRECTORY 52.............................................................. CALENDAR 54................................................................ AD INDEX
FEATURED
27
Update From The Field
IBBA Director of Field Services and Strategic Projects, Kyle Caldwell, talks
about his latest travels and adventures while out and about with our Brangus breeders and industry professionals!
31
Sustainably Successful
Join Mr. John Willis at Columbia Livestock Market, a hub of Florida’s cattle industry. With over 60 years of expertise, John’s innovative Brangus bull sale has not only improved local cattle quality but also established a lasting legacy of success in the heart of the community.
When Dreams Come True
37
Tommy and Susan Brandenberger are living their childhood dreams on their
Texas Hill Country ranch, attributing their thriving cattle operation’s success to Brangus genetics and meticulous preconditioning programs.
44
75 Years Brangus Celebration
Celebrate 75 years of Brangus history by following the “75 Years Brangus
Celebration” Facebook page. Join the reminiscing with photos and
historical insights from 1949-2024, and don’t miss the celebration!
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S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
SPRING 2024
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VOLUME 16
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ISSUE 1
BEEF PRODUCER S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
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Resilience and Fond Farewells by Rob Singleton, International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) President
As I pen this months letter, many parts of Brangus country are being dealt another blow from mother nature. Some of us are extremely wet and cold, while others are freezing with snow on the ground. While most of us are not in a very pleasant mood, never fear, the sun will shine, the grass will green up, the cows will be fat, and all will be well again. The redeeming factor in it all is that our Brangus cattle thrive in all conditions and environments. This is just one of the stories we as Brangus breeders need to tell. We continue to see a strong market both in the commercial and seedstock sectors. It is very important that, no matter if we are in a downturn in the market, or an upswing, that we keep our Brangus cattle at the top of the curve. How do we do that? By continuing to produce and offer cattle to the industry that are profitable. We do that by keeping our Brangus cattle functional by keeping them reproductively efficient, structurally sound, with adequate growth and mothering ability, and excellent end product value. All of those things can be accelerated by embracing the technology we have available. Genomics and parentage verification are the two big ones. Genomically enhanced EPD’s accelerate our progress exponentially while keeping our cattle more accountable for the producers who purchase them.
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S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
I would encourage commercial producers to utilize artificial insemination (AI) in your herds. While most commercial breeders can’t afford to pay $50,000 for a bull, you can certainly justify the cost of semen on that same bull. Visit the IBBA website, www.gobrangus. com, and search for bulls that compliment and improve your herd. Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) are available on all registered Brangus bulls. I would also encourage commercial producers to study the ads in this edition of Frontline. If you have questions or comments about Brangus cattle contact the breeders who placed these ads. There are decades of experience and knowledge represented in this magazine. I am confident that you will agree, today’s Brangus cattle are industry leaders! Lastly, I couldn’t close this letter without mentioning the loss of not only a great Brangus breeder, but one of the most wonderful human beings I have ever had the privilege of calling a friend. Mr. John Milam was a friend to all who knew him and he will be greatly missed. My prayers continue to be with the Milam family, Grady, and all the crew at Draggin M Ranch. Rest in peace, sir.
Best regards,
Rob
| EXECUTIVE CORNER |
The Bull Sale Barometer by Darrell Wilkes, Ph.D., International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) executive vice president
According to some folks who have been deeply involved in the Brangus breed for a long time, the bull sales in the Fall of 2023 were the strongest, from top to bottom, that they’d ever seen. I attended a good number of them and watched several on the internet and, although I cannot draw from 20 years of personal experience with Brangus bull sales, I know a good bull sale when I see one – and every one that I witnessed was darn good. Not only was every sale a good one, but there were more sales with more bulls and they sold for higher prices. You don’t need a degree in economics to recognize strong demand when you see it. This magazine, Frontline Beef Producer, is produced twice per year in place of the Brangus Journal. The mailing list includes IBBA members and also includes commercial bull customers. So, it is appropriate in this essay to thank the thousands of commercial cattlemen and cattlewomen who have placed your trust in Brangus and the incredible army of Brangus breeders who work around the clock to produce the kind of bulls that you snapped up during the fall sale campaign. Even though a bull sale begins with lot 1 and runs non-stop until the last bull, there are usually two sales within a sale. The first sale is the offering of bulls that show all the signs of being one of the next breed leaders. They put all the pieces together – strong numbers, great 12
S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
phenotype and proven pedigree. By the time a sale arrives, such bulls have been studied from head to toe by other serious seedstock breeders – starting weeks or even months
There were more sales with more bulls and they sold for higher
prices. You don’t need a degree in economics to recognize strong demand when you see it.
before the sale. And when the auctioneer slams the gavel on a final bid of $50 or $75 or $100 thousand, some people may be surprised, but a good number of astute breeders aren’t surprised at all. They might be disappointed that they didn’t bring enough money to the sale, but they aren’t surprised that their fellow breeders “found” the good one.
Cold Creek Ranch would like to
wish everyone a Happy New Year! We hope that 2023 was a blessed and prosperous year for everyone in the cattle industry like it was for us. We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who trusted in our genetics: all the folks at CDP and Craig Green, Cavender Ranches, C Gold Creek Brangus, Fenco Farms, Lake Majestik Farms, Strickland Sod Farms and Vanna Farms. At Cold Creek we are looking forward to 2024 with new donors in our program and we are proud to introduce the following:
RBR Lady Identity J250
This Angus donor (20288533) is the newest edition to our Lady 1912 program and is the future of our 1912 family. She goes back to the legendary RB Lady Standard which is the highest revenue producing cow in the Angus breed to date.
CCR Ms Never Surrender 209G
This UltraBlack donor (10447808) is a phenotypical powerhouse and hails from the famous TTRX6010 donor cow and 209L11 bloodline.
Look for our genetics at all upcoming 2024 sales! Thanks again to everyone who has helped and believed in us along the way, and we look forward to seeing everyone this year.
EB Ms Cash Flow 795K54
This young UltraBlack (10518180) was recently purchased at the CDP Sale; she is phenotypically beautiful and very well rounded genotypically. We are excited to have her and look forward to a bright future with her going forward.
Cold Creek Ranch
Angus, Brangus, UltraBlack Cattle Tom, Betty & Sean Davis Sean: 404.406.1428 1698 Crossroad School Road, Butler, GA
Private Treaty We invite you to visit our ranch anytime.
| EXECUTIVE CORNER | Depending on the sale, as many as 10% of the bulls may end up well into five figures and will end up in the hands of fellow seedstock producers. After that, the “other” bull sale begins and it is the one I look at to assess the true strength of the Brangus breed in the marketplace. This is where commercial breeders, investing dollars earned by selling calves by the pound, give their vote of confidence in the breed and in the breeders putting on the sale. This is my bull sale barometer. Other people call it the “bread and butter” or the “meat and potatoes”. It means the same thing. When you boil it all down, strong commercial bull demand is really the only thing that matters over the long haul. The sales I witnessed remained strong through the final pen, with several instances of the last bull in the ring beating the sale average. When this happens, I give credit to the seedsock producer for knowing where to draw the line. Every seedstock breeder raises more bulls than they put in their sale. Knowing where to draw the line on bull quality is
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part of a good breeder maintaining a stellar reputation. It’s much better to sell a decent steer than a poor bull. Because I hope that many of our commercial bull customers are reading this, I will let you in on some of the talk that goes on behind your back at a bull sale. I’ve heard it for years. I’ve observed it myself, and it rings true. Seedstock guys will gather up after a sale and start talking about that bull in pen 15 that they debated moving up in the sale order. He was in a pen that averaged $5,000 but he sold for $9,500 and he was only 10 bulls from the end of the sale. After a few minutes razzing the guy who settled on the final sale order, someone will state the obvious: “It doesn’t matter. These guys will find the good ones no matter where you order them in the sale, and they’ll sort the lesser bulls the same way”. In this case “these guys” are you, the commercial customer. You should know that your Brangus bull supplier deeply respects your savvy.
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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.co www.TownCreekFarm.com
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Measuring Performance in the Cow-Calf Sector by Matthew McQuagge The transition to a new year creates the perfect opportunity for cattle producers to reflect on the previous year’s performance, while also planning for the coming year. The complexity and uniqueness of the livestock industry creates many opportunities for ranchers who take a business approach in their decision-making process. For many, this means pulling out last year’s Redbooks and organizing records in a way by which they can be analyzed. The adage “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” highlights the importance of sound record-keeping for informed decisionmaking. However, the reality of the livestock industry is that the number of potential records available for assessment far exceeds management time that can be allocated to such practices. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and focus on the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are critical to an operation’s success and sustainability. These KPIs typically fall into two general categories, production or financial. A list of common production records captured is shown here. The foremost data point to collect, inventory, can also be the most challenging. Inventories can include bred females, cow and calf pairs, replacement females, stocker calves, and bulls. This number serves as the base for numerous calculations, and fluctuates 18
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CATTLEFAX TRENDS
throughout the year, therefore it is important to capture this data point at each major event. Having an accurate headcount allows operators to break down costs on a per-head basis and compare costs across multiple calendar years. The number of cows exposed is a critical measure to record as it serves as the denominator for pregnancy percentage, calving percentage, and weaning rate. Pounds weaned per exposed female, an indicator of efficiency, combines multiple factors such as growth from nutrition with successes from reproduction and genetic improvement. For most producers, this KPI serves as the base against which the final paycheck is written. Caution must be made against focusing solely on this indicator as it does not account for the cost to get those pounds. Furthermore, rainfall plays a significant role in this measure
forcing producers to track it for multiple years to get a clear understanding of how they perform. Another, less commonly tracked production measure, is calf birthdate and cow age. These variables are particularly
33rd Annual
Roswell Brangus Bull & Female Sale and
Southwest Ranch Horse Sale Saturday February 24, 2024
Females sell at 11am — Bulls sell at 1pm—Horses sell immediately after the bulls
Roswell Livestock Auction 900 N. Garden St. Roswell, NM
Online Bidding Now Available!! www.xitwesternproductions.com 45 Registered Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls 200 + Bred and Open Commercial Females 10 Super Select Ranch Horses “ H e Sells”
Southwest Ranch Horse Offering www.xithorsesales.com Contact: Kade Wooton (575)-914-1283
For a sale catalog or more information please contact:
Bill Morrison at 575-760-7263 Accommodations
Hampton Inn & Suites - 575-623-5151 3607 N. Main Roswell, NM 88201 Mention the Roswell Brangus Sale for special rates!!
Floyd Brangus
Lack-Morrison Brangus
Parker Brangus
Townsend Brangus
Brown Brothers Ranch
| CATTLEFAX TRENDS | useful for operations that retain and develop their own replacement females. The belief that reproductive efficiency is the most economically relevant trait for cow-calf operations shines here as studies have shown that replacement heifers who produce their first calf early in the calving period have increased future pregnancy rates compared to heifers that calve later. In addition to weaning heavier calves, this allows early calving heifers to remain in the herd longer and produce more calves, thereby spreading out her depreciation cost. Having a strong set of production records supports producers’ ability to calculate financial-based KPIs. While multiple approaches exist for financial recordkeeping,
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managerial accounting is recommended for internal use in this. Though, at a time of the year when taxes are on the mind, it is important to differentiate managerial accounting from tax accounting. Managerial accounting allows for the allocation of overhead expenses to individual enterprises while making accrual adjustments based on production years. It includes non-cash expenses such as raised livestock depreciation and unpaid labor and management. The complexity of cow-calf operations make it difficult to identify costs that are tied directly to the cowherd therefore, it is recommend to organize expenses and revenues into different categories. The first step in this process is to separate the operation into different enterprises, or profit centers, and consider each independently. Aside from the cowherd, this includes enterprises that primarily generate revenue such as stocker yearlings, natural resources, and hunting. Next comes cost centers which serve to support the different enterprises but do not typically generate much revenue. These can include grazing management/ leases, replacement heifer development, and hay production. The final category is fixed costs, or overheads, that support the entire operation. Labor and management costs, both paid and unpaid, are included in this category along with depreciation expenses and general costs. Managerial accounting emphasizes the calculation of depreciation expenses for raised livestock with the costs to raise females to the point at which they wean their first calf serving as the purchase value. From here, support center expenses can be transferred to the different profit and cost centers using a standardized approach. An example here could be splitting labor costs based on a percentage of time over the year that employees spent working on different enterprises. Likewise, cost center expenses are transferred to the different profit centers, again following a standard approach for that operation. For instance, splitting grazing expenses between livestock classes based on AUM. Or tracking the cost of production value for
| CATTLEFAX TRENDS | raised hay to properly allocate between enterprises based upon the amount fed. Both examples tie back to the importance of maintaining accurate inventories that was discussed earlier. Finally, expenses and revenues can be transferred between profit centers as appropriate. This could include retained females being “sold” from the cow-calf enterprise to the replacement heifer enterprise at time of weaning for the cost to raise her. The ultimate goal of this process is to allow each profit center to stand on its own for comparison to identify which parts of the operation are most profitable and which areas are losing money. As many approaches exist for this analysis, it is important to maintain consistent methodology across time to measure performance and track trends. From here, owners or managers can make informed decisions for improvement based upon their individual goals. As we highlighted a few production oriented KPIs above, the most important financial indicator to look at is cost per cwt. of weaned calf. This is calculated by dividing net expenses from the cowherd, after allocating cost and support center expenses, by the total pounds of calves weaned. Unit cost of production combines productivity with the expenses to get there and is where operations can measure how effectively they manage their individual resource base. This measure serves as the breakeven value to which the price received for calves is compared against to determine enterprise profitability. There are substantially more Key Performance Indicators to measure and compare against beyond what we have written about here. It is important to view multiple KPIs when making business decisions, as emphasis on a single variable can cause unforeseen harm in other areas. While profitability in the cow-calf sector is expected to improve in the next couple of years, having the ability to collect and 22
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analyze data to make better decisions will aid producers in capturing value through the changing cattle cycle. Understanding where an operation excels from an efficiency standpoint, and where there is room for improvement, can pay huge dividends. To help identify which measurements are necessary to improve your operation, and how to use them, CattleFax provides an online breakeven calculator for cow-calf producers. Visit www.cattlefax.com/ccbe/ to analyze your business. CattleFax also collects regional and national benchmarking data by conducting an annual producer survey. More information about how to participate and receive the results can be found by visiting the About page at CattleFax.com.
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| UPDATE FROM THE FIELD |
UPDATE
from the Field
by Kyle Caldwell, International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) Director of Field Services & Strategic Projects Springtime is always one of my favorite times of year (even though it feels like winter has just begun with the blistering cold weather we have had lately). Cows walking in belly-deep coastal with newborn calves at side provide a new sense of optimism for the year ahead. By the time you are reading this, we will only be in February and some Brangus sales have already kicked off. I returned just a few days ago from the second annual Red-Land Cattle sale at Woodland Ag in Bagwell, TX. Dr. Josh Walker of Redbud Farms Red Brangus and John Purviance of Woodland Ag combined forces for the second time to bring another high-quality offering of red bulls and females geared towards performance for the commercial cattleman. In John’s own words, “We have Red Brangus for the Brangus buyers, Red Angus for the Angus buyers, and if you want a little of both, we’ve got UltraReds!” As I am writing this I have just returned from the
celebration of life of the beloved and well-respected Brangus breeder, Mr. John Milam of the Draggin’ M Ranch. While I knew John for a relatively short time compared to others in the Brangus business, I knew him to be a kind, funny, and overwhelmingly generous individual. He will be greatly missed by all. Coming up in February, I am making plans to attend the NCBA Convention in Orlando, FL, the All Breeds Sale in conjunction with the San Antonio Livestock Expo, the Wiley Ranch Spring Sale in Effie, LA and the 33rd Annual Roswell Brangus Bull and Female Sale, and finishing up February with the IBBA International Show at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. Spring sales bring new opportunities to advance your herd forward. Be sure and check out all the sales listed on the calendar at the back of the magazine. Whether you are looking for blacks or reds from Florida to New Mexico, we’ve got you covered! Give your herd a leg up and Go Brangus.
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CDP BRANGUS MOURNS THE LOSS OF OUR PARTNER AND FOUNDER, JOHN MILAM. WE’RE COMMITTED TO CARRYING HIS LEGACY FORWARD. John was a tireless advocate of the Brangus breed. He was very proud of the accomplishments of his cowherd and the impact they are making. Some of his recent favorite cattle-related accomplishments were hosting the first CDP Brangus sale at the ranch after the completion of his own sale facility; being the President of CDP Brangus, being named the 2020 IBBA Top Embryo Transfer Breeder; and having the high selling Brangus bull for the fall 2023 sale season. In a 2020 Brangus Journal article, John was quoted as saying, “The future of the DMR operation can be summarized modestly: continue to improve every day.” John loved the Brangus breed, and he loved the friendships he forged with so many cattlemen and women. He was a friend to so many and enjoyed partnering with fellow Brangus breeders over the years. He was always quick to encourage fellow breeders and was known for enthusiastically purchasing cattle from up-and-coming ranchers to make sure that they felt valued and encouraged in their endeavors. He believed that growth in the breed was good for everyone, and he was excited to encourage Brangus breeders across the country. He loved ranch life. He loved to ride through cows. He loved to work cows every chance he could, and his preferred spot was always horseback and bringing cattle up behind the chutes. As an accomplished engineer, he was always reworking the pens and chutes at the various ranches. There is a precious serenity in knowing that one of his last great engineering feats was to complete the sale pens at Draggin’ M Ranch – he combined his love for level dirt and cattle pens, in an eternal way.
CDP BRANGUS
C O N S I S T E N T •DATA-D R I V E N
PERFORMANCE
870-444-1543 www.cdpbrangus.com Next Sale: March 22-23, 2024 @CDP Brangus
CDP BRANGUS
C O N S I S T E N T •DATA-D R I V E N
PERFORMANCE
WE ARE ON A MISSION TO PRODUCE CONSISTENT, DATA-DRIVEN, PERFORMANCE CATTLE
FOR YOU.
MARCH 22-23 SPRING PRODUCTION SALE
150 BRANGUS & ULTRABLACK BULLS
CRAIG GREEN
870-834-1976 Craig@cdpbrangus.com
100 REGISTERED & 300 COMMERCIAL FEMALES
GRADY GREEN
870-314-3673 Grady@dragginmranch.com
SUSTAINABLY SUCCESSFUL
A Paradigm Shift for the Local Cattleman
by Kyle Caldwell, International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) Director of Field Services & Strategic Projects Every Monday afternoon at 1 o’clock at Columbia Livestock Market in Lake City, FL, it is a safe bet you will find Mr. John Willis mingling with order buyers and local cattlemen alike. John and his family have owned and operated Columbia Livestock since 1967. In visiting John during one of my last trips to Florida, it was easy to see how much pride John takes in being involved with and giving back to his community. The foyer of the sale barn is adorned with countless photos of champion steers, hogs, and other livestock projects purchased from the local county fair. John’s love of community extends beyond the youth of Columbia County, though. He has made a positive impact on the north Florida cattle industry, causing a paradigm shift with his local cattleman, as well as the order buyers at his sales every week. In John’s nearly 60 years working at Columbia Livestock, and as a past Livestock Marketing Association president, it is safe to say John knows how to market cattle
effectively. As LMA president, John traveled all over the country and had the chance to see how different types and kinds of cattle were sold and marketed. During these travels it became apparent that John’s sale barn customers were getting heavily discounted at auction time for a variety of reasons. Many of his customers were bringing in small groups of bawling calves, unvaccinated, intact males of all weights, shapes and sizes originating from inferior genetics, with some being discounted as much as $0.80 per pound. John knew that if he could improve the quality of his weekly cattle offering that buyers would be less likely to discount calves coming through the ring, the local cattlemen would take home a bigger paycheck, and the reputation of his livestock market would grow; easy to say, harder to accomplish. When he was first coming up with a plan to reach these goals, John decided to start at the top and work down. He determined that order buyers ultimately need one thing: mitigated risk.
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He knew that bringing in larger lots of vaccinated, weaned calves that stay healthy from high performance genetics that fit the Florida environment was the way to go. With an end goal in mind, John set out on a producer education campaign informing his customers of the value of tighter calving seasons to make larger, more uniform groups, and of the premiums paid for vaccinated and weaned calves. However, there was still something missing. The calves coming to auction were more uniform and healthier, but the quality of animals still needed to be improved. John then decided that the easiest and quickest way to inject better genetics into his market would
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S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
be to hold an invitational registered bull sale; and the breed to feature was an easy decision: Brangus. Fast forward a couple of decades and the Lake City Invitational Bull Sale just finished its 24th year this past January. Of the fifty-two bulls present, thirty were Brangus and 17 were Ultrablack, averaging $5,079 per head. Since introducing the invitational sale, John reports that his typical sale barn client’s calves have dramatically increased in quality and have brought higher prices at the auction block. He credits the high performance and hybrid vigor Brangus and Ultrablack genetics for creating calves built for the harsh climates of Florida while adding carcass quality, growth, and unmatched maternal excellence. John’s story is one that many can learn from. By listening to the players down the line he was able to improve the quality of his local cattle being offered for sale and give buyers more of the kind of lower risk cattle they wanted. He also has opened new opportunities for IBBA members like Chuck and Norma Sword of CharNo Farm and Roger and Janet Greuel of Greuel Family Brangus to market bulls well suited to the north Florida environment. John is a pillar in the Lake City community and the north Florida cattle industry. By incorporating practices and genetics he knew would work well in his environment, John created countless opportunities for those in his immediate community and neighboring states to better their cattle operations. John had the vision and the drive over 20 years ago to start something special. He had to inject better genetics into the herds of his local cattlemen and when he was deciding on what breeds to incorporate into his first sale, he called on the beef industry’s Swiss army knife: Brangus. Needless to say, his decision has paid off in spades. If you are going through Lake City in early January, stop in at Columbia Livestock and check out the sale and see what sustained success with Brangus looks like.
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When Dreams Come True
The Story of Tommy & Susan Brandenberger and 96 Cattle Company
by Lindsay L Allen Tommy and Susan Brandenberger couldn’t ask for more. The two are making a living off the cattle they raise and enjoying the views from their Texas Hill Country location, and credit much of that success to the Brangus genetics and the preconditioning programs they use for their commercial backgrounding operation. Like all good stories with a happy ending, it didn’t happen overnight, but the two, who both grew up in the agricultural industry, are “living out their childhood dreams,” Tommy shared. If you rewind this story and start near the beginning, you will find that Tommy spent his early career years managing ranches in different parts of Texas. The last ranch he managed dispersed and left him looking for a job, which is how he got involved in the fertilizer and wholesale grain business. During this season of life, he and Susan began leasing (and eventually buying) land to run their cattle on, and thus began 96 Cattle Company, located in Hallettsville, Texas. “My great, great grandfather came here from Germany and used the number nine as his brand. One of his sons took the number and added to it and made his brand 99; my side of the family, however, took a different spin on the brand and flipped the nine to make 96 our family brand,” Tommy explained.
Their operation has worked its way up from their initial beginnings and runs up to 350 mother cows with around 25 Brangus sires. But it didn’t start out with Brangus genetics and 96 Cattle Company didn’t start seeing the results
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they truly wanted until the Brangus sires were used, combined with preconditioning their truck loads of calves. Now, their cowherd is all black-hided and predominantly Brangus and Angus crosses with about a quarter of Brahman breeding. The ranch uses mostly Brangus bulls, from various breeders, with some Angus, and every move is predicated on adding value to their calves. The herd is moderate in size, weighing 1,100-1,200 lbs., yet are deep-sided and feminine. When selecting bulls, his first priority is to add those that will improve the herd. He analyzes all the data, but concentrates on weaning and yearling weight, maternal milk and calving ease as his top criteria. He also visually appraises them for muscle, phenotype and structure. “I originally used Charolais bulls on Brangus female, but this left me continuing to buy my replacement females and so I made a change and started using Brangus bulls and raising my own replacement females,” he recalls, “The femininity and reproductive efficiency of these Brangus influenced cattle is top tier. I’m now three and fourth generations into these Brangus sired cattle and I’m in love with the breed. They are the total package and we plan to 38
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continue to run Brangus on Brangus on Brangus for more generations and have a crossbred calf that excels! The Brangus breed has produced a product that seems to meet the industry needs on both the male and female side of things and as a result, we can continue to sell good black-hided cattle that continue to grow and meet industry standard.” He continued, “I enjoy growing and developing young cattle. Brangus has allowed us to continue our beef cattle operation and raise our own females in a productive manner. We really began seeing results when we started raising the daughters and granddaughters out of the first generation of Brangus-sired replacement females. The disposition is just absolutely super on these cattle and I honestly believe it helps us sell our commercial females, because I have heard from my buyers that they are easier to handle.” The other puzzle piece of their successful operation has been preconditioning of their calves. The five to six loads of calves marketed out of 96 Cattle Company’s pasture every year are preconditioned and usually weaned around 725-750 lbs. The first calf crop are generally weaned in June and preconditioned for 60-90 days based on the buyer’s requirements and shipped in September and October and
they also wean calves at the end of September and ship that calf crop the first of December. They are certified and marketed as all natural, which means they have been given no antibiotics, no hormones and have not been fed any animal by-products. If a calf becomes sick and antibiotics are needed, it is given a different ear tag and not marketed with the others. “We have also done our part to go through various quality assurance and sourcing trainings to ensure we are operating in the best way possible. We see the value that preconditioning has added to our calves and the benefits we get to reap after sale day from it and it’s just made all the difference in the world in our operation,” Tommy stated. Tommy and Susan used to market their cattle with the help of a broker, but now sell them online and they are always trying to improve and perfect their offerings. “I view our cows as our employees and as the employer, I understand I need to provide a good working environment. Our employees need to be productive and efficient,” he emphasized. And so, their story goes, two people with a rich agricultural background, continuing on their family’s legacy and thankful for every day they get to wake up and see their Brangus-influenced herd.
Gentle Ranch Raised RanGe Ready ReGisteRed BRanGus & chaRolais Bulls
RAMRO LLC / RJ CATTLE CO CUERO, TX 713-204-4903 713-253-4804
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spring sale
March 23
McAlester, Oklahoma Brangus & Ultrablack Bulls Hand-Selected, Elite Brangus & Ultrablack Females
Catalog Requests and More Information: Shiloh Hall | 918-798-1337
social media @oklahomabrangusassociation
MCALESTER STOCKYARDS, 12 NOON
BRANGUS
OKLAHOMA BRANGUS association
n o i t a r b e l e C s u g n a r B s r a e Y 5
FOLLOW THE
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FACEBOOK PAGE
Have you followed our Facebook page 75 Years Brangus Celebration? 2024 is our 75th anniversary and we’re reminiscing with lots of photos and historical information on this social media format. Stay up to date, go down memory road, and relive the past 75 years of Brangus history by following the Facebook page created for this milestone. This page is devoted to featuring events, people and cattle that have played a role, large or small in the breed’s history from 1949-2024. Please like the page and follow along. We invite you to post photos on your personal/ranch pages and tag the 75 Years Brangus Celebration page, as well as share this page. Also, if you have photos from any of the last 75 years please send to hollidacompany@gmail or jodibjackson1990@gmail.com. Please include any information you might know about the photo such as year, event and who is pictured. Remember the 75 Years Brangus Celebration is set for August 9-11 in Fort Worth, Texas. Come Visit Us at http://bit.ly/470NwxL
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HURLA FARMS FEEDLOT FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED IN PAXICO, KANSAS
CUSTOM FEEDING BRANGUS GENETICS SINCE 1985 Vincent Hurla
Roy Hurla
Michael Hurla
Chad Hurla
Justin Hurla
CONTACT US (785) 207-2360 S P R I N G 2 0 2 4michael@hurlafarms.com F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R 45
STATE DIRECTORY
SERVICE DIRECTORY ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA
| SERVICE DIRECTORY |
SERVICE DIRECTORY
JOHN MILAM, OWNER Grady Green, Ranch Manager 870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com El Dorado, Arkansas www.dragginm.com 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder
Contact the IBBA today! International Brangus® Breeders Association 8870 US Highway 87 E, San Antonio, TX 78263 P.O. Box 809, Adkins, TX 78101 info@gobrangus.com O: 210.696.8231 | F: 210.696.8718
Brangus & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES
For advertising opportunities in the
available private treaty and select sales
SPANISH RANCH
For advertising opportunities in the Brangus Journal or Brangus Journal or Frontline Beef Frontline Beef Producer, contact Kyle Caldwell at Producer, contact Melanie Fuller at 979-255-3343 or 214-794-3625 or kcaldwell@gobrangus.com
Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle
Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 • doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
Clay Cooper, Manager
mfuller@gobrangus.com.
352.302.2734
ALABAMA — ARIZONA — ARKANSAS ALABAMA - ARIZONA
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 PM
FIND A BREEDER NEAR US AT G OorB979.255.3343 R A N G U for S .advertising CO M / Bspaces R E E D E R -S E A R C H Contact Melanie YOU Fuller at VISIT mfuller@gobrangus.com 50
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May 2022FIND 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
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STATE DIRECTORY | STATE DIRECTORY |
ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA
ARKANSAS - CALIFORNIA - FLORIDA
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 & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES available private treaty and select sales
Clay Cooper, Manager
SPANISH RANCH
352.302.2734
Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle
Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 • doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
Brangus & Ultrablacks Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls and Females Available Now at the Ranch Private Treaty VISIT US ONLINE www.spanishranch.net Follow Us on Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
SPANISH RANCH Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle Pamela & AJ Doiron l 805-245-0434 Cell doiron@spanishranch.net l www.spanishranch.net
THD ©
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 PM
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 51 47
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STATE DIRECTORY
| STATE DIRECTORY |
ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA
FLORIDA - GEORGIA - LOUISIANA - MISSISSIPPI
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 & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES available private treaty and select sales
Clay Cooper, Manager
SPANISH RANCH
352.302.2734
Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle
Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 • doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 Sky Herdon, Co-Owner 912.245.0428 Kevin Asbury, Manager 850.252.7290
David Wood
Herndon Businesss Card ad.indd 1
Magnolia, MS 713-539-5715
7/15/21 1:57 PM
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 48
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STATE DIRECTORY | STATE DIRECTORY |
ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA
MISSISSIPPI - MISSOURI - TEXAS
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 & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES available private treaty and select sales
Clay Cooper, Manager
SPANISH RANCH
352.302.2734
Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle
Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 • doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
Sales: 2 Saturday in March 3rd Tuesday in March 4th Saturday in April 4th Weekend in October 3rd Weekend in November nd
Joe Cavender, Owner Justin Matejka, General Manager | 903-521-1070 Mark Cowan, Marketing & Customer Service | 903-810-2413 1200 CR 4716 • Troup, TX 75789 | CavenderRanches.com Certified Free Herd # D80550202
L.G. Herdon, Jr Owner 912.293.1316 Sky Herdon, Co-Owner 912.245.0428 Kevin Asbury, Manager 850.252.7290
Drake Land & Cattle
398 Drake Road Herndon Businesss Card ad.indd 1 Quanah, Texas 79252
GREAT BRANGUS BULLS - PRIVATE TREATY Joe and Melanie Fuller - Ben and Trish Fuller
Cell: (832) 331-2527 Ranch: (940) 663-6143 drakeranch398@gmail.com www.drakeranch.com
14148 N State Highway 16, Willow City, TX 78675 C. 979-255-7747 E. jw.fuller@yahoo.com
7/15/21 1:57 PM
est. 1924 Quanah, Texas
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 S P R I N G 2 0 2 4 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R5149
STATE DIRECTORY
| SERVICE DIRECTORY |
ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA
TEXAS
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 & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES available private treaty and select sales
JODI & DAVID JACKSON
SPANISH RANCH
Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle
Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 • doiron@spanishranch.net Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
3099 Horseshoe Bend Waco, Texas 76708 Clay Cooper, Manager Jodi cell: 254.722.9138 352.302.2734 jodiatbentwood@sbcglobal.net BULLS FOR SALE
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 PM
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 50
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STATE DIRECTORY | STATE DIRECTORY |
RANCH
ARKANSAS — CALIFORNIA — FLORIDA — GEORGIA — KANSAS — LOUISIANA
TEXAS
Registered Brahman, Charolais and Brangus JOHN MILAM, OWNER
Grady Green, Ranch Manager
870-314-3673 | grady@dragginmranch.com Raul Montez El Dorado, Arkansas www.dragginm.com 832-331-6800 2020 IBBA Top ET Breeder jraulmontez@ymail.com 39606 FM 1736 Hempstead, TX 77445
Schmidt Farms BRANGUS & ULTRABLACK
RIORANCHTX.COM
TUNA ROSA RANCH
Brangus & Ultrablacks BULLS & FEMALES available private treaty and select sales
BRANGUS & RED BRANGUS 830-857-4943
Clay Cooper, Manager
SPANISH RANCH
352.302.2734
Brangus and Ultrablack Cattle
Pamela Doiron 805-245-0434 • doiron@spanishranch.net
Owner - Jimmy Elliott Manager - Kurt Trammell ktrammell@tunarosaranch.com 90 CR 465 West Gonzales, Texas 78629
www.tunarosaranch.com
Follow Us on Facebook or Instagram @spanishranchcuyama
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 For advertising opportunities in the Brangus Journal or Frontline Beef Producer, contact Kyle Caldwell at 214-794-3625 or kcaldwell@gobrangus.com
7/15/21 1:57 PM
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 S P R I N G 2 0 2 4 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R5151
| CALENDAR OF EVENTS |
CALENDAR
FEBRUARY 6-8
THE FLORIDA STATE FAIR OPEN BRANGUS SHOW
16
WILEY RANCH FEMALE SALE
17
WILEY RANCH BULL SALE
24
32ND ANNUAL ROSWELL BRANGUS SALE
24
HUNT’S H+ BRANGUS BULL AND FEMALE SALE
27-28 INTERNATIONAL SHOW HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO
MARCH INTERNATIONAL SHOW HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO
1-3
MP BRANGUS FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS ONLINE SALE
1 2
GKB STALL SOCIAL- HLSR
9
CAVENDER RANCHES ANNUAL SPRING BULL SALE
15
MOUND CREEK RANCH’S ANNUAL BULL AND FEMALE SALE TEXAS ALLIANCE SALE
19
CDP @ DRAGGIN’ M SALE
22-23 23
RED ALLIANCE SALE
26
GENEPLUS SPRING SALE @ CHIMNEY ROCK
13
THE BRANCH RANCH INAUGURAL FEMALE SALE
20
OAK CREEK FARMS FORAGE DEVELOPED BULL & HEIFER SALE
APRIL
Check out the Complete IBBA Calendar!
MAY PHILLIPS RANCH ANNUAL PRODUCTION SALE
4
BEEF AUSTRALIA
5-11
JUNE 24-30 THE NATIONAL JUNIOR BRANGUS SHOW & BRANGUS FUTURITY
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S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
Submit Your Event Today! Visit wwwgobrangus.com/events-and-shows
ADVERTISING INDEX
ALABAMA American Cattle Enterprise..........................................................IFC,46 Lake Majestik.....................................................................................46 Quail Valley Farms.......................................................................IFC,46 TTT Brangus Farm...............................................................................46
NEBRASKA DVAuction...................................................................................... IFC,9
ARIZONA Carter Brangus...................................................................................46
OKLAHOMA Lawman Ranch..................................................................................49 Oklahoma Brangus Association.........................................................41
ARKANSAS Big D Ranch.......................................................................................47 CDP Brangus............................................................................... 28,29 Chimney Rock Cattle Co. ................................................................3,47 Draggin’ M Ranch..............................................................................47 Mobley, Luke.....................................................................................46 Pope Farms Brangus..........................................................................47 Sewell Cattle Co., Inc.................................................................... 39,47 CALIFORNIA Spanish Ranch...................................................................................47 FLORIDA Fenco Farms.......................................................................................47 Phillips Ranch.................................................................................9,47 Wynne Ranch....................................................................................48 GEORGIA Cold Creek Ranch..............................................................................13 Greuel Family Brangus......................................................................48 L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms.....................................................................48 KANSAS Hurla Farms Feedlot..........................................................................45 LOUISIANA Cross N Farms....................................................................................48 Midsouth Cattle Company.................................................................48 The Branch Ranch........................................................................ 16,48 Wiley Ranch.................................................................................IFC,48 MISSISSIPPI Double W Ranch ...............................................................................48 Pine Belt Alliance...............................................................................49 T3 Brangus.........................................................................................49 Town Creek Farm...............................................................................17
NEW MEXICO Roswell Bull Sale ..............................................................................19
TEXAS Briggs Ranches..................................................................................15 Cattle Solutions.................................................................10,11,42,43 Cavender Ranches ................................................. 10,11,15,42,43,49 Cox Excalibur Brangus.......................................................................49 Cross F Cattle.....................................................................................49 Drake Land and Cattle.......................................................................49 Elgin Breeding Services, LLC ........................................................26,46 Farris Ranching Company .................................................................20 Genesis Ranch ..................................................................................50 Genetic Edge ....................................................................................30 GKB Cattle ....................................................................................21,50 Harris Riverbend Farms.....................................................................15 Hi Point Sales + Marketing .............................................. 9,23,30, IBC Ideal Video Productions ....................................................................30 Hicks Ranch.......................................................................................50 Jackson Family Brangus....................................................................50 K&L Brangus......................................................................................50 KTS Cattle..........................................................................................IBC Lambert, Doak...................................................................................46 Mound Creek Ranch..........................................................33,34,35,50 MP Brangus..................................................................................50,53 Oak Creek Farms................................................................................BC Oakley, Lakin.....................................................................................46 Rafter 2 Ranch...................................................................................50 Ramro LLC/RJ Cattle Co......................................................................40 Red Alliance .....................................................................................IBC Rio Ranch...........................................................................................51 Schmidt Farms...................................................................................51 Sendero Brangus..............................................................................IBC Tajo Ranch.................................................................................. 51,IBC Tuna Rosa..........................................................................................51 Villa Ranch..................................................................................51, IBC West Texas Brangus Breeders Assn....................................................32 Wild M Brangus.................................................................................51
MISSOURI GENEPLUS................................................................................ 3,24,25 Valley View Ranch..............................................................................49 Wyman Creek Cattle Company..........................................................49 ABOUT THE FRONTLINE BEEF PRDUCER 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 5,000. The Frontline Beef Producer (ISSN 0006-9132) is published by Brangus Publications, Inc. (BPI), 8870 US Highway 87 East, San Antonio, Texas 78263, semi-annually in February 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 Frontline Beef Producer is an official publication of the International Brangus® Breeders Association (IBBA). The purpose of the Frontline Beef Producer is to serve the best interest of IBBA members by showcasing breeding programs, efforts, and achievements to other Brangus® seedstock producers and industry partners. Lastly, the Frontline Beef Producer 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.
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S P R I N G 2024 F R O N T L I N E B E E F P R O D U C E R
THE ONLY THING FREE IN THE CATTLE BUSINESS IS HETEROSIS AND WE ARE GOOD AT IT! Brangus was created 75 years ago to blend two desirable breeds to create a new one. Unlike breeding value or EPD, Heterosis is not passed from generation to generation in a crossbreeding program without a loss in its level unless a stable breeding program is established (as has been done in Brangus and at OCF). Heterosis has the greatest effect on traits most affected by environment...adaptability, longevity, fertility, maternal ability, resistance to parasites and diseases, etc. OCF is widely known for their True Brangus and increased Heterosis allowing their genetics to perform better in most environments. Long-time customers and repeat buyers tell the real story at OCF. OCF Herd Sire
TRUE BRANGUS AT ITS BEST • DATA RESULTS IN!
Recent Harvest Data on 63 OCF Brangus steers and heifers: 92% Graded Choice or Higher • 18 Head Qualified for CAB 3.37 Avg. Daily Gain • $1.10 Cost of Gain • 6.2 Feed Conversion 63% Carcass Yield • 2.8 Avg. Yield Grade