FBP Jan/Feb 2011 by International Brangus Breeders Association

A NEWS SOURCE FOR COMMERCIAL BEEF PRODUCERS

JANUARY•FEBRUARY 2011

VOLUME 3

ISSUE 1

FRONTLINE beef producer

Carcass Merit & Genetic Improvement

2011

GLOBAL BRANGUS

RoundUp

Bring your Breeding Program to the WORLD! Because the global demand for IBBA genetics is significant and growing, IBBA has put together a unique marketing opportunity for any IBBA member interested in ‘Going Global’. The 2011 Global Brangus Roundup will take place on Sunday, March 6 and will cap off the IBBA Annual Convention and International Brangus Show activities for the year. This one-day event will include a Texas-style meal with entertainment, industry vendors, the IBBA Breeder Showcase Presentation and an excellent oppurtunity to visit with fellow cattlemen from around the world. We are expecting over 200 Brangus breeders and cattlemen from across the globe. These breeders have interests in semen, embryos, and live cattle from both red and black programs. The IBBA Breeder Showcase is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to expose your breeding program and genetics to the global Brangus community. Participation is open to any IBBA member. There are multiple involvement options, but pen space is limited and will be issued on a first come, first served basis. A current health certificate will be required on all cattle being exhibited. Contact Grant Keenen at the IBBA office for further details, (210) 696-8231 or grant@int-brangus.org

Breeder Showcase Displays

$350 for the first Breeder Showcase Display $200 per additional Breeder Showcase Display

Bull Showcase Options Herd Sire Diplay

One bull over 30 months of age

Herd Sire Prospect Display

One bull 18-30 months of age

Bull Calf Display

One or Two bulls less than 18 months

Female Showcase Options Brood Cow Display

One cow over 30 months of age

Cow-Calf Pair Display

One pair, calf less than 7 months of age

Heifer Display

One or Two heifers less than 24 months

Breeder Showcase Display Includes:

• Full Page Ad & Pedigree Info for all Cattle in Program Book *design assistance not included • 2 Promotional Items inserted in Attendee Bags • 2 Event & Meal Tickets • One Designated Animal through Presentation Ring • 2-3 Minute Presentation * emceed in English and Spanish *The above is maximum per breeder, regardless the number of pens*

Vendor Sponsor Package $750 per Vendor Booth Space

***Package may be shared by multiple vendors, but benefits will not increase!***

Vendor Sponsor Package Includes: • Full Page Ad in Program Book *design assistance not included • Display Booth Space *approx. 10’x10’ w/ table • 2-3 Minute Presentation *emceed in English and Spanish • 2 Promotional Items inserted in Attendee Bags • 2 Event & Meal Tickets

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Visit us at: www.southerncattlecompany.com FRONTLINE Beef Producer 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

9 Carcass Merit Value or Wholesale Boxed Beef Pricing by Marcine Moldenhauer

12 Maintenance Plan - Proper late gestation nutrition gets results by Clifford Mitchell

FRONTLINE Beef Producer Commerical Marketing Programs

Grant Keenen

Marketing Programs Director

Ben Spitzer

Administration/Circulation

Frances Miller

DEPARTMENTS

5 Out Front

EPDs are Designed to Strip Out Environmental Influences and Express Genetic Differences by Dr. Joseph Massey

Contributing Editors

Dr. Mark Enns Dr. Joseph Massey Clifford Mitchell Marcine Moldenhauer Advertising

Melanie Fuller 979.828.5300

6 The Bottom Line Happy New Year by Grant Keenen

8 Genetic Strategies

Improving Marbling and Tenderness through Selection by Mark Enns, PhD

Copy Editor

Elma Ryan Proofreader

Jim Bulger Operations

Rosanne Sralla Patti Teeler

FRONTLINE Beef Producer is a product of:

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

LPC Livestock Publications Council - Member

On the Cover: 11 NEWS & NOTEWORTHY 22 STATE DIRECTORY 26 SERVICES 27 ADVERTISER INDEX 27 CALENDER OF EVENTS

2 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

How to use available genetic selection tools to achieve the end goal...... superior carcass quality.

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FRONTLINE Beef Producer 3

4 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

OUT FRONT | by Dr. Joseph Massey

EPDs are Designed to Strip Out Environmental Influences and Express Genetic Differences

here is still much misunderstanding of how EPDs function and are calculated. Some Breeders do not use EPDs because they believe that EPDs are only used under supplemental feeding conditions and do not apply to producers that raise their cattle on grasses. This is far from the truth since EPDs are designed to compare animals that are raised in the same pasture, feeding program, same age (+/- 45 days) and in a group consisting of at least two animals. EPDs compare the difference of each animal to the mean of the group that produced their contemporary group. If, for example, a group of 20 bull calves sired by a single bull were all placed into a 50-acre pasture in South Florida and managed from weaning to yearlings that group would produce a mean yearling weight for the group and each of the 20 bull calves would each be +/- pounds from the mean of that group. The idea being that if all management and environment influences are the same for each animal in the group, the difference of each of those animals should be attributed to the genetic influence. Let’s take another group of 20 bull calves sired by the same single sire as the first group, the calves were put into a pasture in Kansas and they were each supplemented with 10 pounds of a high protein feed per day from weaning to yearling. The group may produce a mean yearling weight that is higher than the group in Florida but again, the EPD process would look at the performance of each animal to the mean of the group and since the environment and management were different than the first group the only difference should be the genetic potential of the sire. One would expect that the yearling EPD of the sire should express the same from one group to the next. So a +25 pound EPD sire at yearling should be the same in the Florida group or the Kansas group. Therefore, when we compare two sires, one would expect that if sire A has a +20 pound yearling EPD and sire B has a +30 pound EPD that calves sired by sire B would produce calves that on average weigh 10 pounds more than calves

sired by sire A. That would be true in a Florida group or a Kansas group. It would not matter if the groups are raised only on grasses. We have a hard time letting go the actual weight and we always seem to want to compare two individuals by their actual weight even if they were produced in ABOUT THE AUTHOR different ranches. Dr. Massey has served as I know this concept seems to be a little difficult Executive Vice President to explain but we need to keep discussing until we of the IBBA since 2004. In understand the principle. Breeders come up to 2007, he started Genetic me all the time telling me that EPDs are wrong Performance Solutions, LLC, because their calves weigh more than so and so’s a breed registry services calves and their EPDs are not as high. While you and performance analysis may be a better manager you may not be select- company serving the ing genetics as well as your fellow breeder. I know cattle and breed association it’s hard to believe because our own operation is industry— a joint venture always better than any other but understanding between the IBBA and the EPDs will continue to become more important as Red Angus Association our input cost of production continues to increase. of America. GPS manages Understanding not only EPDs but understanding online registry programs for breed associations and the which EPD sires are right for your operation is data base management of taking on more significance every day and what performance data like multiis right for you may not be right for your fellow breed EPDs. breeder. Understanding EPDs is a constant challenge for all of us and we need to continue to develop the skill set required to better utilize EPDs in our own operations.

Accepting q uality Brangus & B rangus cross femal e consignmen ts. Call for more info .

Marana Livestock Auction Marana, Arizona (20 minutes west of Tucson on I-10) Saturday, February 12, 2011 10:00 AM Early Viewing Friday Afternoon, February 11th This sale is sponsored by the Southwest Brangus Breeders Association and offers the best in the west Brangus genetics from consignors in California, Arizona and New Mexico. For more information please contact any member of the sale committee: Bart Carter (AZ) 928-348-8918 or 928-348-4030; RL Robbs (AZ) 520-384-3654: Jon Ford (NM) 575-799-7546; Diane or Larry Parker (AZ) 520-403-1967; Bill Morrison (NM) 575-760-7263 or 575-482-3254 or Alex Dees (AZ) 928-920-3800. FRONTLINE Beef Producer 5

THE BOTTOM LINE | by Grant Keenen

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6 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

Happy New Year

appy New Year fellow cattlemen and women! Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and that 2011 is a prosperous year for us all.

This past year appeared to go by at a rapid pace. Seems like only a few days ago I was writing an article for the 2010 version of this issue. With that said, lets reflect on that article, the past year and take time to evaluate where we are as an industry and where we are going.

Let’s assume, for calculation purposes, no death loss to the calf crop and the 6% of the calves remaining all being heifers. This would still not even come close to replacing the 11% of the cow herd that has been sold off for the last 3 consecutive years.

In that article I noted that beef and all meat demand was down considerably moving into to 2010 (largely due to the poor economy), but that I was optimistic of domestic beef demand stabilization and expectations of increased foreign demand. So, what happened in 2010 in terms of demand and supply? More importantly, where does the beef industry go in 2011?

When the cut back finally subsides, it will take quite some time before the herd actually increases. This will be a key factor to beef production for the next few years.

Domestic demand indeed stabilized and actually increased very slightly. An ever increasing demand for ground beef really supported high prices for cull cows and bulls this past year and I look for that to continue in 2011. Foreign trade was exceptionally good all year long. Our dollar has remained weak compared to other currency, which lead to the expected increase of meat exports. The weak dollar has aided the U.S. to remain a net exporter of meat protein. In fact, our foreign demand rose so much the past 12 months that U.S. beef exports improved to levels the cattle industry has seen only once post December 2003, when the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in this country.

Supply is more than one-dimensional. It is more than just the total number of producing cows or the number of head being harvested. Yes, cattle inventories are at an all-time low, but the total pounds of beef production have not suffered. In fact, compared to 1990, production is about 15% higher with one million less cows. This of course, is due to improvement in efficiency and productivity and heavier carcasses at slaughter. However, I believe we have reached a plateau of sorts in terms of creating “extra” beef with the number of cattle available. When a person studies carcass weights, feeder placements, currentness in the yards, days on feed, etc., I truly believe the industry has reached the height of retail production. The offset of increased carcass weights thus far for a declining inventory will no longer be available going forward.

Taking all factors into consideration such as the consumer’s overall desire for beef, increasing population, foreign insistence for a safe high quality product and the ever tightening fed cattle supply would indicate strong demand for beef again in 2011. I can safely say that we are moving into a period of never before seen cattle prices. As we analyze supply, total cow inventory is the first thing that comes to mind. In 2010, the cow herd continued to shrink both domestically and abroad. Cow slaughter represented about 11% of total kill for the third year in a row. The production factory is still downsizing and that trend is very likely to remain through this next year. Placements in the feed yard and out to slaughter represented about 94% of the total calf crop in 2010. This number is at the highest level over the last 20 years at about 6% higher than average.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Grant Keenen is the Director of Commercial Marketing Programs for the IBBA. For any questions or inquiries regarding IBBA Commercial Programs, such as OptimaxX and Brangus Gold, Grant can be reached by phone at 210.696.8231 or by email at grant@int-brangus.org.

The beef cow herd will have to be rebuilt to some level. It is absolutely impossible to maintain our current beef production without putting females back into calf production. How many cows going back into production is that? To be honest, I’m not sure. I don’t think anybody is. However, I am certain that we will never see the record herd size of 35.2 million that we saw in 1996. Prices are at a point that there will be some incentive for farmers and ranchers to expand and even attract new cowcalf producers. The key to expansion happening is that slaughter and beef production will have to decrease for at least a 2-3 year period. Therefore, when this begins and there is even a smaller supply of cattle being fed and less retail product reaching the consumer, I would suggest higher beef and cattle prices beyond the current record levels. Continued on page 14

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GENETIC STRATEGIES | by Mark Enns, PhD

Improving Marbling & Tenderness through Selection

ver the past 20 years, the beef industry has placed considerable emphasis on genetic improvement of marbling with that focus widespread across most breeds in the United States. The overarching goal has been to improve the palatability of our product with the near-term goal of producers to capture monetary premiums associated with cattle that have higher levels of marbling. USDA data shows there has been a marked upward trend in the percentage of carcasses grading choice over the last two years. Together with industry changes in nutritional programs and the grading process, selection for improved marbling has contributed to the national trend in carcass quality. What role has selection played? To make genetic improvement in any trait the first requirement is to have underlying genetic variability for that trait, or put another way the trait must have a heritability greater than zero. Marbling score typically has a heritability in the range of .4

to .5 —meaning of the differences observed in carcass marbling score, approximately 40 to 50 percent of those are due to underlying genetic differences. This is a quite high value compared to the beef production traits we typically try to improve. To put this value in perspective, it is higher than the heritability of weaning and yearling weight! With appropriate selection there is considerable opportunity to improve carcass marbling score—something we have done and continue to do. We have also improved our accuracy of selection for marbling. Traditionally, collecting carcass data was problematic and relatively expensive, so ultrasound techniques to measure carcass traits were developed. The goal of using ultrasound is to ultimately select superior breeding animals for carcass genetics. The development of that technology showed that percentage intramuscular fat in breeding animals had a strong genetic correlation with the marbling score in their harvested progeny. Typically these estimates were near .7 and while not a perfect relationship, one that was strong enough to help improve the accuracy of selecting animals with superior carcass genetics and this too resulted in genetic progress in marbling.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Enns’ research focuses on methods to genetically evaluate and select animals that fit their production environment both biologically and economically. These efforts include development of new methods for evaluating and improving cow and heifer fertility, cow maintenance requirements, time to finish in the feedlot; and development of methods to better use economic information in selection decisions for increased profitability of beef production.

Whether this improvement in marbling has resulted in a more tender product for the consumer is questionable. First, tenderness expressed as shear force shows considerable genetic control with up to 40% of the differences attributed to genetics. But reports show that taste panel evaluation of tenderness may not be under as much genetic control with reports ranging from nearly zero to more moderate values of heritability. Likely these differences are due to differences between participants chosen for taste panels. With the additional “noise” from human evaluators in taste panels, academia has focused on shear force, a more objective measure of tenderness. In general there seems to be a weak but favorable relationship between marbling and shear force. So selection for marbling likely has indirectly improved the tenderness of our product. As an aside, there also appears to be a strong genetic relationship between marbling score and taste panel juiciness—hopefully leading to higher consumer acceptance rates. So perhaps in the end, our cattle breeders’ focus on improving marbling has resulted in a more tender and juicy product for our ultimate customers— the consumer. Regardless, the improvement in marbling score has enabled many to reap the economic benefits of quality through the premiums offered for that product. If your operation gains economically from better grading cattle and the calves still have room for improvement, marbling score is economically relevant to your selection program (as are other traits directly influencing your profitability). Recent history and research shows, marbling score can be improved through appropriate use of EPD for marbling or percent intramuscular fat.

8 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

FEATURE | by Marcine Moldenhauer

Carcass Merit Value or Wholesale Boxed Beef Pricing

uring my years in the cattle and meat business, I have heard many producers, and a whole host of others talk about the need for producers to get paid closer to the retail price, or in other words, shrink the production to retail price gap. This idea alone is not a bad one at all, however producers who have had experience with this pricing mechanism will be quick to point out that it is not without extreme and many times unknown volatile risk along with coordinated production challenges. Since this is the carcass merit and genetic improvement issue of FRONTLNE, I decided to take on the topic of how the carcass merit value (prices paid to a producer/cattle feeder via grid, live, or dressed) might change if there was a carcass cutout value optimization mechanism (prices the packer is paid by a customer). I am not going to cover specific prices, or price levels, rather the complexity to do so, the challenges to get there, and a few advantages and disadvantages for the market place (producers, cattle feeders, and packers) to consider. In this article carcass merit will refer to USDA Quality Grade, USDA Yield Grade, and Carcass weight along with specific branded beef program carcass requirements. Also, for this article I will define carcass cutout optimization as the decision process of disassembling a carcass into primals and subprimals which will return the most value for those corresponding cuts. Keeping in mind these differences are bone-in, bone less, trim spec differences to name a few. It is important to note up front, that because of the extreme volatility and risk, the unknown, and many times the uncontrollable changes make the boxed beef cutout pricing mechanism elusive and almost too much risk for most producers. With that said, the packers are burdened with significant risk as well, most significantly the requirement by GIPSA-Packers and Stockyards Administration that packers must make sure that producers understand and have access to ALL of the factors which go into pricing their cattle. As you can imagine, the combination of these risks and requirements makes both producers and packer extremely uncomfortable even approaching this pricing concept. Additionally, the lack of understanding along with the inherent unknowns of the massive risks, complexity and the on the fly detailed decisions required to run a processing plant, are much of what has created some of the unrest and distrust at the producer level today. This is unfortunate, since as with any business, it is illogical to think the packer doesn’t try to squeeze very bit of value from the raw product supply they get each and every time. Each of these dynamic decisions is in part an effort to extract maximum value from each carcass through these complexities. These insights of the packers complexity is not meant to diminish in any way the risk and challenges producers face in their business. Rather, to look at the challenges of pricing cattle on a carcass cutout basis. Additionally, what this pricing concept might entail for producers and packers alike in the future. Unfortunately, it’s the very unknown to most which grips each segment into maintaining some form of status quo. It is also not having access to the vast amount of information required to feed the multi dimensional decision making at the packer level in this process.

It should be no surprise that the process of carcass optimization starts well before cattle are ever shipped from the feed yard to the processing plant. The scope of the decisions on how to optimize each carcass sort starts with the list to the right. These factors are in no particular order of priority since it is dynamic and continually changing. The difference between profit and loss many times hangs in the balancing as to how these changing multi dynamics are managed. What does this mean? The ability to manage adjustments to production schedules due to uncontrollable production factors, projections versus actual (cattle not grading high enough to made required orders), carcass weight changes (too heavy or too light), new orders being placed with new delivery dates, special orders, export orders, and then the cost to make these switchovers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Marcine Moldenhauer, Owner and President of Meat≈Link Management, a Livestock and Meat Business Consulting Firm; Contact Information: Wichita, Kansas 67230, Office 316-7338506, marcine_moffice@att. net

The challenge for both the packers and the producers who have engaged in the boxed beef cutout marketing agreement in the past is trust. This marketing mechanism more than any other demands that each party trust that the other is doing all they can to maximize value, knowing that optimizing is the best possible outcome. Additionally, is the burden of proof at the packer level which means sharing very confidential production, pricing, and operational information – the core of the packers business is not something that any business would openly share.

In addition to these complexities, there are multiple decisions and challenges within each of the factors listed below which must be considered as well. 1. Diverse Customer orders * (volume, price, profitability, type of cattle required to meet orders, etc) 2. Pricing changes (by sub-primal, cattle market changes, etc) 3. Inventory challenges (too much of that product or too little) 4. Estimated Cattle types: QG, YG, Carcass Weights, branded beef target supply 5. Retail Feature Volumes 6. Branded Beef sorts 7. Production schedules /hours (holidays, short weeks, etc) 8. Profitability of any one cut or overall for the plant 9. Shipping / Delivery schedules 10. Available trucks for boxed beef deliveries Continued on page 11 FRONTLINE Beef Producer 9

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NEWS&NOTEWORTHY CATTLE & BEEF MARKET SIGNALS ‘QUITE OBVIOUS’ STILLWATER, Okla. – Cattle and beef markets across the board have jumped sharply in the past several weeks and both Live Cattle and Feeder Cattle futures prices suggest that the industry is in for an extended period of largely unprecedented cattle prices.

limited beef inventories that the tradeoff was quite so dramatic.

If allowed to work freely, markets will provide whatever signals are needed to take care of any market situation. Right now, the signals are quite obvious: Calf prices will continue to rise until there is sufficient incentive to increase cow-calf production.

“Despite very high prices, especially for calves, the value of additional weight gain continues to be very strong, encouraging more weight gain outside of feedlots,” Peel said. “This stocker value of gain only occurs at heavy feeder weights as there is a steep rollback in prices for feeders up to 600 pounds.”

“The predicament now is that current feeder values are high and going higher, which makes it difficult to retain heifers, and yet we have to push calf prices overall high enough to make the value of future production enough to encourage heifer retention,” said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension livestock marketing specialist. Peel added that this process is typical of every cattle cycle. However, never before have there been such

Another prevailing signal is the need to reduce use of expensive feed grains, leading to the need to encourage forage-based weight gains.

The final incentive is that enhanced cow-calf values and enhanced stocker values make forage worth more. This has implications on the general value of forage for both rangeland and improved pasture areas, and provides for specific regional concerns as well. “Enhanced pasture value suggests increased forage production,” Peel said. “However, most of the disContinued on page 14

Continued from page 9.

For many producers, mandatory price reporting was going to be the end all / save all to the price transparency dilemma. I would argue it did just the opposite in some instances….but let’s save that debate for another article. If the concept of producers getting closer to the retail dollar is ever going to grow in scale, the first step is to understand and respect on a business level what happens at the packer or wholesale segment. There must be a higher level of trust and sharing without the threat of undo injury or breach of confidential information to that segment. Moreover, the packers must be confident enough in their own systems to withstand litigation, calculations can be performed accurately, timely, and in a manner which producers will understand. Currently, the packer makes decisions based on their specific situation, business rules and other inputs with one goal in mind, to make money and fill customer orders. If decisions and calculations are being made with the threat of litigation from regulation, the best decisions probably won’t be made, and the cost of doing so diminishes the original purpose...producers and packers sharing the value created together. Today, I think there is an opportunity for some to use a carcass optimization calculator which might move them to the next level, at least for a comparative analysis standpoint. The carcass optimization calculator or boxed beef calculator (which ever you prefer to call it, will not be for most cattle feeders. It certainly should be well thought out as to the purpose or motive behind how

the analysis should be used to improve the system and squeeze more value out of the system for both segments involved. This pricing or analysis concept uses USDA reported boxed beef price. Even though USDA reports a Heavy and Light Choice and Select cutout prices and then a Premium Choice (branded beef ) category on a daily basis, for this tool to be useful, a producer must know how the cattle perform on the rail. Currently this information can be used to calculate back to what fed live cattle price range might be….however it is time consuming and confusing for most. I believe that up to now, producers did not have access to a reliable, well developed, commercialized tool which has multi dimensional calculation capabilities. Let alone a system which can be somewhat customized to specific situation and data available. I believe this new technology should be used as analysis tool first to gain understanding of risk, differences from current marketing options, and learn how the wholesale market changes regardless of how cattle perform. Lastly, the best advice I have for anyone who is thinking a boxed beef calculator pricing option is where you want to go. Be judicious in your participation, manage your expectations, and expect the unexpected! If you are interested in learning more about this technology, contact Marcine Moldenhauer at MEAT≈LINK Management, LLC. FRONTLINE Beef Producer 11

FEATURE | by Clifford Mitchell

Maintenance Plan Proper late gestation nutrition gets results

ulti-tasking has been linked to job performance and, of recent times, valued as one of the intangibles workers exhibit. The ability to perform a variety of tasks makes that employee a vital member of the team. Cattlemen, by nature, have known this phenomenon as part of the daily grind for a long time. Unfortunately, most are often stretched a little too thin and have to reevaluate what is important.

Multi-tasking has been linked to job performance and, of recent times, valued as one of the intangibles workers exhibit. The ability to perform a variety of tasks makes that employee a vital member of the team. Cattlemen, by nature, have known this phenomenon as part of the daily grind for a long time. Unfortunately, most are often stretched a little too thin and have to re-evaluate what is important. Cow/calf operators are required to manage cattle in different stages of production. At different times, producers may even have to micromanage groups within the different classes to make sure desired results are achieved from a nutritional standpoint. “There is an increase in fetal growth during late gestation. Energy and protein requirements increase at this time,” says Dr. Jane Parish, Extension Beef cattle Specialist, Mississippi State University. “Producers need to stay on top of the cow herd and keep them in the right condition. A lot can go wrong in the last trimester,” says Dr. Justin Rhinehart, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, University of Tennessee. “Pregnant cows have to maintain weight during the last trimester. You don’t want them overly fat though. It’s tough, but you have to walk the line and treat cattle how they respond to management,” says Steve Densmore, Circle X Land and Cattle Ltd., Bryan, Texas. Most producers miss a valuable evaluation period for dry cows at weaning. Keep/cull decisions have been made, however; the potential earning power of the weaned calf often puts dry cows (non-lactating) on the back burner. Proper management of dry cows begins at weaning. “Be observant. If a cow catches your eye that she might be too thin, sort her off and give her an opportunity to bounce back,” Densmore says. “You’d like that dry cow to maintain a body condition score (BCS) of 5+ to 6. If you have some 4s group those cattle together. Those cattle will come back with better pasture and a little supplement.” “Evaluate BCS at weaning and have a plan to maintain that BCS throughout her pregnancy,” Rhinehart says. “If you have the ability to have different feed groups, it makes it a lot easier to maintain dry cows efficiently.” “You have to take care of that cow after weaning,” Parish says. “Evaluate her when she is in the pen. If she is border line BCS, supplement those poorer conditioned cattle.” Feed groups not only match cattle with the same needs, but also help producers make the best use of available feed resources. Physiological differences in some animals must be accounted for to maintain constant BCS. “You want to try to maintain those cows at BCS 5 or a little better during pregnancy. All her nutritional requirements are going up during the last tri-

12 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

mester so it’s very hard to play catch up,” Parish says. “Unfortunately, within some herds there are some cattle with different mature weights, so it takes some cows a lot more nutrition to change one BCS. Feed groups could be beneficial in some scenarios, if a producer has the resources.” “Group cows together that need a little extra feed. If you see cattle on the verge of getting too thin move them to a different group so she can get what she needs,” Densmore says. ABOUT THE AUTHOR “Cattle that are too thin, have to be put back in Clifford Mitchell is a second proper condition so they’ll breed back. Group generation cattleman who cattle that are like in kind and BCS, save your currently owns and operates best grass for these cows. There are a variety of Elkhorn Creek, a freelance factors that cause cows to get too thin when she communications business in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Upon has a calf on her.” Feed costs are always hounding producers. graduation from Oklahoma Changes in supply, speculators and other factors State University he began a career in communications, can have an impact on price from week to week. starting as a field reporter. Home grown feed resources, such as pasture and Mitchell currently writes hay, should be evaluated to create a balanced for a wide range of beef nutritional program to maintain cattle. publications. “In the Southeast, a lot of the forages we have available aren’t lacking in protein. Usually, producers need to supplement cows with some high energy feed to maintain BCS,” Rhinehart says. “Co-product, commodity or by product feeds are available that will help keep costs down. Producers need to plan ahead and buy early.” “I don’t think you have to spend a lot of money to maintain cows. Keeping a constant BCS for dry cows is sometimes challenging, but it is a lot easier to do this than have them go up and down like a yo-yo,” Densmore says. “Yes it costs a little to maintain these cows at a BCS 5+ to 6, but you’ll spend two or three times more money if they get too thin and start calving.” “Supplementation is really important during times of poor forage quality and poor hay quality. In our area, we have had periods of dry weather which has impacted forage quality and hay availability. Make a plan to get the most out of the hay crop,” Parish says. “Economically, producers need to watch what they feed. Make sure you are getting quality protein and energy sources from that feed. Sometimes the least cost pellet doesn’t get the job done. Soybean hulls or corn gluten can be great alternatives. Investigate feed prices and make some plans.” Due to feed costs and traditional production practices, it is almost sac riligious for some producers to give extra nutrition to dry cows. Feed costs give producers an easy out, but costs could double or triple down the line. Opportunity costs could also begin to pile up due to lost income from open cows or dead calves. “In late gestation, all of her nutritional requirements are going up. If cows aren’t in good condition, she’s going to lose weight no matter what supplement you feed. She’s behind and can’t catch up at this point. A cow reaches peak lactation in 60 days, about the same time you are asking her to rebreed,” Parish says. “Newborn calves have a 24 hour period to get good quality colostrum and nutrition plays a big role in this. Thin cows could have increased calving difficulty, poor calf vigor and increased death loss due to poor quality colostrum.” “It is cheaper to feed that cow in the last trimester, even if you have to buy extra feed, than if you get behind when she calves because that gets

extremely expensive. A cow limited on nutrition at the end of gestation may sacrifice performance in a lot of areas,” Rhinehart says. “If she is on a declining plane of nutrition toward the end of gestation that calf is not going to be very healthy. Poor colostrum quality and low calf vigor are direct results of poor nutrition.” “It is a lot easier to try and move these cows a little at a time when they are dry than feed her up after she calves. Get those cows that need help to better pasture and supplement them a little extra,” Densmore says. “Once she calves, everything she eats is geared toward milk production, not maintenance. She’s won’t breed back because she’s not physically repaired. It takes a lot of time and money to get her back in shape. If she’s too thin she’ll have a weaker than normal calf in all likelihood. You want that calf to hit the ground with some bounce in his step. ” Ill affects may also come to producers who make life too easy on those later gestation females. Although like Sasquatch sightings, it’s very rare. “You can have those cows too fat and cause a few calving problems if you take too good care of them during the last trimester,” Densmore says. “It’s a fine line, but it costs a lot more money if they get too thin.” “There is a point if cattle are too fat, it will interfere with calving and affect reproduction,” Rhinehart says. “It would take a lot of money and extra nutrition to get cows that excessively fat.” “Cattle have to be so obese to have adverse affects. It’s not really a likely scenario for most producers,” Parish says. “A little thin and it will have a big impact. Colostrum quality and calf vigor suffer, plus you end up pulling more calves.” Putting out mineral and making sure cows are at the adequate level of consumption is status quo for most producers. Again, traditional production practices or the fact the neighbor does it could be the main reasons producers put it out. Matching minerals with the season and forage type is pretty important to the overall nutrition program. It is just another step in the process that will benefit expecting mommas. “Producers need to think about a mineral that will match the forages ahead of time. This is a good management practice,” Parish says. “Sometimes these cows will need high magnesium mineral for a period of time to avoid grass tetany, in late gestation or not long after they calve.” “A good mineral program is extremely important to the health of that fetus. During the last trimester proper mineral could help passed immunity. It will also shorten the post partum recovery period,” Rhinehart says. “It is important for producers to change components of that mineral program to match the seasons. In our area, high magnesium mineral is very important in the spring of the year.” “A balanced mineral program is very important. You have to change your mineral according to season and make sure you can meet their requirements in an economic manner,” Densmore says. “There are people available that will consult with you to develop a mineral program that you can live with financially. Proper mineral supplementation will help in the long run.”

Weather and available forage supply often play a role in properly conditioning late gestation females. Cold or muddy conditions can sometimes rob these cows of vital nutrients and slim down that BCS to an undesirable level. “You have to keep cattle moving forward during tougher times. Cattle that are late gestation or right on calving have to eat more during cold, damp weather to replenish their body and stay warm,” Densmore says. “You have to be practical, but I’ll watch the weather and maybe put out a little more feed for those cows if a bad stretch is coming. I am just trying to stack things in their favor. Cows usually are ready for it and do not waste the extra feed when weather conditions change.” “During periods of cold weather cattle need more energy to stay warm. When we add some moisture, we need to increase energy requirements that much more,” Parish says. “A lot of our genetics are geared toward heat tolerance. At least we can provide them with the right nutrition when it gets cold.” “I am always concerned when producers are maintaining those cattle right at a BCS of 5,” Rhinehart says. “If the weather breaks hard and they back up just a little, they’ll fall out of that desirable category and it costs money to bring them back.” Properly maintained dry cows are another crown jewel of the cattle empire. Keeping a close eye on its subjects, like the emperors of old, could bring riches in the form of healthy calves and a sound bottom line. Quality control is where multitasking comes in for the cow/calf operator. Making sure each class of livestock is properly cared for is the big picture and sometimes requires many irons in the fire. However, there is an advantage, at certain times of the year, for those who say “I try to concentrate on one thing at a time and do it well.” “It takes diligence to maintain cattle in the proper condition throughout the year. Get cows to a BCS of 5+ earlier in the non lactating period. This provides an insurance policy for things like dry or cold weather,” Rhinehart says. “Late gestation has a lot of impact on the future of that calf. We have to give cattle the ability to express their genetics.” “It takes a lot of time to develop a breeding program. It doesn’t cost a lot to make sure the herd is properly maintained,” Parish says. “If we have her in the right condition when she calves, it is the best possible circumstance for everything to work out. She’ll have high quality colostrum and odds are the calf is going to be healthy. Nutrition plays the biggest part in all of these success stories at this point.” “It is hard to keep that consistent BCS. Cows can slip and go down hill faster than you think. That slip in BCS should change your way of action,” Densmore says. “Know your cow herd and observe how they respond to different management. If you don’t know your cows, you’re already fighting a losing battle.”

a Age Verified

a Source verified to ranch of origin

a Traceability to at least 50% IBBA genetics.

Visit us at:

www.GoBrangus.com

210/696-8231

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 13

Continued from page 6.

So, where is the beef industry heading? I believe we are in the driver’s seat! I can realistically say things are going to be really good the next several years. And I can optimistically say that if all trends hold somewhat constant, good times and positive margins are in sight and all facets of the beef business should be profitable for quite some time. Yes, input costs are also at record highs and the industry should run as efficiently as possible from the top to bottom, but I truly believe the U.S. beef industry will be in the black for several years. The commercial cow-calf producer will actually start making

NEWS&NOTEWORTHY Continued from page 11.

cretionary pasture areas also compete with enhanced crop values, thereby limiting forage expansion.” In areas like the southeastern United States, high fuel prices add an additional shipping disadvantage to cattle production in the region. In contrast, raising cattle in areas such as the Western Great Plains and Intermountain Rocky

money again and be rewarded for his hard work and continuous improvement of the product he is raising. I wish everyone the very best in 2011 and I look forward to the positive future our wonderful business has as we move into this New Year. Grant R. Keenen International Brangus Breeders Association Director of Commercial Marketing Programs

Mountains have a relative regional advantage in terms of production. “These regional adjustments are long-term in nature,” Peel said. “Over time, we will likely see feedlot production shift marginally back to the Midwest, while cow-calf and stocker production shift marginally more to the Central Plains and Rocky Mountain regions.”

NCBA reveals superior educational platform for 2011 cattle industry convention DENVER (Dec. 9, 2010) – Innovative, lively educational sessions with direct access to the leading authorities on vital cattle industry issues, as well as discussion with other producers facing similar challenges, are available at the 2011 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Denver, Colo., starting Feb. 2. “Today’s political and business environment is pressuring both the short-term profitability and long-term viability of many cattlemen. These unprecedented pressures originate from uncertainty in political, economic, trade, and consumer demand domains,” said Tom Field, Ph.D., executive director of producer education for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

“As the beef cattle industry defends private property rights, individual freedom, and modern agricultural practices, the need to empower producers with knowledge becomes even more important.” The 18th annual Cattlemen’s College® is a tremendous opportunity for all segments of the cattle industry to gain knowledge on the new ideas and technologies available to improve profitability. Sponsored by Pfizer Animal Health, this day-long event offers 20 sessions that cover all aspects of cattle production and marketing. To address today’s challenging industry environment, the 2011 curriculum will focus on three primary tracks: • Technology Track – focus on Genomics and Reproductive Management Continued on page 16

like Father like Son - The legacy Continues at The Spanish ranch with BD Cuyama Bright Side 7201t Calving-ease + Top Fe + Top Tenderness + Fertility + Disposition

Daniel anD Pamela Doiron

805-245-0434 Cell doiron@spanishranch.net www.spanishranch.net

14 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

iBBa registration no. r10115207 Semen available: $40 per straw Contact Spanish ranch to order

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 15

NEWS&NOTEWORTHY Continued from page 14.

• External Forces Track – focus on Consumer and Environmental Issues • Business Management Track – focus on Risk and Business Management Attendees can pick and choose from the three tracks or focus solely on one track of personal interest. HIGHLIGHT: Business Management Track With increased profitability as the main goal, the Business Management Track will give cattle ranchers simple and realistic strategies to manage their businesses effectively and successfully. Specific topics in the Business Management Track will include:

• Business Strategies for Cattle Producers • Preventing Lameness • Managing Market Risk • Financing in the Age of Uncertainty • Multi-Generational Ranching Cattlemen’s College registration includes a networking lunch, sponsored by Certified Angus Beef, and a complimentary ticket to the CattleFax Annual Outlook Seminar. Students get an exceptionally good rate, and a full list of sessions and confirmed speakers can be found at www.BeefUSA.org. Space is limited. Be sure to register early to guarantee a spot in your course choices.

superlatives aside, rebuilding the u.s. beef herd a must STILLWATER, Okla. – It is a hot topic of discussion in the U.S. cattle industry: How can operations increase or even maintain beef production if the cow herd continues to shrink? “I suspect that carcass weights will show little or no upward trend in the next decade compared to the last 20 years,” said Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension livestock marketing specialist. “Thus much of the compensation for a declining inventory that was offset by increasing carcass weights in the past will not be available going forward.”

importance of beef and cattle trade, in terms of overall production levels, has not changed much in the past 20 years.” Net beef imports have accounted for roughly 4 percent of total beef production since 1990 and have, in fact, been smaller at roughly 2 percent of total annual production in the last three years. Net live cattle imports have averaged less than 6 percent of total slaughter since 1990 and will be slightly higher than that in 2010.

However, a number of factors will affect the ability or inability of the U.S. beef industry to continue current levels of production without rebuilding the herd, which may be getting lost in some of the conversations, even among expert analysts.

“While beef and cattle continue to grow in importance in terms of industry value, it does not explain our ability to maintain beef production in the face of declining U.S. cattle inventories,” Peel said. “The fact is that we have culled an average of more than 11 percent of the beef cow herd each of the past three years.”

“It has been appropriately and correctly noted that some of the superlatives used by myself and others, such as the fact that the current beef cow herd is the smallest since 1963, are relevant only in a broad historical context,” Peel said.

Beef cow slaughter as a percent of the beef cow inventory has averaged 9.3 percent since 1990. Since 1990, it has only been higher than 11 percent once, in 1996. Measured another way, beef cow slaughter has represented more than 10 percent of total cattle slaughter each of the past three years.

Peel points out that many things have changed, including the fact that the industry is much more efficient and cattle are bigger now, resulting in significantly more pounds of beef produced per cow. In short, it is difficult to assign a particular beef inventory level compared to history.

Another rough measure of slaughter intensity in the U.S. beef industry is that total slaughter will represent more than 94 percent of the 2010 calf crop. This value has averaged 88.3 percent since 1990 and the estimate for 2010 is the highest level over the 20-year period.

“A more relevant time period is the last 20 years,” he said. “The beef cow herd in 2010 was about 1 million head smaller at 31.4 million head than it was in 1990, when it was 32.5 million head.”

“The bottom line is that it will not be possible to maintain beef production in coming years if we do not rebuild the cow herd,” Peel said. “It’s also true that we will not be able to rebuild the cow herd without reducing slaughter and beef production for at least a two- or three-year period.”

In the intervening years, the cow herd increased to a cyclical peak of 35.2 million head in 1996 to an apparent cyclical low of 32.9 million head in 2004, before the market shocks since 2007 pushed the herd down to current levels. Beef production in 2010 is projected at 26.03 billion pounds, 15 percent higher than 1990’s larger beef cow herd, about equal to the level in 1996 at the recent cyclical peak in cattle numbers and within 3 percent of the all-time annual beef production record of 26.8 billion pounds in 2000.

Prices seem to be approaching levels that will entice cow-calf producers into some level of herd expansion in the next couple of years. Smaller beef production will support higher beef and cattle prices. “Consumers, who have for the most part not seen any impacts of this situation, will experience higher beef prices in the coming years,” Peel said. “This will provide a critical test of beef demand to see how consumers react to generally higher beef prices.”

“Beef and cattle trade plays a role as well,” Peel said. “However, the relative

age & source verification pays United States beef exports have risen to levels the cattle industry has seen only once since December 2003, when the first case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy was discovered in the country. That is pretty remarkable considering the strict age regulations Asian and European countries placed on U.S. beef being imported into their respective countries following the BSE Christmas 7 years ago. For example, Japan won’t accept cattle for slaughter more than 20 months old, and Korea won’t take cattle more than 30 months old. Other major U.S. beef buying countries also want to know the age and source of the meat they import. Producers who want to sell their cattle so that they can fit overseas markets and reap ASV premiums must be able to verify the age and source of their 16 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

cattle. That verification must be done by a third party. The International Brangus Breeders Association’s OptimaxX, a USDA approved Process Verified Program does just that. Cattlemen using Brangus genetics can use OptimaxX to age and source verify their cattle and be qualified to earn packer premiums that apply. Participation in age and source verification programs is voluntary. However, the number is growing each year and the increased demand from our foreign customers is placing a higher demand for these ASV cattle. Packers offer cattle feeders premiums for ASV cattle that range from $25-$50 depending on the time of year and current demand. Continued on page 18

Thank You

Proving Our Depth at Cavender’s neChes river roy schoenig of schoenig Land & Cattle Company purchased the high selling bull, Gr swift 209W3, for $20,000 in a sale that saw 130 lots average $3,408. Our sincerest thank you for continued confidence in the GenetrUst program.

Make plans today to attend our next bull sale on Tuesday, March 22nd at Suhn Cattle Company in Eureka, KS.

Post Office Box 365 • Concord, AR 72523 Vernon Suhn • President • vern@genetrustbrangus.com • (620) 583-3706 Craig Green • Marketing director • craig@genetrustbrangus.com • (870) 834-1976

www.genetrustbrangus.com • 1-877-GENETRS (436-3877)

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 17

NEWS&NOTEWORTHY Continued from page 16. While age and source verification doesn’t guarantee a premium at market time, it might open market access that can lead to future returns in calf sales and help avoid discounts as ASV becomes more prominent in the market place.

For more information about OptimaxX, please contact: Grant Keenen, Director of Commercial Marketing Programs for the IBBA Office: (210) 696-8231 Mobile: (417) 540-6570 Email: grant@int-brangus.org www.GoBrangus.com

drug violence drives mexican ranchers from operations Thousands of ranches have been abandoned in the northeastern Mexican state of Tamaulipas by owners who don’t want to end up like Alejo Garza, a rancher who died defending his property from a drug cartel. Garza, considered a hero by many in the region, refused to hand over his property to a drug cartel, which gave him 24 hours to leave his property. The 77-year-old rancher barricaded himself inside his house and took on 30 cartel gunmen, killing four of them and seriously wounding two others

The Global

before being slain. The drug cartels, which have been engaged in a turf war since the beginning of this year, take over ranches and use them as bases, a Tamaulipas Attorney General’s Office source said on condition of anonymity. “They use them as recruitment centers or as hiding places to avoid being spotted when federal forces do aerial reconnaissance,” the source said. A ranch in the border city of Mier, for example, was the scene of a clash in which federal forces killed about 20 gunmen. Cartel gunmen, moreover, massacred 72 Central American migrants over the summer at a ranch near the city of San Fernando, the official said.

Collection

March 4, 2011

Start making your Christmas Wish List! The Second Annual Global Collection is coming to town, Houston, TX to be exact! Be prepared to once again see the best Brangus genetics gathered from across the country! Siblings, daughters and sons from the most sought after bloodlines in the industry, including winners of the prestigious Chimney Rock Challenge Pen Show!

Many ranchers have decided to abandon their properties or switch occupations to avoid becoming victims of the cartels, the Tamaulipas Regional Ranchers Association, or URGT, said. “It’s a scourge that is hurting everyone. The ranchers have stopped going to the ranches and are working at something else, so the industry has been falling. They are abandoning the ranches,” URGT president Alejandro Gil said. About 5,000 properties may have been abandoned in the state, Gil said. The industry has been losing money and exports to the U.S. have fallen considerably, Gil said. Some 200,000 head of cattle were exported in 2009, but exports will only reach about one-third of that level this year. The Gulf cartel, one of Mexico’s most powerful criminal organizations, and its former armed wing, Los Zetas, have been fighting for control of smuggling routes in Tamaulipas since the beginning of the year, leaving hundreds of people dead in the border state.

Sale Headquarter:s Holiday Inn South Loop Reliant Park 713/576-5075 Ask for the Global Collection room block until February 3, 2011.

For more information contact: Kyle Devoll 979/820-8358 kjdevoll@gmail.com 18 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

Cattle Solutions

To place your ad in the State Directory, please call Melanie Fuller at 979.828.5300

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CALENDAROFEVENTS JANUARY • 2011 8

TBBA South Texas Sale - Beeville, TX

Fort Worth Jr Brangus Show - Forth Worth, TX

FEBRUARY• 2011 6

San Antonio Open Brangus Show - San Antonio, TX

San Antonio Jr Brangus Show - San Antonio, TX

Third Annual Best in the West Sale - Marana, AZ

18-19

TBBA Annual Covention & Spring Time Sale - Salado, TX

San Angelo Jr Brangus Show - San Angelo, TX

Salaco/Triple RRR/Fluharty Farms Bull Sale - Gause, TX

20th Annual Roswell Bull & Female Sale - Roswell, NM

Spitzer Ranch Pro. Cattlemen’s Bull & Com. Female Sale - Fair Play,,SC

Visit us at:

www.GoBrangus.com

210/696-8231

MARCH • 2011 4

Houston International Brangus Bull Show - Houston, TX

Global Collection Sale - Houston, TX

Houston International Brangus Female Show - Houston, TX

Genetic Edge Sale - Houston, TX

Global Roundup - Rosenberg, TX

Quail Creek Brangus - Cullman, AL

Southern Bull & Commercial Female Sale - Caldwell, TX

Houston Jr Brangus Show - Houston, TX

TBBA West Sale - West, TX

Mound Creek’s ‘Cowman’s Kind Bull Sale’ - Leona, TX

GeneTrust @ Suhn Cattle Co - Eureka, KS

25-26

Southern’s Dams of Distinction Sale - Marianna, FL

Austin Jr Brangus Show - Austin, TX

16th Annual West Texas Springtime Sale - Abilene, TX

FRONTLINE Beef Producer 27

...to Roy Schoenig for his purchase of Swift for $20,000. “We are moving our program into high gear with bulls that have performance, power and pedigree and Swift fits the bill.”

Roy Schoenig, Schoenig Land & Cattle L.P., Honey Grove,Texas

Sired by the $46,000 Lambert of Brinks and out of the #1 Proven Yearling Weight Cow in the breed, the $46,000 Ms Brinks Bright Side 209L11, Armour and Swift represent premium genetics that will add power, carcass and produce the cattle in a moderate, eye pleasing package. These bulls are the power meat bulls that are framed right with EPD’s that are among the elite in the entire breed. Both bulls are Top 3% or better on YW, Top 4% or better in WW, Top 1% in IMF and Top 2% or better in REA.

GR SWIFT 209W3 BW 0.4 BW 76

WW 38 205 662

YW 68 365 1246

Milk 1 ADG 4.29

TM 20 WDA 3.41

SC 0.7 SC 33.3

Lambert x Bright Side IMF 0.26 IMF 5.59

REA 0.80 REA 16.33

For info on semen for both bulls contact AMS: 979-224-6150.

FT 0.016 FT 0.46

... and to Joe and Melanie Fuller for their purchase of Armour for $5,750. GR ARMOUR 209W2 BW 2.5 BW 98

28 FRONTLINE Beef Producer

WW 47 205 721

YW 84 365 1260

Milk 0 ADG 4.4

TM 24 WDA 3.45

SC 0.8 SC 37.2

IMF 0.27 IMF 5.51

REA 0.93 REA 16.65

FT 0.017 FT 0.37

Your SOURCE for Top Quality Registered & Commercial Brangus Cattle Registered & Commercial Females Available Now!

Bulls for Sale Now! Proud Members of

GO TEXAN

Circle Land & Cattle Co., Ltd. Bobcat Bottoms Ranch • Persimmon Creek Ranch Spring Valley Ranch • Windy Hill Ranch • Vista Ridge Ranch

located just off Hwy. 6 and OSR 1415 E. OSR • Bryan, Texas 77808 Office: (979) 776-5760 • Fax: (979) 776-4818 Website: www.circlexbrangus.com Steve Densmore, Cattle Mgr., (979) 450-0819, cell • (979) 778-1055, home Chris Duewall, Operations Mgr., (979) 777-6803, cell

Forage Tested Bull Sale Saturday, October 29, 2011 - 12:30 p.m. Oak Creek Farms Sale Facility, Chappell Hill, Texas

Selling 160 Registered Forage Tested OCF Bulls Reg. Red Brangus & Brangus Heifer Sale - Commercial Heifer Sale Friday, October 28, 2011 - Seminar – Developing Cattle on Forages

Selling Our Top 160 Coming Two Year Old Forage Tested OCF Bulls

OCF Brangus ∙ OCF Red Brangus ∙ OCF Red Angus ∙ OCF Angus Bulls Forage Tested at OCF beginning on March 1st and ending September 1st under guidelines of Texas Forage & Grassland Council. Weights and Measures recorded by Texas A&M Extension Service. BREEDING BRANGUS SINCE 1967 - OUR LOW INPUT CONSERVATIVE PHILOSPHY HAS KEPT US IN THE CATTLE BUSINESS FOR 44 YEARS!

Oak Creek Farms- Your genetic source for: • Easy Fleshing Efficient Moderate Cattle • Good Breed Characteristics • Excellent Replacement Heifers • Females with good maternal traits • Fertility and Longevity in Cattle • Calves that require less time in the feedlot • Cattle that Thrive in Hot Humid Climates

OCF Target 8N2

OCF Bulls gathered for the Forage Test Weigh Out in OCF’s Brazos River Bottom

The Bottom Line During the past forty four years that we have been breeding Brangus, the traditional way of testing cattle performance was on hot feed tests that require high inputs. These animals often do not thrive when put in a straight grass environment. We began forage testing our bulls over twenty five years ago and we develop our cattle on forages because we know that the commercial cattleman, who is the foundation of our cattle industry, wants efficient easy fleshing cattle that thrive in the pasture. To further our program we have added DNA testing as one of our breeding tools going on eight years. Pfizer’s DNA MVP genetic testing helps us identify the desirable heritable traits that we want in our cattle. DNA results are used as part of our Oak Creek Total Herd Management Program to produce bulls for the serious cattleman.

Sale Bulls DNA Tested with Complete DNA Profile

This is the 8th year we have used DNA test results as a tool in selecting genetics.

Oak Creek Farms • info@oakcreekfarms.com John & Carolyn Kopycinski • Chappell Hill, Texas 979/836-6832

Directions from Houston: Hwy 290 (60 mi west) then 4 mi south on FM 1371