FRONTLINE
A NEWS SOURCE FOR COMMERCIAL BEEF PRODUCERS
November 2012
VOLUME 4
ISSUE 4
beef producer
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 1
Your SOURCE for Top Quality Registered & Commercial Brangus Cattle
December 1, 2012 • Jacksonville, Texas • 1:00 PM
170 Brangus & Ultrablack Bulls • 30 Charolais Bulls • 400 Commercial Females
767Y4
Rock StaR x Blackhawk
Next Step x Sleep eaSy
aFFiRmed x cSoNka
Proud Members of
aFFiRmed x cadeNce
oNStaR x Good FoRtuNe
CoChise X NiMiTz
909Y4
99Y11
541Y7
607Y6
535Y24
400 CoMMeRCial FeMales selliNG Vernon Suhn • PreSident vern@genetrustbrangus.com (620) 583-3706
Circle Land & Cattle Co., Ltd. 2 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
Bobcat Bottoms Ranch • Persimmon Creek Ranch • Camp Cooley Spring Valley Ranch • Windy Hill Ranch • Vista Ridge Ranch
Craig Green • MarketinG direCtor craig@genetrustbrangus.com (870) 834-1976
located just off Hwy. 6 and OSR P.O. Box 4747 • Bryan, Texas 77805 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
Buy online at:
upcomiNG GeNetRuSt Sale
www.genetrustbrangus.com • 1-877-GeNeTRs (436-3877)
march 26, 2013 • Eureka, Kansas 150 Brangus & ultrablack Bulls FRONTLINE Beef Producer 1
November 2012
3 6
Out Front:
Calving Ease Added to the Brangus Suite of EPDs by Dr. Joseph Massey
Marketing:
FRONTLINE Beef Producer Tyler Dean
Marketing Programs Director
10
Faces of the industry:
IBBA Comunications Coordinator
16
Feature: Incorporating Science and Technology to Improve the Bottom Line
Ben Spitzer
Brittni Drennan
A Legacy Worth Imitating by: Brittni Drennan
of Beef Cattle Operations by: Cary Crow
20
Feature: DNA Information Empowers Informed Selection and Breeding Decisions
24
Feature: Sexed Sorted Semen, the Beef Industry, and Increased Returns
28 34
by: Dustin T. Dean, PHD
Genetics:
DNA Tests for Genetic Improvement of Beef Cattle by: Matt Spangler, PHD
Management: Restocking the Cowherd in Drought Areas
36
source: Pfizer Animal Genetics
source: Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica
Industry:
Brangus Providing New Selection Tools to the Commercial Cattleman source: International Brangus Breeders Association
39 40 40
SERVICES
Administration/Circulation
Frances Miller
Dr. Joseph Massey Ben Spitzer Brittni Drennan Cary Crow Dustin T. Dean, PHD Matt Spangler, PHD Advertising
Tyler Dean 405.867.1421 IBBA Office 210.696.8231 Copy Editor
Lindsey Matli Operations
Rosanne Sralla Patti Teeler Layout/Art Director
Tyler Dean
is a product of:
Brangus Publications, Inc. 5750 Epsilon San Antonio, Texas 78249 Phone: 210.696.8231 Fax: 210.696.8718
CALENDER OF EVENTS
Brangus Publications, Inc. Directors: Ron Flake, Chairman Dr. Joseph Massey, President Steve Densmore, Secretary/Treasurer Fred McCreary, Director R.L. Robbs, Director
oN the Cover: Ralph Pelaez, a longtime Brangus customer, ranches in Okeechobee, Florida and Bay City, Texas. Read more about Ralph’s dedication to and love of the cattle inductry in our FACES OF THE INDUSTRY feature article on page 10 of this issue. 2 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
Calving Ease Added to the Brangus Suite of EPDs
Contributing Editors
FRONTLINE Beef Producer
ADVERTISER INDEX
OUT FRONT
Brangus Publications Inc. Representative
Isn’t Technology Great?!?!? by: Ben Spitzer
by Dr. Joseph Massey ibba Executive vice president
Information appearing in this issue may be reprinted only with written permission of Brangus Publications, Inc.
LPC Livestock Publications Council Member
B
rangus has always been known as an easy calving breed, but with the development of multi-breed EPD models it is now possible to produce highly accurate and predictable EPDs for the reproductive traits of composite breeds or percentage cattle. The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) recently approved the addition of Calving Ease Direct and Calving Ease Maternal to its suite of EPDs. The multi-breed models for EPDs include significant attributes that we all seem to miss. First, it allows for the comparison of cattle from one breed to another as long as the breed is included in the analysis and the EPDs are represented as the average of the analysis rather than each breed adjusting to a separate base. The second point is that percentage cattle can also be included in the analysis, and viable EPDs can be produced because the model can account for the influence of each breed.
Calving Ease EPDs are significant economic traits since they take a number of relevant reproductive characteristics into consideration, like birth weight, length of gestation and breed of the calf’s sire. Calving Ease Direct (CED) is a measure of the ease at which a bull’s calves will be born, which takes into account not only the weight, but the shape of the calves. Shape is one of the reasons that Brangus has always been know as easy calving, since Brangus calves are generally longer and narrower than Continental or British breeds of cattle. The EPDs are reported as a percentage so a higher value indicates a higher probability of unassisted calving. A sire with a CED of 6.9 versus a sire with a CED of 3.6 will have 3.3 percent fewer or 3.3 fewer unassisted calvings out of 100 calves.
Calving Ease Maternal (CEM) is similar to the Calving Ease Direct except that it measures the calving ease of the daughters of a sire. Again, the CEM is expressed as a percentage and the higher the CEM the more likely that his daughters will have unassisted calving deliveries. The real value of CEM comes into place when you retain these daughters as replacement females in your herd. Both the Calving Ease Direct and Calving Ease Maternal should be weighted heavier than the Birth Weight EPD since the Calving Ease EPDs take not only birth weight into consideration, but shape of calf, length of gestation and breed of sire. Learning to use Calving Ease EPDs versus Birth Weight EPDs will take some time to understand the difference and time to observe
actual calving during calving season. It will be worth your time to understand because across breeds you will find that Brangus sired calves may not only be easy calving but still have great growth potential. In other words, you should not have to give up performance for calving ease. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Massey has served as Executive Vice President of the IBBA since 2004. In 2007, he started Genetic Performance Solutions, LLC, a breed registry services and performance analysis company serving the cattle and breed association industry— an IBBA owned company. GPS manages online registry programs for breed associations and the data base management of performance data like multi-breed EPDs.
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 3
MC Nuff Said 889T50
September 8, 2007 - September 22, 2012 MC Nuff Said 889T50 WR Duke 228/F (SS) TJM John Wayne 44L Miss TJM Transformer 44H “Tank”MC John Wayne 165N3 R9679417 MC News Man 81H13 (SS) MC Ms News Man 165K (SS) MC Ms Pathfinder 165F N Bar Emulation Ext Nichols Extra H6 Nichola Eileen May F261 MC Ms Extravagant 889P4 +JDH Madison De Manso 737/4 R9678374 MC Ms Madison 889J6 GLC Ms Hoss 889/Z BW 205 Ratio 365 Ratio SC Fat IMF REA 80 782 102 1317 106 35.0 0.29 4.2 15.3 BW WW YW Milk MG SC Fat IMF REA 2.0 36 63 19 37 0.70 0.004 -0.01 0.49
Mike Coggins, Owner 2429 Culpepper Road • Lake Park, Georgia 31636 (229) 232-3096, Cell • (229) 559-7973, Office mike@bwcattle.com For Semen Orders Contact: Tracy Holbert • (979) 255-4357 • ctlbroker@suddenlink.net 4 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
W
e lost a good one in September. A real good one. One that helped establish identity for Blackwater Cattle Company, and certainly the first dominant herd bull we produced. Nuff Said was special and unique from day one. Always had the look and always knew he was destined for the front pasture. You good stockmen know what we mean. The great ones just seem to know it. Nuff Said certainly did, and he was right. He came along when the breed needed a difference maker, and he rose to the call. Now, he has been used worldwide and his genetic worth will contribute across the globe. At Blackwater his early daughters are now in our donor program and his sons are junior herd sires. Rare does a week pass a friend or fellow breeder fails to call and let us know how Nuff Said sired the best ones they ever raised. Our friends in South America specifically requested, and practically insisted, we ship a tank full of Nuff Said down for their national distribution. Daily, we get calls requesting more Nuff Said semen. Having to turn those requests down until we can figure out how the remaining semen will be used. Without question Nuff Said is the most consistent breeding bull we have ever used. You know what kind will hit the ground, you know how they’ll look, and you know they will be real good. Now we know his daughters are bringing some great calves to the weaning pen, doing so with quality udders, and breeding back when they are supposed to. The sons are performing at the same high rate and continue to be our most requested stock bulls. In the 2012 Blackwater Bull Sale the Nuff Said sons were our high selling sire group averaging $8300. The good stockman realize their value! Semen is now limited on Nuff Said so stay in touch with us while we decide how to manage our remaining inventory. If interested please send us an email to ctlbroker@suddenlink.net to get in our future distribution line. We appreciate all of the calls and emails from those who took the time to note our great loss. FRONTLINE Beef Producer 5
MARKETING
A
Isn’t Technology Great?!?!?
s you look back over the last 30 years of your life, did you envision the tremendous impact of technology on every aspect of our work and personal lives? What’s more, the change and innovation in technology seems to move at an even faster and more staggering pace each year. We can now look up Brangus performance information or learn about the latest prices in the commodity markets or even bid on cattle from anywhere with a cell signal on our telephone. We can make breeding decisions based on better built EPDs thanks to Total Herd Reporting (THR) as well as getting inside information through the use of DNA technology. None of this was possible until the last several years. Farmers and ranchers willing to adopt the latest proven technology stand to reap more profit and, just as valuable, save time, travel and expense by being much more efficient.
The International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) has developed several great tools that are underused. Did you know that prior to any sale you can look up just about anything you would want to know on an individual bull? His individual, as well as contemporary
MARKETING
by Ben Spitzer ibba marketing programs director
group performance, his dam’s production record and any and all data stored in the IBBA database on that individual. It is all just a few clicks away. I would definitely encourage you to spend some time looking at the search functions on www.GoBrangus.com or www.int-
brangus.org. It is time well spent! What’s more, you can get all this information from your Smartphone on sale day. You simply need to go to www.int-brangus.org/mobile. If you have any questions about how to navigate the sites or how to interpret the information, please give myself or Garrett Thomas a call at the IBBA office. Those of you who did not catch the Brangus episode of The American Rancher on RFD-TV really missed out. Fortunately, you are still able to watch the show in its entirety on our website, www.GoBrangus. com. The American Rancher is a
popular show and reaches a majority of cattle producers in the United States. This episode gives a glimpse of how Brangus genetics work in commercial operations across the south. A big thank you goes to all those involved. Ralph Pelaez and his daughter Stephanie, Ernie Carrier and Woody Larson, Allen and Nikki Smith, Tracy Holbert and Darryl McDonald were all very helpful in making this show possible. Many thanks, and look for more Brangus episodes to come. If you did not hear about any of the above, you obviously are not on our eNews list or a fan of the Brangus Facebook page. It is easy to subscribe to both from our website, www.GoBrangus.com. In addition to weekly news topics, the eNews features a calendar with upcoming
sales and beef industry events. Also, on the Brangus YouTube channel you can find informative videos on EPDs, sale reports and a host of other information. Subscribe to the BrangusVideo channel on YouTube, and keep looking back as new videos are being added every week. Again, if you need help just give any of us a call. Just in case you think these technologies are only for the younger generation - think again. I know many 60- and 70-yearolds who are on Facebook, Twitter or Blogs on a daily basis. Several Brangus breeders have made sales through these avenues. After reading many of the articles in this issue, you may ask “How does this apply to me?” We know not every producer has the facilities, production management, mindset
It’s easy to get the latest news from IBBA! Just scan the QR Code with your smartphone to sign up for our weekly eNewsletter.
or cash to take advantage of all the technologies covered. But we think it is important for all beef producers to be educated on the technologies that are available to help you improve beef production and hopefully your profitability. Many seedstock producers are taking advantage of these tools to produce more profitable and more efficient genetics for commercial producers. Artificial Insemination, Carcass Ultrasound, Embryo Transfer and In Vitro Fertilization are now quite common but were not heard of in the not too distant past. Now we explore 50K chip and 800K chip DNA technologies to know in advance the genetic makeup of individual animals. With the IBBA commitment to the Brangus DNA (continued on page 8)
Subscribe to the BrangusVideo YouTube channel to view the latest sale reports, how-to’s and more!
Join our online community: Facebook Twitter @GoBrangus Whether you think about it two weeks before the sale or while you are standing in the pen looking at the animal, www.gobrangus.com has the technology to allow you to know everything there is to know about any animal. Additionally, if you could not catch the episode of The American Rancher in which Brangus was featured, visit the website to view the entire program!
6 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
Beef Tips blog
www.gobrangus.wordpress.com
We want to hear from you!
www.GoBrangus.com | 210-696-8231 FRONTLINE Beef Producer 7
MARKETING (continued from page 7) project and our industry leading registry services, database and information systems, along with Total Herd Reporting (THR), we are building more reliable, more meaningful and more accurate EPD selection tools. These tools, coupled with technology, allow us to produce a more efficient, more valuable beef product. The IBBA is devoting much of its time and efforts to increase
the value of Brangus genetics to commercial beef producers. You as a commercial Brangus customer should be aware that most progressive seedstock providers are at the forefront of technology. If they are not, ask them why!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ben Spitzer grew up in the cattle business with his family involvement going back several generations and has included both commercial cattle and registered cattle of several breeds. His family has been in the Brangus seedstock business since 1982.
Spitzer served as Communications/Member Services Director for the Red Angus Association of America (RAAA ) in Denton, TX. Prior to joining the staff at IBBA, he managed a registered Brangus operation in Georgia. Ben was a founding member of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young Producers Council (YPC) and served as the YPC delegate to the NCBA Membership Committee. He served as Chair of YPC in 2010 and in an advisory role to YPC as Immediate Past Chair in 2011. He remains an active member of NCBA and Texas and Southwestern Cattleraisers Association (TSCRA). As Marketing Programs Director, he oversees IBBA’s Commercial Marketing Programs as well as advertising and promotion of the Brangus breed.
Carcass Data
Many of you have been feeding cattle for several years. The IBBA is working to compile feedyard and carcass data for a research project. The ultimate goal is to create more profitable marketing opportunites for users of Brangus genetics. If you have closeouts and would be willing to share, please contact Ben at 210/696-8231 or 864/723-3779 or email, ben@int-brangus.org.
8 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 9
FACES OF THE
FACES OF THE
INDUSTRY
A
by Brittni DRENNAN IBBA COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
A Legacy Worth Imitating
s humans we tend to try to imitate the actions of those who have proven to be successful as a result of their decisions and substantial efforts that give reason to their achievements. Ralph Pelaez has a success story deserving of emulation, but success did not come without trials.
The Pelaez family began ranching in Colombia and moved from their homestead in South America to Florida in the early 1950’s. As a young boy following his father’s every step and working along beside him on the family’s ranch in Florida, all Pelaez ever wanted to be was a rancher like his father. Upon receiving his high school education in Miami, Pelaez
obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science at the University of Florida in Gainesville and soon moved to Okeechobee, Fla., to manage the family business. “My father was my biggest influence in my life and business,” Pelaez said. “I was fortunate that he was a good cattleman, and I got a head start and learned from his
influence.” Upon the family’s arrival to the U.S., Pelaez’s father experimented with breeds he was unfamiliar with and thought would be both profitable and efficient in the rugged, humid environment that surrounded them. He ultimately chose an Angus and Brahman cross as his preference and developed a crossbreeding program
INDUSTRY quality grade, and it has the ability that formed the genetic foundation he is today. “Brangus is the ideal breed to perform in the feedyard and, of the operation’s herd. Pelaez, along with his older because we can produce the ideal ultimately, up to the harvest stage.” Managing another operation sister Christina Hooker, now quality of beef we want to provide in Matagorda oversee the daily m a n a g e m e n t “If you don’t have good reproductive rate, you’re losing County, Texas, valuable traits. With a good nutrition program, the along the Gulf of the family’s Brangus cows do everything we need them to do, and Coast, Pelaez also commercial cow/ the steers we produce reflect the quality of Brangus appreciates the calf operation. bulls we demand.” breed’s ability to His daughter adapt to extreme Stephanie also has a stake in the family ranch and the consumer,” Pelaez said. “It has environments commonly found in (continued on page 12) applies her degree in business to help the capacity to grade our desired ensure the success of the operation. After Pelaez began overseeing the operation’s progress, he started implementing Brangus genetics to emphasize top quality cattle with high reproductive rates while maintaining efficiency, two factors that have made him as successful as
Ralph Pelaez has spent a lifetime working in the cattle industry. From an early age, he knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a rancher. Today he is highly successful and respected throughout the industry for his knowledge.
10 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 11
FACES OF THE
FACES OF THE
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY (continued from page 11) the southern U.S. and said it requires a productive cow in both areas of Texas and Florida. He values the mothering ability Brangus females provide and said they make good cows and replacement heifers, which minimizes the number of heifers he takes to the feedyard. “If you don’t have good reproductive rate, you’re losing valuable traits,” Pelaez said. “With a good nutrition program, the Brangus cows do everything we need them to do, and the steers we produce reflect the quality of Brangus bulls we demand.” The Pelaez family recognizes they are in the beef business. They age and source
verify their cattle to enhance their marketing capabilities. As a thirdparty assessment, this verification system helps establish consumer confidence in the quality product they are receiving. The Pelaez works together to ultimately provide an exceptional end product that will please consumers. “We strive to make decisions based on economics,” Pelaez said, “and we want to have a quality product that we can, in turn, pass along to the consumer and make it the best that we can.” Pelaez’s goals at his operation are
quality driven and focused on high reproductive achievement, striving to put a live calf on the ground every time. His stringent management strategy is outlined to bring out the best in his cattle and breeds his own cows and replacement heifers. He constantly evaluates each heifer’s performance at every stage of development to ensure the highest quality females are acquired. Setting high standards for his cowherd, Pelaez requires his heifers to breed as yearlings. He relies heavily on his cows to thrive in their environment, and selects his bulls for increase in carcass quality and improved growth but not at the sacrifice of milk and other cowherd building traits. Setting high parameters for bull selection, he evaluates performance and carcass trait Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) as
well as ratios to help him make buying decisions. He selects for carcass traits particularly because he knows what kind of quality product it requires to perform well in the feedyard and grade on the rail. Pelaez has retained ownership in the feedyard and knows what kind of cattle to market to buyers. He knows how to evaluate and apply obtained data to ensure that his cattle are sought after. “We have fed our own cattle production in a feedyard, and we know what it takes to make a product that will do well in the feeding phase and when the cattle are harvested,” Pelaez said. “That’s why we include carcass traits as a selection criteria.” Pelaez said it is extremely
important for a cattleman to know what problems can be encountered in the next phases of the production line. To help minimize some of those potential problems, he planned and developed a strategy to make sure that his cattle would transition and perform after they are shipped from his pasture’s gates. Pelaez relies on his nutritional program to optimize his cattle’s production and his health program to prevent reproductive diseases. A nutrition plan places emphasis on growing quality pastures that meet his cattle’s needs. When required, Pelaez finds the most cost effective supplements that still meet the nutritional requirements for his cowherd. He utilizes available
byproducts like rice bran in Texas and citrus pulp in Florida. Included in his plan, a health program details steps taken to minimize the risk of reproduction diseases in his cowherd and his feeder cattle are prepared to feed out in the feedyard. He depends on his veterinarian for information on the most effective health programs. “Having a system like that in place makes it easier to market to buyers,” Pelaez said. “They take notice of that and appreciate cattle that will perform well in the feedyard and are more likely to be returning customers if they know they can avoid health problems. It makes it easier to build a relationship with (continued on page 14)
Ralph Pelaez ranches in Okeechobee, Florida, and Bay City, Texas. Pelaez believes not only in the importance of the Brangus female, but also in the value of the Brangus bull to sire functional calves that will grow and perform in the feedlot and on the rail.
12 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 13
22nd Annual “Cadillac of Brangus” Sale September 8, 2012 - 12 Noon at the farm near Madison, Missouri
dinner Friday the 7th
Brangus & Angus Female Dispersal Sale
brangus 55 Registered Brangus Females 25 coming 2 year old Brangus Bulls 200 Commercial Females - Pairs, Breds, Opens
FACES OF THE
ENTIRE OFFERING BORN & BRED ON THOMAS FARM
Cain Cattle Company Indoor Sale Facility • Pickens, MS December 3-4, 2012 • 10:00 am each day
DTS Power Ball 106Y
INDUSTRY
R10216717 Lombardi of Brinks 468N10 x Skyhawks Ms Abbie 106P4
EPDs
BW WW YW Milk TM SC REA IMF Fat 0.7 33 38 6 22 0.20 0.17 -0.05 -0.003
Austin’s Sweetie Pie-155Y
R101934447 Mr Thomas Odyssey 610S2 x M Thomas 81H5-155S
BW WW YW Milk TM SC EPDs 0.9 22 36 6 17 Safe to Mighty Mouse. AI’d 3/15/12.
REA
IMF
Fat
18146 Hwy 151 Madison, MO 65263
Selling on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Don Thomas 660/263-4560 660/651-1805 Keith Thomas 573/473-6719 LOCATED 12 MILES EAST OF MOBERLY ON HWY 24 Quality Brangus Since 1973. www.thomasbrangusranch.com
Lack-Morrison Brangus Bulls, Females, Semen and Embryos
to continue moving forward.” Pelaez understands the obstacles and risks that cattlemen face every day, but he accepts those challenges and takes them head on, learning from his adversities to uphold the future of his operation. “I’ve been fortunate to do something I enjoy. It’s been tough, but I look forward to it every day,” Pelaez said. “It’s important to do something that you love and are always striving to do it even better. It’s equally important to always set goals that are achievable but are always challenging you.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Brittni Drennan received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Agricultural Communications from Texas Tech University. A native of Welch, a small town in West Texas, she has a passion for agriculture and has been involved in various aspects of the industry. She has extensive experience editing and writing news releases and feature stories for publications as well as several organizations. As Communications Coordinator, she administers IBBA’s online presence through social networking sites, oversees the production of IBBA’s publications and writes material promoting Brangus.
Preview, Bid & Buy Live Online!
publications 72-hour R10216697 Whitfield of Brinks 209U23 x Ms Thomas 81H5-200S1
BW WW YW Milk TM SC REA IMF Fat EPDs 1.8 29 50 2 16 0.40 0.46 0.08 0.007 Open heifer
www.advancedvideoauctions.com
www.caincattle.com • info@caincattle.com The Trusted Brand
Gary Bruns • 830/391-0766
gbruns@advancedsolutionsnetwork.com
Ranch Personnel Bill Felton, General Manager: 901/494-9626 • David Bass, Wiggins Manager: 228/236-7875
Sale Consultant: John McKnight, 501/281-1040
IndIan natIon
Marketing by:
Ted, Julie, Logan and Evan Cain, owners
Mark Cowan, markc@amscattle.com, 903/495-4522 Trey Kirkpatrick, treyk@amscattle,com, 979/324-5518 Richard Hood, richardh@amscattle.com, 979/224-6150 Brad Wright, bradw@amscattle.com, 979/219-4599 www.amscattle.com
Ms Thomas Sugar Baby 200Y
428 Registered anguS Females. Several bred to Sav Harvestor. Over 200 with 50 or higher $B. 192 Fall Pairs • 170 Spring Bred Cows & Heifers 17 Open Year Old Heifers • 49 Open Spring Heifer Calves
Sale Management:
Sale broadcast by:
Cattle Solutions
operation grow and increase his cowherd numbers. As a result of the severe drought that affected farmers and ranchers across the nation, Pelaez said he had to decrease his numbers on the ranch in Texas by 30 percent last fall to survive the extreme weather conditions. After enduring 16 to 18 months of severe dryness along the coastal area of Texas, he exhausted all marketing avenues before deciding to send his heifers elsewhere. “We sent yearling heifers from Texas to South Georgia for winter grazing, but we sold a lot of bred heifers and replacement heifers,” Pelaez said. Fortunately, the operation in Florida was not affected, and the heifers he sold were worth more than the steers he sold earlier that same year. “All of 2012 thus far, things have been extremely well, and we are almost back to our pre-reduced numbers. Now we are in a position
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
Annual Fall Brangus Sale
Saturday, November 3, 2012 12:00 Noon Mcalester union stockyards, Mcalester, ok 40 registered brangus bulls 50 registered brangus Females 100 Commercial brangus replacement Females
Sponsored by Oklahoma Brangus Association
Still Taking Commercial Sale Consignments
Daniel anD Pamela Doiron
www.okbrangus.org
805-245-0434 Cell
For more information or to request a catalog please contact Wes Dotson, Sale Manager/Auctioneer - (580)541-3799 Brad Church, OBA Sales VP - (918)429-9589
REAL POWER.
These yearling bred heifers sell.
OW N T H E FAC TO RY
Cow Creek Ranch Sale Friday & Saturday, October 12 & 13, 2012 at the ranch near Aliceville, Alabama Featuring the dispersal of the entire forage-based Spring Calving Cow Creek Ranch Cow Herd
BW WW YW EPD 2.6 32 64 Data 92 741 1332 Ratio 120 108 112
Southern Cattle Company Lamont Ennis, General Manager 4226 N. Highway 231 Marianna, Florida 32448 850/352-2020 (office) www.SouthernCattleCompany.com
Two Brands. One Direction.
TM 36
SC REA IMF 0.9 0.74 0.03 37.9 16.51 5.224 108 111
Wyliss & Brenda Kemp 5K Cowbelle Ranch 550 Hall Road, Pontotoc, MS 38863 (662) 488-1360 wylisskemp@aol.com
We are building the future of
Brinks BrangusTM cattle.
FT 0.001 0.30 104
Miss CRC Cadence 55R18
DMR TRADITION 302Y
Cowmaker x Cowboy | R10049012
LTD x Next Step | R10189961
BW WW YW EPD 0.7 25 56 Data 75 683 1258 Ratio 99 99 106
All commercial heifers bred back to Cow Creek Ranch Bulls. Leading Southern tier cattle operations will offer large groups of genetically tracked heifers. This sale represents a unique opportunity to tap into the largest, most consistent forage-based Brangus and Ultrablack cowherds in the U.S.
Marketing Superior Genetics Mark Cowan, markc@amscattle.com, 903/495-4522 Trey Kirkpatrick, treyk@amscattle,com, 979/324-5518 Richard Hood, richardh@amscattle.com, 979/224-6150 Brad Wright, bradw@amscattle.com, 979/219-4599 www.amscattle.com
SC REA IMF FT 0.8 0.35 0 -0.002 38.8 15.83 6.037 0.37 104 124 118
Give us a call today to order your semen on the great young herd sire.
$600 Half Page $350 4-Color Ad
M 18
250 Cow Creek Ranch Sired Commercial Bred Heifers
Call 205/373-2269 for a sale catalog or email to: CowCreek@CowCreekBulls.com. On the web at CowCreekBulls.Com
TM 31
Whitfield of Brinks 209U23 Whitfield is the 6th ranked trait leader for WW and ranks in the top 1% REA, 2% YW, 15% IMF, and 20% SC. He is sired by IMF trait leader Lambert of Brinks 317R3 and out of the powerful Ms Brinks Brigh Side 209L11.
DMR MAINSTAY 468Y39
Nuff Said x New Era | R10199303
BW WW YW EPD 0.5 36 65 Data 82 779 1253 Ratio 104 109 102
Commercial Heifers Sell Saturday, October 13, 2012
09Y had a 5.47% marbling score.
M 15
Ultrablack Bull 377Y Sells – For 25 years Cow Creek Ranch has produced functional, thick, long-lasting bulls.
Brangus, Ultrablack, Angus and Charolais bulls, plus 35 yearling Cow Creek bulls Bulls Sell Saturday, October 13, 2012 • 11 am
809Y3
Proven Consistency.
Selling the ultra prolific Cowmaker daughter that we purchased from Chimney Rock Cattle Company in 2010 for $28,000. She was the Champion Heifer and Champion Overall Female at The Brangus Summit in 2006. She has produced 88 embryos in 4 flushes for us, to average 22 embryos per flush! She sells bred to calve in the spring of 2013 to the popular herd sire LTD of Brinks 415T28. Add her to your cowherd and let her double your flush averages!
DMR HERITAGE 894Y
Next Step x Affirmed | R10189980
300 Spring Calving Pairs and Yearling Bred Heifers Sell Friday, October 12, 2012 •11 am 200 Cow Creek Ranch and Southern Cattle Company Bulls Both bulls sell – Brangus 809Y3 and Ultrablack 09Y.
iBBa registration no. r10115207 Semen available: $40 per straw Contact Spanish ranch to order
doiron@spanishranch.net www.spanishranch.net
M 14
TM 26
SC 0.9 37
REA IMF FT 0.5 -0.16 -0.012 16.22 4.452 0.30 106 91 96
EPD
BW WW 2.3 19
YW 40
M 14
TM 23
SC 0.5
REA 0.23
IMF 0.07
FT -0.006
Full Page 4-Color Ad
Brinks Arabela 1038 LTD of Brinks 415T28 x Ms Brinks Blanda 361W3
BW -0.4
DMR TESTAMENT 99Y43 Csonka x Gaucho | R10207087
Brangus cow 42N6 and her 1/31/12 bull calf sell on Friday, October 12.
BW WW YW EPD 2.4 28 53 Data 84 722 1238 Ratio 107 101 101
www.aspenedgemarketing.com
(continued from page 13) them.” It is obvious Pelaez has demonstrated the advantages of having a detailed plan and setting attainable long- and short-term goals. He also exhibits the advantages to continually evaluating processes, technologies, data and approaches in order to keep advancing. He considers it a successful day if he has challenged himself and learned something new in the process. “We have month-to-month and year-to-year goals to continually keep improving, but it starts on a daily basis,” Pelaez said. “We strive to make things better and try to avoid dealing with the same repeat problems down the road and learn from mistakes and problems we encounter.” Pelaez wishes to continue to improve reproductive rates and increase the quality of his end product with the consumer in mind. Meanwhile, he would like to see his
Selling on Monday, December 3, 2012
317 Registered BRanguS & ulTRaBlackS Females. Majority of the Brangus Females will be out of camp cooley’s top cow families. 54 Fall Pairs • 149 Spring Bred Cows & Heifers 47 Open Year Old Heifers • 67 Open Spring Heifer Calves
Cow Creek Ranch 1170 Cow Creek Road Aliceville, Alabama 35442 205/373-2269 (office) Joy Reznicek cell - 205/399-0221 Doug Williams cell - 336/745-5252
M 16
TM 31
SC 1.1 42
REA 0.45 16.6 108
IMF FT 0.15 -0.007 5.294 0.38 112 132
Ms DMR Csonka 415Z7 | Csonka x L11
Performance Genetics. Trusted Cattlemen.
GENETRUST Performance Genetics. Trusted Cattlemen.
www.genetrustbrangus.com
Milk 16
M&G 30
SC 1.00
REA 0.44
IMF FT -0.03 -0.002
BW 52 (80)
AWW AYW REA IMF 519 1266 12.81 4.19 (119)
(119)
(115)
(94)
FT .19 (114)
.
Westall Ranches, LLC Registered Brangus Cattle
Other Sires Include:
at GENETRUST at Chimney Rock, Concord, Arkansas
GENETRUST
YW 54
Private Treaty Bulls Now Available
Selling November 2nd & 3rd GENETRUST
WW 29
Top 25% Top 25% Top 25% Top 15% Top 20% Top 10%
Ms DMR Guardian 33Z | Guardian x Cadence
Cannon of Brinks 30U45 Brinks Lineman 196N Brinks Griese 209U29 McDaniel of Brinks 240U28 Brinks Brightside 782R21 SR Singletary 820X4
John & Sherry Milam, Owners Grady Green, Registered Cattle Manager, 870-314-3673, grady@dragginmranch.com Danny Roberson, Commercial Cattle Manager, 870-310-8134 El Dorado, Arkansas | www.dragginmranch.com
Ms DMR Csonka 21Z2 | Csonka x Hampton
Tate Pruett, Ranch Manager 575.365.6356 (cell) 575.653.4842 (ranch) Ray & Karen Westall, Owners 575.361.2070 (cell)
Raised in the rocks at 6,000 feet in arabela, NM
Ms DMR LTD 302z2 | LTD x L11
Oak Creek Farms Forage Tested Bull Sale
Saturday, October 27, 2012 - 12:30 p.m. Oak Creek Farms Sale Facility, Chappell Hill, Texas
Selling 100 Forage Tested OCF Bulls
Brangus Red Brangus Angus Red Angus Source Verified Commercial Heifer Sale to follow Bull Sale Friday, October 26, 2012, 6:00 p.m. - Seminar - DNA Technology Update, Kevin M RIBEYE STEAK DINNER to follow - sponsored by Pfizer
Valid November 13-15, 2012
Selling Our Top 100 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
The Bottom Line - Breeding Low Input, Highly Efficient, Easy Fleshing Cattle That Thrive in The P
From Tuesday, November 13, 2012, through Thursday, November 15, 2012, purchase as many full or half page ads as you want for these low prices. There are NO LIMITS on the number of ads you can purchase, but all ads purchased at this special price must be placed by Ottmanns Brangus Livestock PRODJune 30, 2013. Ads can be placed in either the Brangus Journal or Frontline Beef Producer. All Brangus Bred for North of the Mason-Dixon Line ads must be submitted camera ready by the respective publication’s stated deadline. Billing for ads will occur at placement or on June 30, 2013 (any ads agreed to purchase but not used). No refunds will be given for ads that fail to be printed due to missed deadlines. Full of Brinks 541S17 page ads CANNOT be split into 2 half pageMilam ads. Your SOURCE for Top Quality BUY THE NUMBERS enetic Registered & Commercial Development Brangus Cattle Center For questions or to take advantage of this Fall 2012 Tests Begin Nov. 1 IBBA Advertising Promotion, please contact: Tyler Dean Garrett Thomas Director of Shows and Youth Programs Director of Member Relations & International Promotion October 26th BPI Representative tyler@int-brangus.org garrett@int-brangus.org FRONTLINE Beef Producer 15 (405)867-1421/(405)207-6921 (210)696-8231/(936)714-4591 χ OCF Bulls gathered for Forage Test Weigh Out in Brazos River Bottom
Oak Creek has bee Forage Testing OCF for over THIRTY ye
Visit our website to about our customer’s s and how you can ach 80-90% choice or be with your OCF sired c
Sale Bulls DNA Tested using Pfizer MVP Technology
www.oakcreekfarms
Going on nine years using DNA to identify desirable heritable traits.
Oak Creek Farms info@oakcreek
John & Carolyn Kopycinski Chappell Hill, Texas 9
Directions from Houston: Hwy 290 (60 mi west) then 4 mi south
Oak Creek Farms - Celebrating our 45th Anniversary - Breeding Brangus Since 1967
at Valley View Ranch
March 2012 Milam daughter.
Short Ear Tight Sheath A+ Calving Ease All Bulls HAND Fed Bred for TENDERNESS Bred for the commercial cow-calf business!
They have that Angus look, but are still 3/8 Brahman with lots to offer!
Ottman herd sires excel. They score significantly better than the Brangus average, especially in tenderness in recent Igenity testing. Our bulls also scored well in marbling, percent choice and maternal calving ease.
Valley View Ranch
James Ottmann Est 1967 Membership 1537 PO Box 22 Rock Port, MO 64482 (816) 387-7322 valleyviewranch@tarkio.net Chad & Mandy Ottmann (660)787-0220 chadottman@yahoo.com
Then and now, Milam continues to prove to be a Blackhawk son who has a lot of friends in NW Missouri!
TM
The largest individual feed intake system in the southern United States.
Selling 120 Registered Brangus Females and 100 Bulls! More and Better Than Ever!
Bill Morrison 411 CR 10 Clovis, NM 88101 (575) 482-3254 (575) 760-7263 Cell bvmorrison@yucca.net
Joe Paul & Rosie Lack P.O. Box 274 Hatch, NM 87937 P (575) 267-1016 F (575) 267-1234
www.lackmorrisonbrangus.com
Also Selling these PROVEN Herd Sires: Gentleman, Cherokee & 409U30!
st
Receiving Cattle October 15-17
Ms Salacoa Lambert 209Y13 - Sells as part of a pick lot
New Vision of Salacoa 209Y2 - HE SELLS!
Ms Salacoa Whitfield 468Y12 - Sells as part of a pick lot
Eisenhower of Salacoa 23Y69 - HE SELLS!
GrowSafe Feed Efficiency Testing Custom Bull & Heifer Development Carcass Ultrasound Service
Comfortable, Large Accommodations
Facility and Program Features
• 1280-head annual capacity • 2 tests per year • Carcass Ultrasound & Breeding Soundness tests included • Fresh rations mixed daily by private mill • Temple Grandin custom designed sorting facility
Fairmount, Georgia 10:00 AM ET Please join us Thursday evening October 25th for steaks and a special elite offering of females.
Request a Catalog Today!
Carcass Ultrasound
Lincoln of Salacoa 392Y27 - HE SELLS!
David & Susan Vaughan, Owners Chris Heptinstall, Gen. Manager PO Box 185 Fairmount, GA 30139 706-337-2295 chris@salacoavalleybrangus.com www.salacoavalleybrangus.com Sales Consultant: Todd Harvey
Mark Cowan | markc@amscattle.com | 903-495-4522 Trey Kirkpatrick | treyk@amscattle.com | 979-324-5518 Richard Hood | richardh@amscattle.com | 979-224-6150
www.aspenedgemarketing
14 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
State-of-the-Art Intake Equipment
“The Most Advanced Feed Efficiency Facility in the USA.”
32 Head per Pen A Spacious 375 ft2 for Each Animal
Please contact us for Nomination Forms and Pricing
enetic
TM
Genetic Development Center A division of Inguran LLC
Proud Members of
Dustin Dean, PhD (806) 789-6359 ddean@sexingtechnologies.com
Circle Land & Cattle Co., Ltd.
located just off Hwy. 6 a P.O. Box 4747 • Bryan, Texa Office: (979) 776-5760 • Fax: (979) 77 Website: www.circlexbran
FEATURE
Incorporating Science and Technology to Improve the Bottom Line of Commercial Beef Cattle Operations
T
he era of commodity beef pricing is quickly fading away. In the future there will be less opportunity to produce cattle that do not offer additional value up the supply chain. More and more cattle are valued on their worth to the industry rather that just what they weigh. Input costs and production expenses are continuing to rise. Costs are similar, if not more expensive, to maintain low valued cattle versus high valued cattle. It now makes more sense than ever to invest in improving the genetic merit of the cowherd. Many producers are beginning to incorporate some new technologies into their programs in order to add value. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a leading choice for the progressive producer looking to increase the number of offspring that create the most value and/or accelerate genetic improvement in an operation. It has now become a very practical and competitive reproductive tool with numerous applications for seedstock and commercial operations alike.
How does IVF work?
An IVF collection, called an Aspiration or Ovum Pick Up (OPU), is the process of harvesting unfertilized eggs (oocytes) directly from the ovaries of a donor cow or heifer. Recovered oocytes are fertilized and matured over an eightday period in an incubator with controlled media, temperature and environment to mirror the cow’s uterus. Those oocytes that become viable embryos are then transferred fresh into recipient cows or frozen for transfer at a later date. IVF allows breeders the potential to generate embryos bi-weekly from open cows, pregnant cows, virgin heifers, as well as problematic females that have had difficulty in conventional breeding attempts. 16 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FEATURE
by Cary CROW national beef sales director transova genetics
How can the commercial breeder benefit from purchasing their seedstock from breeders utilizing IVF? With proper selection tools in place, seedstock producers can identify and quickly mass multiply genetic outliers for specific economically relevant traits. Utilizing IVF allows them to work with a more refined and targeted parent population and still produce as many or more progeny in
a shorter time period when compared to other technologies. Each future generation should possess greater genetic potential than their parents, and IVF can help to shorten the time from one generation to the next by creating embryos from very young females. Considering this, seedstock producers that have made a commitment to IVF can be light years ahead of the competition for the traits in which they have applied selection pressure. Not only will their herd be considerably ahead of others in the breed, but they will have less variability because the population was derived from a smaller, more select parent population. Purchasing seedstock from these breeders can give you access to large sets of
highly predictable and consistent individuals that are genetically superior to their competition.
How can the commercial breeder benefit directly from utilizing IVF?
It is challenging to breed for quality replacement females without sacrificing some terminal value as it is to breed for terminal value without sacrificing maternal efficiency. It is widely recognized that first generation half blood (F1) cows (continued on page 18)
Because oocytes are fertilized in small dishes, IVF allows for the most efficient usage of rare, expensive, sexed frozen, or reverse sorted (sex sorting after being frozen and thawed) semen.
Through Transvaginal Oocyte Recovery, oocytes (unfertilized eggs) are collected from the ovaries of the donor.
Collected oocytes are then fertilized and placed in an incubator. After oocytes become viable embryos, they can be fresh transferred into a recipient cow or frozen for a later date.
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 17
FEATURE (continued from page 17) an extremely small but genetically for the much larger portion of the capture the most benefit from direct superior set of donor females and calf crop that are destined to become and maternal heterosis and bring semen from the most elite AI sires beef. Just think, if you could select substantial efficiencies to commercial available sorted for females prior to your AI sires and herd bulls strictly programs by maximizing the fertilization? Doing this would not on terminal merit, how much more improvement of lowly heritable only allow you to efficiently generate added value those resulting calves traits that greatly affect profitability extremely high quality true F1’s to could have in the marketplace. but are difficult to select for. The cover all of your replacement female The progress made in an individual struggle has always been how to needs, but at the same time allow you cowherd depends on how aggressive economically maintain a true F1 to gain additional efficiencies in the the amazing technologies that population. Through natural service herd because you can concentrate are available today get utilized. or AI it is impossible for an F1 to give the remainder of your breeding Operations that choose to embrace birth to an F1, so she has no way of decisions strictly on generating the them will experience the most replacing herself as she ages out or most profitable terminal offspring genetic gain and will lead the pack gets culled from the herd. The only possible. If your breeding decisions of progressive commercial breeders options have been to either purchase for the cow herd require any thought into the future. To incorporate IVF replacement females at a premium whatsoever on how the resulting into a genetic improvement program, from other ranches and rely on female offspring will fit into your breeders are encouraged to carefully their selection criteria or raise them environment and perform as cows, review their goals, understand the yourself and incur all the expense and then you are giving up profit potential opportunities and limitations of the technology, and work with management difficulties IVF experienced, professional of maintaining two pure DONOR DAM DONOR SIRE ULTIMATE TERMINAL BREED A BREED B SIRE teams to determine populations. Therefore, X the most effective and many commercial Clean up behind economical approach to cattlemen have given embryo transfers Implant ~90% Female F1 Embryos meet their goals. up on the F1 as an alternative and moved to ABOUT THE AUTHOR: COMMERCIAL less productive but more Cary Crow is the National COW HERD convenient breeding Beef Sales Director for Trans Ova Genetics. Cary grew up on a systems. But what if you commercial cow/calf operation in could use a portion of the the Flint Hills of Kansas. He has F1 cow herd as recipients a Bachelors of Animal Science to gestate and calve from Kansas State University $$$$ and a Masters in Reproductive superior F1 females that Physiology from Missouri State were generated through REPLACEMENT University. F1 FEMALES IVF using oocytes from
Texas Brangus Breeders Bull Sale Red and Black Brangus Bulls
In conjunction with Jordan Cattle Auction’s regular sale.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2012 11:00 am - San Saba, Texas Consignors Include:
Circle X Land & Cattle Harris Ranch Mary A Ranch Petta Ranch He Sells. Skyhawk Brangus Westall Ranches LLC - Brinks Brangus 8G Brangus
For more information please contact: Kelly Grissom, Sale Manager kellygrissom61@gmail.com 254.559.0101 - cell Jordan Cattle Auction www.jordancattle.com
Commercial producers can utilize IVF and ET to raise their own F1 replacement females with the hassle of maintaining two pure populations.
Whitfield of Brinks 209U23 Whitfield is the 6th ranked trait leader for WW and ranks in the top 1% REA, 2% YW, 15% IMF, and 20% SC. He is sired by IMF trait leader Lambert of Brinks 317R3 and out of the powerful Ms Brinks Brigh Side 209L11. 18 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
Give us a call today to order your semen on the great young herd sire.
Wyliss & Brenda Kemp 5K Cowbelle Ranch 550 Hall Road, Pontotoc, MS 38863 (662) 488-1360 wylisskemp@aol.com FRONTLINE Beef Producer 19
FEATURE
DNA Information Empowers More Informed Selection and Breeding Decisions
Technology helps producers speed up genetic progress.
S
election and breeding decisions can affect the performance and profitability of a cow/calf operation for years to come. This is why Steve Densmore, who raises purebred Brangus cattle at Circle X Land and Cattle Co. in Bryan, Texas, uses genetic technology to help him make better decisions that also benefit his customers.
“We try to produce what commercial producers want,” Densmore says. “The genetic
technologies we’ve acquired have allowed us to eliminate cattle that do not produce desirable traits and
Steve Densmore of Circle X Land and Cattle Co. in Bryan, Texas ia a firm believer in DNA testing. “The genetic technologies we’ve acquired have allowed us to eliminate cattle that do not produce desirable traits and help us identify cattle that have traits that will continue to move our herd forward.”
20 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FEATURE
Source: pfizer animal genetics
help us identify cattle that have traits that will continue to move our herd forward.” Kent Andersen, Ph.D., associate director, Technical Services, Pfizer Animal Genetics, says the biggest advantage of DNA technology is the ability to make more-informed buying and breeding decisions. “DNA technology is especially valuable when evaluating young, unproven seedstock,” Dr. Andersen says. “This information allows
“I’m able to look at a bull and know so much about him before I ever even consider putting him on a set of females, rather than finding out three or four years later if I made the right choice.”
producers to make purchase decisions with greater assurance for important traits.” To help accomplish their goals, producers are utilizing GENESTAR® Molecular Value Predictions (MVP®s). GENESTAR, a targetedmarker DNA test, provides producers with genomic information about key production traits in all breeds of beef cattle. Test results include MVPs for feed efficiency, marbling and tenderness. The reports also include percentile ranks, which are determined by benchmarking each animal against hundreds of its breed contemporaries in the Pfizer Animal Genetics database. This information also is beneficial for commercial Brangus breeder J. Mack Bohn of Diamond JK Ranches in Cyril and Marlow, Okla., and Roark Ranches in Marlow, Amber and Cheyenne, Okla.
“Incorporating genetic technologies has not only allowed us to continue to create a great Brangus female, but it’s moved our steer program several notches above where it used to be,” Bohn says. “I’m able to look at a bull and know so much about him before I ever even consider putting him on a set of females, rather than finding out three or four years later if I made the right choice.” GENESTAR MVPs are derived
using a targeted marker panel for feed efficiency, marbling and tenderness. GENESTAR features a Palatability Index, which combines information about tenderness (shear force) and marbling, and ranks animals according to described genomic merit for traits that impact tenderness, juiciness and flavor. What’s more, producers can use GENESTAR to identify animals that are homozygous or heterozygous for black or wild-type coat color. This information empowers producers to select animals that will advance their herd and the goals of their breeding programs, Dr. (continued on page 22)
Commercial Brangus breeder J. Mack Bohn of Diamond JK Ranches in Cyril and Marlow, Okla., and Roark Ranches in Marlow, Amber and Cheyenne, Okla., strongly believes in the use of DNA testing.
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 21
FEATURE (continued from page 21) Andersen says. They can use this information to: • Select breeding stock that are more likely to transmit desired genetic merit for palatability traits, feed efficiency and coat color • Identify animals with desired genetics for consumer satisfaction • Make more-informed mating decisions • Advance genetic progress Bohn says DNA information helps make proactive changes rather than having to fix problems later. “DNA results tell us so much, and it doesn’t take years to gather this information — it’s there almost
immediately,” Bohn says. “We’ve eliminated some herd sires that looked like great candidates visually and on paper but didn’t meet our standards based on the DNA information. A lot of time and resources can be saved by knowing exactly what This saves us from your calves’ genetic potential is the day they hit the ground. investing time and money and incorporating them into our some of the guesswork out of seedstock program. And now that we’ve started selection and breeding decisions,” Dr. incorporating GENESTAR into our Andersen says. “Producers should talk females, it gives me a lot of confidence with their seedstock suppliers about that I’m building a superior product.” providing this information on sale Dr. Andersen says that given cattle to help ensure they can make the today’s high input costs, it’s valuable most informed purchase decisions for for producers to take advantage of their operations.” selection information derived from All brands are the property of Pfizer Inc., its genomic technology. affiliates and/or its licensors. ©2012 Pfizer Inc. “Genomic information can help take All rights reserved.
Ottmanns Brangus at Valley View Ranch
Brangus Bred for North of the Mason-Dixon Line
Short Ear Tight Sheath A+ Calving Ease All Bulls HAND Fed Bred for TENDERNESS
BRED FOR THE commercial cow-calf BuSiNESS!
Milam of Brinks 541S17 Powerful, stout Milam sons like these are now available Private Treaty at the ranch along with a super fancy set of Two-Year-Old Ultrablack Bred Heifers. Sired by Milam and Ike 596U4 and out of Wye Plantation Angus Females, they are bred back to Brangus bulls and are due to calve beginning March 1, 2013. 22 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
They have that Angus look, but are still 3/8 Brahman with lots to offer!
Valley View Ranch
James Ottmann Est 1967 Membership 1537 PO Box 22 Rock Port, MO 64482 (816) 387-7322 valleyviewranch@tarkio.net Chad & Mandy Ottmann (660)787-0220 chadottman@yahoo.com FRONTLINE Beef Producer 23
FEATURE
Sexed Sorted Semen, The Beef Industry, and Increased Returns
A
proven technology now available to cattle producers has taken a gift from Mother Nature and transformed it into a commercial reality. During spermatogenesis, each sperm cell is either issued an X (female bearing) or a Y (male bearing) chromosome. Sexing Technologies (ST) in Navatosa Texas owns the exclusive license to a patent capable of sorting these cells in to straws for artificial insemination that will contain at least 90% male or female bearing sperm cells.
The technology to sort live sperm cells was originally developed by the USDA in the late 1980s. Later, Sexing Technologies ultimately obtained the exclusive license to this patent by purchasing XY Inc. and has located its global headquarters south of College Station, TX for more than a decade. With a few recent additions, ST now has offices in 8 countries sorting semen primarily on cattle, whitetail and red deer, and quarter horses. Currently, every major semen company in the world has ST’s semen sorting machines at their headquarters offices. On a daily basis, these machines produce thousands of straws of sexed semen from the bulls in their catalogs. ST also owns a semen sorting bull stud in Navasota TX, Nebraska and in Wisconsin housing over 200 beef and dairy bulls. In addition, the company operates a large ET and IVF business with over 1500 donors and recipient females primarily for producing sexed embryos. 24 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FEATURE
by Dustin T. Dean, PHD director of beef programs sexing technologies
The Beef Industry Push
In the past, the largest portion of ST’s portfolio has been in the dairy industry. Thus far, ST has produced several million straws of dairy sexed semen. However, things have begun to change recently as ST is making a full court press in beef cattle. Each month, major semen companies are sorting more and more beef bulls, more producers are bringing their own bulls to ST’s headquarters for a custom sort, and the company’s sexed ET and IVF division is constantly under expansion. At the company’s headquarters in Navasota, TX, customers routinely bring their bulls to be collected and sorted. The average stay for a bull is 2-3 weeks, but also depends on the quality of the bull’s ejaculate as well as the size of the straw order from the customer. Sexed Semen has been proven and proven again in the dairy industry.
However it is still fairly new to beef producers and new technologies usually require more education and promotion for them to be adopted by end users. For ST, that promotion lies in the basis of sound economics. In most beef operations, there can be a significant value in gender difference. Meaning, heifer calves are worth considerably more than bulls and vice versa. That value difference can be a couple hundred dollars in some operations and up to several thousands in others. Either way, it is the significant value in gender difference that generates a high return for the added investment. Producers can also have their bull collected at their local collection center to produce sexed semen. ST has recently begun working with independent collection centers to have fresh ejaculates shipped overnight to their semen sorting laboratories. ST receives the fresh ejaculate the next morning and sorts it in to the gender the customer requests.
Addressing Conception Rate
Sexing Technologies normally produces two kinds of straws of sexed semen. One solely for AI that is packed at 2.1 million cells, and another primarily for flushing packed at 5 million cells. Either straw can be produced with a minimal 90% purity that is to say at least 90% of the sperm cells in the straw are the gender the customer requests. In addition, each individual sperm cell is selected one by one, so only the highest quality cells get selected for straws of sexed semen. To achieve optimal results, producers need to be efficient with conventional semen in order to take advantage of the benefits of sexed semen. Good management, including nutrition programs, estrus synchronization and detection, etc, are all key when using sexed semen or any AI program. Given its widespread use in the dairy industry, many bulls have already been identified that produce high quality ejaculates that are prime for sorting. In the beef industry, we’re still in the process of finding those bulls that work well and those that don’t. So far, roughly 20% of the beef bulls collected have not had ejaculates with high enough quality to be sorted. This usually stems from too many head or tail problems, or issues with the cells dying off quickly after sorting. Usual conception rates with sexed semen will run a few percentage points lower than conventional semen. This is typically due the lower concentration of the sex sorted straws. On average, producers
can expect to see 85% of what they normally achieve with conventional semen. For example, if a producer usually gets 70% with traditional semen, that same producer should see around 58% to 60% with sexed semen. The benefit is that at least 90% of those calves will be the gender the producer needs.
The Return
Independent economic analysis has shown that the slight reduction in conception rate combined with the extra production of the desired gender will deliver a sizable return on investment. Another point to remember is that producers should
never cut costs with their breeding program. The most important factor is to get a live calf on the ground. With today’s calf prices, breeding costs represent a very low percentage relative to the total value of the calf produced. What about sexed semen as a fast restocking tool? Shrinking land resources, increasing production costs and drought have all contributed to one of the smallest national herds in a long time. The industry needs tools that allow producers to take maximum advantage of their limited resources. When rebuilding the (continued on page 26)
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 25
FEATURE (continued from page 25) herd, sexed semen is the fastest way to produce female replacements. Sexed sorted semen allows operators to produce an increased number of calves of the right gender with the same amount of cows. What if you could cut your cow herd by 45% and still produce the needed number of bulls or heifers? Also, for producers needing to rebuild their herds or quickly expand to a specific size, sexed semen allows them to get there twice as fast as conventional semen or natural breeding. Each mating with sexed semen delivers a pregnancy with a 90% chance of getting the desired gender. Another area of greater return
26 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
is seen in the sales of pregnant heifers or cows. What if you market pregnant replacement heifers and now have the ability to make each heifer sold confirmed bred with What value would your bred heifers have if there was a 90% chance they were going to have a super baldy heifer calf? a 90% chance of having a heifer calf? What if you marketed The future definitely looks Brangus replacements that all now interesting for sexed semen. have a 90% chance of having a super Good management as well as baldy heifer calf? Those pregnancy strong promotion and education combinations bring considerably are key for expansion in to our more than pregnancy combinations changing beef industry. More than with a 50/50 chance of either gender. anything, ST must make sure that That increased return is what sexed the fundamentals of using sexed semen delivers. semen are proven through sound The bottom line is that in just economics as well as successful real about any beef production scenario, world scenarios. one gender is With this technology available, worth more than cattle producers can now decide if the other. Sale sexed semen is an instrument that barns, feedyards, can help them achieve the goals c o m m e r c i a l they have set for their operations. r e p l a c e m e n t Hopefully, this technology just sales, seedstock might be the tool they need to help sales, etc, all them get there. represent segments of ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dustin T. Dean is from Jacksboro in north central our industry Texas and his family has been in the ranching where significant business since the early 1900’s. After graduate returns are seen school he was first employed by the beef cattle Genomic testing company Bovigen, LLC as a in one gender Regional Director covering the southwestern United compared to States, Mexico and South America. In June 2009, began a new career at Sexing Technologies as the other. Sexed he Director of Beef Operations. At ST, he is responsible semen is a proven for developing new programs that apply sexed tool that allows semen to the beef industry as well as coordinating all live beef cattle exports. In addition, he is the c o m m e r c i a l director of the Genetic Development Center and and seedstock oversees all new beef cattle project developments p r o d u c e r s both international and domestic. Dustin received his Bachelor’s degree in 1999 and a 2001 Masters to maximize degree in Beef Cattle Genetics, both from Texas returns seen in Tech University. In 2005 he completed his PhD from Texas A&M University in Beef Cattle Development their breeding and Marketing. He and his wife, Annie and their 3 programs. year old boy Hudson, reside in College Station.
We are building the future of TM
Brinks Brangus cattle.
Brinks Arabela 1038 LTD of Brinks 415T28 x Ms Brinks Blanda 361W3
BW -0.4
WW 29
YW 54
Milk 16
M&G 30
SC 1.00
Top 25% Top 25% Top 25% Top 15% Top 20% Top 10%
REA 0.44
IMF FT -0.03 -0.002
BW 52 (80)
AWW AYW REA IMF 519 1266 12.81 4.19 (119)
(119)
(115)
(94)
FT .19 (114)
.
Private Treaty Bulls Now Available Other Sires Include:
Cannon of Brinks 30U45 Brinks Lineman 196N Brinks Griese 209U29 McDaniel of Brinks 240U28 Brinks Brightside 782R21 SR Singletary 820X4
Westall Ranches, LLC Registered Brangus Cattle
Tate Pruett, Ranch Manager 575.365.6356 (cell) 575.653.4842 (ranch) Ray & Karen Westall, Owners 575.361.2070 (cell)
Raised in the rocks at 6,000 feet in arabela, NM
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 27
GENETICS
DNA Tests for Genetic Improvement of Beef Cattle
G
enomic information, in the form of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP), has always held the promise to increase the accuracy of Expected Progeny Differences (EPD). This promise has finally been realized for those breeds that incorporate this information into their EPD calculations. For those breeds that have not, genomic information for complex traits (those controlled by many genes) is available to producers in a disjoined context and is published separately from EPD. There is no doubt that in this situation, considerable confusion exists. Confusion related to genomics is often associated with terminology.
Terminology
Additive Genetic Effects – Average individual gene effects that can be transmitted from parent to progeny. Allele – Alternate form of a gene. It can also be thought of as variations of DNA sequence. For instance, if an animal has the genotype for a specific gene of Bb then both B and b are alleles. DNA Marker – A specific DNA variation that can be tested for association with a physical characteristic (Marbling, tenderness, etc.). Genotype – The genetic makeup of an animal. Genotyping (DNA marker testing) – The process by which an animal is tested to determine the particular alleles it is carrying for a specific genetic test. Simple Traits – Traits such as coat color, horned status, or some diseases. These traits are generally controlled by a single gene. 28 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
GENETICS
by Matt SPANGLER, PHD extension beef genetics specialist university of nebraska-lincoln
Complex Traits – Traits such as reproduction, growth, and carcass that are controlled by numerous genes. These are also referred to as Economically Relevant Traits (ERTs). Homozygous – Having two copies of the same allele for a single gene such as BB. Heterozygous – Having different copies of alleles for a single gene such as Bb. Locus – Specific location of a marker or a gene. Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) - The process by which DNA marker information is used along with phenotypic based Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) to select parents for the next generation. Marker Assisted Management (MAM) - The process by which DNA marker information is used to assist in making management decisions such as sorting cattle entering the feedlot based on their propensity to meet certain grid criteria as determined by a genetic test.
Marker Panel - A combination of two or more DNA markers that are associated with a particular trait. Non-Additive Genetic Effects – Effects such as dominance and epistasis. Dominance is the interaction of alleles at the same locus while epistasis is the interaction of alleles at different loci. Nucleotide - A structural component of DNA that includes one of four base chemicals: adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). Phenotype – The outward appearance of an animal that can be measured. Phenotypes are influenced by the genetic makeup of an animal and the environment. Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) - Pronounced ‘Snip’. A SNP is a single nucleotide change in a DNA sequence. For instance, AAGGTTA is changed to ATGGTTA. Here the second ‘A’ is changed to a ‘T’. Not every SNP causes a physical change in an animal. SNPs occur in the hundreds of thousands across the genome.
Parentage Testing
The identification of an animal’s parents via DNA marker technology can be advantageous in several situations including multi-sire breeding pastures and ascertaining if a calf is the product of an artificial insemination (AI) mating or a cleanup bull. Genotyping to determine parentage allows for a sire to be correctly linked to a corresponding calf. This promotes knowledgeable culling and breeding decisions by determining which sire(s) are contributing the most (or least) to a particular breeding objective. In the case of correctly identifying if the calf was a result of an AI mating, parentage testing allows for an animal to be registered correctly with the breed association. Parentage testing utilizes several DNA markers to compare two or more animals based on their similarities for the markers tested. Example In the following example two bulls are possible sires of a calf given that the calf ’s dam is known.
the calf. The dam had to pass on a T allele to her calf, and the only sire that could have provided the C allele is Sire 1. In practice, multiple DNA markers would be used to ascertain parentage.
Popular Tests for Simple Traits
Color, horned status and carriers for genetic defects are among the genetic tests available for simply inherited traits. Color refers to determining if an animal is homozygous or heterozygous black. Because the allele for red coat color in cattle is recessive, it is possible that an animal will be black hided but still have a red allele to pass to his/her offspring. If an animal is red, then its genotype for color is known with 100 % confidence, as they have to be homozygous for the red allele. In some marketing schemes black hided cattle are more desirable because of the association between black hides, Angus cattle and Certified Angus Beef (CAB).
Breeds more commonly tested for color status would be Simmental, Limousin, Gelbvieh and composite or hybrid animals that may contain a combination of breeds that have both red and black ancestry. Genetic tests for horned status allow for a producer to determine if a polled animal is homozygous polled or heterozygous polled (carrier of the horned allele). All horned animals are homozygous for the horned allele while animals that have a polled phenotype may be carriers of a horned allele and produce horned offspring if mated to females who are horned or heterozygous polled/horned. Different companies have validated tests for different breeds. Breeds that have tests available include Charolais, Gelbvieh, Hereford, Limousin, Salers and Simmental. (continued on page 30)
Sire 1 Sire 2 Dam Marker A Marker A Marker A A1 A2 A1 A2 A1 A2 C T T T T T Calf Marker A A1 A2 C T In this simple example there is one marker with two alleles (A1 and A2). Using only one marker we can deduce that Sire 1 is the true sire of
Horns and color are both examples of simply inherited traits.
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 29
GENETICS continued from page 29)
DNA Test Results for Complex Traits
In contrast to the thought process of DNA marker panel results being a separate and disjoined piece of information, these test results should be thought of as a potentially useful indicator that is correlated to the trait of interest. As such, the Molecular Breeding values (MBV) can be included in National Cattle Evaluations (NCE) as a correlated trait following methods of Kachman (2008). This is the approach that AAA is currently using. Other methods have been proposed including “blending” the EPD and MBV which is the equivalent to forming an index of the two where the index weights reflect the accuracy of the two components. Yet another approach is to use the actual SNP genotypes to form a genomic relationship matrix that would allow for known relationships between animals based on genotypes across SNP loci. The latter approach requires access to the genotypes, not just the MBV. Combining these sources of information, molecular tools and traditional EPD, has the potential to allow for the benefits of increased accuracy and increased rate of genetic change. It is critical to understand that a desirable genetic test result is not always associated with a desirable EPD. For instance, it would be possible for an animal to be homozygous for the favorable allele for a DNA marker for marbling 30 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
GENETICS
but still have a marbling EPD that is below breed average. This could occur because although the animal has the favorable form of one marker affecting marbling, it may have unfavorable alleles for numerous other unknown genes that affect marbling as well. With this in mind, running a SNP assay on an animal does not guarantee that his EPD will improve; it just means the accuracy will increase (proportion to how much of the genetic variation the test explains). His EPD could move up or down.
The Value of Improving Accuracy
measures of reproduction, it can take a considerable number of offspring to reach high Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) accuracy levels, given that the BIF scale is more conservative than true accuracy (r) as illustrated in Table 1. One primary benefit of molecular information is that it can be garnered much earlier in life (before a phenotypic record can be collected). This knowledge can, in part, reveal a portion of the black box that is Mendelian sampling in young animals. This results in higher accuracy values for young animals, which potentially increases the use of these younger animals in seedstock systems, thus decreasing the generation interval. The equation below predicts the rate of genetic change per year and is dependent on selection intensity, the accuracy of selection, genetic variation and the length of the generation interval. From this it is apparent that if the generation interval is decreased and /or accuracy is increased this will
The uncertainty surrounding early predictions of genetic merit arise as a result of Mendelian sampling. Every animal is passed a random sample of alleles from each parent, half coming from the dam and half from the sire. We have an estimate of the average effect of what was passed Table 1. Approximate number of progeny needed to reach accuracy levels (true (r) and the BIF from parent(s) to standard) for three heritabilities (h2). offspring in the Accuracy Heritability Levels form of pedigree 2 estimates, but the R BIF h (0.1) h2 (0.3) h2 (0.5) certainty with 0.1 0.01 1 1 1 which we know 0.2 0.02 2 1 1 this estimate is 0.3 0.05 4 2 1 correct (i.e., the 0.4 0.08 8 3 2 accuracy) is low. As more information 0.5 0.13 13 5 3 is collected, such as 0.6 0.2 22 7 4 an individual’s own 0.7 0.29 38 12 7 record and data from 0.8 0.4 70 22 13 progeny, accuracy 0.9 0.56 167 53 30 increases. For lowly 0.999 0.99 3800 1225 700 heritable traits like
lead to faster genetic change. [(Accuracy of Selection) * (Selection Intensity) * (Genetic Standard Deviation)] / Generation Interval However, the magnitude of these benefits will depend on the proportion of variation explained (% GV) by a given marker panel. Without the seamless integration of this technology into EPD calculations, we find ourselves in the current context of being faced with two disjoined pieces of information: traditional EPD and marker panel results. In this scenario, it is impossible to directly compare EPD to marker panel results. This is because the molecular scores only explain a portion of the additive genetic variation. Further, some of the marker panel results have a metric of accuracy associated with them. At the current time, this metric is not directly comparable to the BIF accuracy value associated with EPD simply due to differences in the way they are computed. Table 2 shows the relationship between the genetic correlation (true accuracy), %GV and BIF accuracy. Table 2. The relationship between true accuracy (r), proportion of genetic variation explained (%GV), and Beef Improvement Federation (BIF) accuracy. r %GV BIF 0.1 1 0.005 0.2 4 0.020 0.3 9 0.046 0.4 16 0.083 0.5 25 0.132 0.6 36 0.200 0.7 49 0.286
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the is between 0.6 and 0.7. On the other benefits of including a MBV into hand, when %GV is 40 an animal EPD (or EBV which is twice the value with 0 accuracy could go to over 0.2 of an EPD) accuracy (on the BIF accuracy with genomic information scale) when the MBV explains 10, or alone. From table 1, this would be 40% of the genetic variation (GV), the same as having approximately which is synonymous with R2 values 4 progeny for a highly heritable of 0.1, and 0.4. The darker portion trait or 7 progeny for a moderately of the bars shows the EPD accuracy heritable trait. (continued on page 32) before the inclusion of genomic information and the lighter colored portion shows the increase in accuracy after the inclusion of the MBV into the EPD calculation. As the %GV increases, the increase in EPD accuracy becomes larger. Ad d i t i o n a l l y, Figure 1. Increase in accuracy from integrating genomic lower accuracy information that explains 10% of the genetic variation animals benefit into Estimated Breeding Values (EBV). more from the inclusion of genomic information and the benefits decline as the EPD accuracy increases. Regardless of the %GV assumed here, the benefits of including g e n o m i c information into EPD Figure 2. Increase in accuracy from integrating genomic dissipate when information that explains 40% of the genetic variation EPD accuracy into Estimated Breeding Values (EBV). FRONTLINE Beef Producer 31
GENETICS continued from page 31) It is important to understand some limitations in the current application of Marker Assisted Selection. For instance, current marker panels are likely to work best in the populations where discovery occurred, but will potentially decrease in predictive power as the target population becomes more genetically distant from the discovery population as illustrated in Figure 3. The same erosion in accuracy is likely to occur overtime as well (i.e. over generations if panels are not retrained).
some instances, traits are expensive to measure (tenderness, feed intake) or lowly heritable (stayability, heifer pregnancy) and thus molecular information can be of greater benefit. Benefits of MAS will be increased once this information is validated and combined with traditional EPDs. The use of this technology for MAM requires validation of the DNA marker tests and the ability of the technology to correctly identify cattle with differences in genetic potential for carcass traits (yield and quality grade) beyond what is possible by simple Discovery Target visual appraisal of breed differences. Angus Angus Closest relationship As with any new Angus Charolais technology, the cost Angus Bos indicus Most distant relationship of DNA marker Figure 3. Current marker panels are likely to work tests is decreasing best in the populations where discovery occurred, with time. However, economic but will potentially decrease in predictive power careful analysis must be as the target population becomes more genetically performed prior to distant from the discovery population. implementing MAM determine if the end results justify Advantages and to the cost of the tests.
Disadvantages
The use of DNA marker information can allow for early prediction of the genetic merit of an animal before phenotypic records are collected thus increasing the accuracy of young sires and decreasing the generation interval. In
Summary
Because this technology is rapidly changing it is important to stay abreast of current genetic tools and their application to specific breeding objectives. It is likely that the list of
genetic selection tools will continue to expand in the short term as this arena is far from stagnant. Although the goal is the consolidation of information into one of two basic forms, EPD and economic index values, the industry has witnessed several intermediate steps in an effort to quickly commercialize technology that has created confusion. For those who have not yet adopted thirtyyear-old technology such as EPD, the inherent selection mistakes that have been made in the past will only be exacerbated in the future when the accuracy of genetic predictions of young animals is increased. The need to collect phenotypes in the genomic era has not gone away. Having a sound genetic evaluation infrastructure and routine collection of phenotypes is critical to enable the development of genomic tools.
Cain Cattle Company Indoor Sale Facility • Pickens, MS December 3-4, 2012 • 10:00 am each day
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Matt Spangler grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in south-central Kansas where his family still farms and has a cow/calf operation. After receiving his B.S. degree in Animal Science from Kansas State University in 2001, he attended Iowa State University and received his M.S. degree in Animal Breeding and Genetics in 2003. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Georgia in Animal Breeding and Genetics in 2006 and is currently an Associate Professor and Extension Beef Genetics Specialist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Helpful Websites National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium http://www.nbcec.org National Program for the Genetic Improvement of Feed Efficiency in Beef Cattle - www.beefefficiency.org 32 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
Brangus & Angus Female Dispersal Sale
Selling on Monday, December 3, 2012
Selling on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
400 Registered AnguS Females. Over 200 with 50 or higher $B.
250 Registered BranguS & ultraBlaCkS Females. Majority of the Brangus Females will be out of Camp Cooley’s top cow families.
192 Fall Pairs • 170 Spring Bred Cows & Heifers
54 Fall Pairs • 149 Spring Bred Cows & Heifers
DiSPerSing all Cattle Born aFter Fall 2011
Sale ConSultant:
Marketing by:
Gary Bruns • 830/391-0766
gbruns@advancedsolutionsnetwork.com
ROgeR weST 254/434-1095
Preview, Bid & Buy Live Online!
Ted, Julie, Logan and Evan Cain, owners www.caincattle.com • info@caincattle.com The Trusted Brand www.advancedvideoauctions.com
Ranch Personnel Bill Felton, General Manager: 901/494-9626 • David Bass, Wiggins Manager: 228/236-7875 FRONTLINE Beef Producer 33
MANAGEMENT
Restocking the Cow Herd in Drought Areas
T
Producers should be aware of disease when bringing in cattle.
he extended drought in the southern Plains and Southwest throughout 2010, 2011, and 2012 forced the dispersion of numerous cow herds. As producers think of restocking their pastures, it’s important that they have a solid reintroduction plan to reduce disease risk in the cow herd, says Dr. Mac Devin, Senior Professional Services Veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.
“Producers need to visit with their veterinarian to make sure they are doing everything they can to reduce disease challenges,” adds Dr. Devin. “If you still have cattle on your place, and are expanding cow numbers, you need to have a plan to isolate the new animals to protect both groups of cattle.” He recommends 30 to 45 days of isolation before commingling purchased cattle with the resident
34 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
MANAGEMENT
Source: boehringer ingelheim vetmedica
herd. “There needs to be separation so there is no nose-to-nose contact,” Dr. Devin says. “Each new group of animals needs to be isolated to allow for incubation of infectious disease, if they have been exposed. If an animal is going to show sickness, for most infectious disease it will be during the first 30 to 45 days.” Over time, cattle that remain in a particular population, location or environment become resistant
to the disease-causing organisms or parasites present there. As an example, Dr. Devin explains that anaplasmosis is endemic to many areas of Texas. Cattle in those areas have developed some resistance to the tick-borne disease; however, cattle that are brought in that are naïve to anaplasmosis, may become infected when exposed. This may result in adult cow losses or abortion. “Sometimes, the cost for developing this resistance is reproductive or production loss,” continues Dr. Devin. “We use vaccines and other measures to minimize these losses.” As an example, leptospirosis is potentially present in animal reservoirs (feral hogs, deer, coyotes, skunks, opposums and others) in most of Texas. Because the wild animals share the environment with the cattle, there is good potential for exposure. If introduced animals are not adequately vaccinated, one exposed animal in the group may amplify the exposure to others, with the result being significant pregnancy loss. Leptospira prefer warmer climates, so Northern cattle may have limited naturally
acquired immunity to lepto. Therefore, vaccination following label directions is important. Another example that Dr. Devin shares is related to strains of bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) that are in an area. In populations, one particular BVD strain or subspecies may predominate in one area, and a completely different one may predominate in another area. If these two strains are far enough apart immunologically, when one population of animals is moved into another area, it may have minimal resistance to the new strain of BVD. Because abortion due to BVD can occur at any stage of pregnancy, cows need to be adequately vaccinated before being exposed to
the new area. Dr. Devin also reminds producers that it is important to read and follow label directions. Finally, Dr. Devin recommends that producers looking at restocking work with their local veterinarian to carefully assess risk for diseaserelated losses and develop plans to minimize that risk. Those plans may include preventive measures such as vaccination and careful selection of the age/reproductive status of animals to be introduced. For more information on a preventive approach to animal health, visit www.BIVIPreventionWorks. com.
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 35
INDUSTRY
Source: international brangus breeders association
Livestock PROD
Brangus Providing New Selection Tools to the Commercial Cattleman
T
he Brangus Association continues to provide tools to the commercial cattleman to help him better compare the expected performance of Brangus sired offspring to that of other breeds. The newest tools are Calving Ease EPDs, including Calving Ease Direct and Calving Ease Maternal, which take into consideration the weight and shape of the calf, gestation length and breed of the sire. In the past we have only had birth weight EPDs which is extremely important when comparing two or more bulls’ calves within a herd or across herds from the stand point of expected birth weight. But since birth weight is positively correlated with growth, there has been a tendency for producers to believe that bulls with growth potential will also produce heavier calves, therefore increasing calving difficulty.
Calving Ease Direct and Calving Ease Maternal clearly help to identify sires that produce calves with growth potential and expected calving ease. While the Brangus breed has always been known as an easy calving breed, we have also become a performanceoriented breed, which has caused producers to believe that the Brangus calves would have calving difficulties like other breeds that have experienced this effect. The Calving Ease EPDs will be very beneficial in identifying Brangus sires with both growth EPDs and highly
desirable Calving Ease. This should be even more useful to our commercial producers that have already discovered Brangus sired calves have excellent growth with little to no calving difficulties. Calving Ease Direct is a measure of the ease of which a bull’s calves will be born since it is taking into account more than weight (like shape of the calves), and it is well established that Brangus calves have a tendency to be longer and narrower at birth than the British or Continental breeds. While Calving Ease Maternal is equally valuable, it may not be used
as much at the commercial level since many, if not most, calves are terminal and most females never have a chance to produce offspring. However, it will have an important role when commercial females are retained for replacement. As a commercial producer, understanding Calving Ease EPDs and knowing when and how to use them will pay great dividends, especially when selecting easy calving bulls with high performance EPDs. While Calving Ease EPDs have been available within other breeds, it has not been until the multi-breed models have become available that calving ease could be calculated for composite breeds or percentage cattle as recorded by other breed associations. I want to encourage all commercial producers interested in evaluating Brangus Calving Ease EPDs to visit our website or call the Brangus Association office for information on any specific animals of interest to you. All EPDs are available to anyone interested.
BranguSGold International Brangus Breeders Association
(210) 696-8231 www.GOBRANGUS.com
Brangus Gold means you get what you’re looking for... The Brangus crossbred Commercial Female has long been sought out for her maternal excellence by profit-minded beef producers.
Brangus Gold Commercial Females are verified Brangus Genetics.
Calving Ease EPDs can be found at www.gobrangus.com on any recorded animal.
36 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 37
Services
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High Profile x Largent BW: 0.6 | WW: 37 | YW: 57 | M: 13 | TM: 32 | SC: 0.1 | REA: 0.44 | IMF: 0.19 | FT: 0.014
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CALENDAROFEVENTS December - 2012
November - 2012 2
GENETRUST@Chimney Rock Registered Brangus Female Sale
Concord, AR
3-4
Cain Cattle Company Brangus & Angus Female Dispersal Sale
Pickens, MS
2
Louisiana State Junior Brangus Show
Shreveport, LA
6
TBBA Bull Sale
San Saba, TX
3
GENETRUST@Chimney Rock Registered Bull & Commercial Female Sale
Concord, AR
February - 2013
3
Brangus National Show of Merit
Shreveport, LA
3
Indian Nations Fall Sale
McAlester, OK
5
Three Trees Millarden Sale
Woodbury, GA
8-10
San Antonio Farm & Ranch Expo
San Antonio, TX
27-28 IBBA Convention
Houston, TX
10
The Cattlemen’s Kind Bull Sale at Blackwater Cattle Company
Lake Park, GA
28
Houston, TX
10
Hill Country Brangus Breeders Association Bull Sale
San Angelo, TX
13
The Branch Ranch Bull Bonanza Internet Sale
Mansfield, LA
16
101 Ranch & Indian Hills Female Sale
17
101 Ranch & Indian Hills Bull Sale
17
ABBA Heart of Alabama Brangus Bull Sale GENETRUST at Cavender Ranch Registered Bull & Commercial Female Sale
NCBA Convention
Tampa, FL
23
Spitzer Ranch Professional Cattlemen’s Brangus Bull Sale
Fair Play, SC
23
Spitzer Ranch Brangus Gold Customer Commercial Female Sale
Fair Play, SC
International Global Roundup
March - 2013 1
IBBA Convention
Houston, TX
1
International Brangus Bull Show
Houston, TX
2
International Brangus Female Show
Houston, TX
Palo Pinto, TX
8-9
TBBA Sale with ICA
Beaumont, TX
Palo Pinto, TX
26
GENETRUST at Suhn Cattle Company Eureka, KS
Uniontown, AL
July - 2013
December - 2012 1
6-9
14-19 National Junior Brangus Show
West Monroe, LA
20
West Monroe, LA
Brangus Futurity
Jacksonville, TX
Hatfield Brangus
40 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
FRONTLINE Beef Producer 41
Harness Power
of
the
Heterosis
BUILD A KeeP YoUR
Better cow Herd Angus Premiums On the Ranch:
“A Brangus-Angus cross probably gives you as much heterosis relative to Angus genes as you can extract, because you can get the benefits of Cow Efficiency by making a Taurus-Indicus cross.� ~Dr. Dan Moser, Kansas State Univ.
v higher conception rates v environmental adaptability v More pounds of calf per cow v Fescue Fungus Tolerant v Increased Longevity
In the Feedyard: International Brangus Breeders Association
(210) 696-8231 www.GOBRANGUS.com
42 FRONTLINE Beef Producer
v Increased efficiency v Added heat tolerance v Fewer days on feed
On the Rail:
v Consistently earn premiums in
Angus product lines including CAB v Lower yield grades v Research proven tenderness