Spring 2018 FRONTLINE Beef Producer by International Brangus Breeders Association

A NEWS SOURCE FOR COMMERCIAL BEEF PRODUCERS

SPRING 2018

VOLUME 10

ISSUE 1

FRONTLINE BEEF PRODUCER >> SPRING 2018 Brangus Publications Inc. Editor and Layout/Art Director Peyton Waldrip Administration/Circulation Macee Prause

FRONTLINE Beef Producer is a product of:

Brangus Publications, Inc. P.O. Box 809, Adkins, TX 78101 Phone: (210) 696-8231 Fax: (210) 696-8718

Brangus Publications, Inc. Directors: Brandon Belt, Chairman Tommy Perkins, PhD., PAS, President Bill Davis, Secretary/Treasurer Eddy Roberts, Director Doyle Miller, Director

Contributing Authors John Genho Mark Johnson Raluca Mateescu, PhD. Tommy Perkins, PhD., PAS Tori Perkins Macee Prause Advertising Melanie Fuller Operations Matt Murdoch Emilio Silvas Tullina Wilson Information appearing in this issue may be reprinted only with written permission of Brangus Publications, Inc. LPC Livestock Publications Council - Member

TABLE OF CONTENTS Brangus® Opportunities..........................................................................................................................6-8 Selecting Heifers with Confidence.......................................................................................................10-14 Igenity® Brangus® Giveaway......................................................................................................................16 Carcass Merit and Meat Quality in Bos-indicus-Influenced Cattle.................................................... 18-22 Selection Indices..................................................................................................................................24-26 Retained Ownership: The Risk and The Reward................................................................................30-34 Building a Brand..................................................................................................................................36-40 Carcass Merit Excellence Challenge Program....................................................................................44-45 Service Directory.......................................................................................................................................47 Calendar.................................................................................................................................................... 48 Advertisers Index...................................................................................................................................... 50

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Photo by Nancy Ward.

Visit page 47 to subscribe to FRONTLINE Beef Producer – your source for all things Brangus® cattle, and all they offer the commercial cattleman!

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A NEWS SOURC

E FOR COMME

RCIAL BEEF

PRODUCERS SPRING 2018

VOLUME 10

ISSUE 1

IBBA << A MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Opportunity

by Brangus® for Brangus®

with Brangus®

by IBBA Executive Vice President Tommy Perkins, Ph.D., PAS According to the newly-released National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) in July 2017, greater consumer satisfaction and more rewards to producers have been a product of improvements in many areas of beef production. The final conclusion was a decrease in cattle having hide brands and horns. It also concluded there was an increase in the frequency of prime and choice carcasses. The audit results show beef is a terrific product and the industry has a valuable story to tell. Unfortunately, most cattlemen and other industry leaders don’t really know the best way to relay the message. As a breed, Brangus® cattle have certainly been a big part of improving the quality grades found in beef carcasses in recent years. This has been made possible through the continued commitment of Brangus breeders to ultrasound their cattle for ribeye area, fat thickness, and intramuscular fat. This evidence in further validated on page 31 of this edition of FRONTLINE Beef Producer.

We thank commercial cattlemen, like the Gundy family, for believing in our product and proving the superior genetic carcass attributes of our breed by retaining ownership throughout the feeding and harvest phases. Furthermore, the commitment of Brangus breeders to use new technologies, such as DNA, continues to lead to more rapid improvements in genetic potential of our cattle. I am proud to say that the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) now releases monthly genetic evaluations, which report genomic-enhanced expected progeny differences (GE-EPDs) with each national cattle genetic evaluation. Currently, the GE-EPDs are generated on over 16,000 Brangus and Ultrablack® animals, which is nearly double the number of DNAtested animals from this time last year. Commercial bull buyers can now buy their bulls with more confidence since GE-EPDs are a more precise EPD that combines both performance records and genomic profiles. GE-EPDs increase the accuracy of each EPD, which reduces risk in selecting younger breeding animals. Neogen and IBBA have collaborated to offer the Igenity® Brangus Profiler, a DNA evaluation tool, specific for commercial Brangus cattle. Breeders are able to predict maternal, growth and carcass traits using the profiler. Additionally, use of the Brangus-specific indices allow confident selection decisions for choosing commercial replacement heifers and feeder cattle. The results yield a Maternal Index, Terminal Index as well as a multi-purpose Brangus Built Index to use in accordance to your management needs. The Igenity Brangus Profiler continue reading on page 8

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IBBA << continued from page 6

helps you understand and manage the potential for animals to perform and transmit traits of economic importance. This product allows commercial cattlemen to utilize DNA testing to identify Brangusinfluenced, or Brangus-sired, replacement heifers using a Brangus-specific panel. On another note, I find it interesting there is so much buzz in the industry about moving to the singlestep genetic evaluation method to yield GE-EPDs. IBBA has been using this single-step approach since incorporating DNA into our national cattle evaluation three years ago. We have always been confident the single-step approach maximized the use of data reported on all animals throughout the pedigree. The use of imputed, or predicted from the pedigree information, genotypes from non-genotyped animals also allows us to bolster the value invested in DNA technology by the seedstock breeder. The single-step process greatly improves the EPD accuracy, which in turn reduces the possible change value. As stated in the past, this is ultimately the advantage of singlestep methodology over double-step, or two-step blending, methodology of the past. Feel free to call, text or email if you have any specific questions about the Igenity Brangus Profiler,

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GE-EPDs, locating Brangus or Ultrablack genetics, or the Carcass Merit Excellence Challenge program (page 44). For information about IBBA programs or other inquiries, please call (210) 696-8231 or visit gobrangus.com. Stay connected to IBBA through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube or receive news updates by joining our email list.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tommy Perkins, PhD. is a graduate of West

Texas A&M University, where he was recognized as a Graduate of Distinction by the Department of Agriculture in 2014. He also earned his doctoral degree in Animal Breeding from Texas Tech University. He served as a professor at Missouri State University and Texas State University for nearly twenty years, where his professional career is most noted for excellence in the field of beef cattle ultrasound. Perkins was elected to the Beef Improvement Federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Board of Directors and, also, serves as chairman for the End Product committee. Additionally, Perkins currently serves on the board of directors for the United States Livestock Genetics Export Association, Texas Beef Council, Beef Promotion and Research Council of Texas, and the National Pedigreed Livestock Council. He was recently elected Beef Breeds Council President. Currently, Perkins is the Executive Vice President of IBBA, Chief Executive Officer of Genetic Performance Solutions, and President of Brangus Publications, Inc.

IBBA << IGENITY BRANGUS

Selecting Heifers with Confidence

by IBBA Member Relations Specialist Macee Prause

There is a new DNA-assisted test available exclusively through the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA) for Brangus® commercial cattle. Igenity® Brangus is a genomic profiler for Brangus commercial cattle that aims to provide cattlemen with more confident selection, breeding and management of superior replacement heifers. It permits selection decisions to be made at a younger age allowing the cattleman the opportunity to save money on heifer development. “It allows them to select animals that are going to meet the goals of the operation and see what they actually have and direct their buying,” explained Neogen Beef Genomics Territory Manager Jill Ginn. “Whichever trait they are short or a little low on, they can better select bulls for these traits when purchasing.” Using one-to-10 trait ranking scores, with the three available Brangus indices, you will be able to improve traits in your herd faster. Additionally,

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producers can confirm parentage and carcass tenderness traits in breeding stock and showcase herd quality using DNA results when marketing. “Curiosity more than anything,” Arlie Beckendorf, of Beckendorf Ranch, stated, “I wanted to see what my herd might be producing.” With improved prediction, Igenity Brangus can save you years on your herd improvement goals. Miguel Soto, Costa Rican Brangus breeder, said, “We do believe in our own selection. We decided to use it, because we wanted to have that additional tool. We saw American breeds and other breeds move to use [Igenity], and we wanted to research how it was being used in the American market.” To order the Igenity Brangus profiler, producers must simply collect DNA samples when handling cattle, such as at branding, processing or vaccination. Fast, clean, easy DNA sampling like Allflex Tissue Sampling Units (TSU) are recommended. The

Igenity Brangus DNA order form may be completed online at gobrangus.com/ igenity-brangus, and DNA samples should be sent to IBBA. Approximately 28 days after lab receipt, the producer will receive an emailed report that ranks tested animals on an easy-toread one-to-10 scale for maternal, growth and carcass traits including tenderness, the Brangus Built Index, the Maternal Economic Index, the Terminal Economic Index, SeekSire parentage, and content on how to interpret the results. “Typically, there is no incentive to produce a more tender animal in today’s market, but ultimately we do select for [tenderness],” stated Ginn. “If we do not produce a tender, goodquality product to consumers, they will stop purchasing beef.” “[The tenderness trait] will influence the product a lot but not necessarily the producer,” Beckendorf added. “By providing a better product for the consumer, I would make continue reading on page 12

IBBA << continued from page 10

adjustments, selecting sires that offer the best tenderness traits.” “Little by little, the markets are going toward tender beef,” Soto said. “It is currently a trait not being paid to the producer, but [tenderness] is important to the consumer. It is, unfortunately, a trait overlooked at the time.” Ranked traits include calving ease direct, calving ease maternal, maternal weaning weight, scrotal circumference, weaning weight, yearling weight, intramuscular fat, ribeye area, fat thickness, and tenderness. The Brangus Built Index provides an equal weighing of maternal traits and carcass traits. You can use the report to select which heifers to keep, which to market as feeders, and to identify herd qualities upon which you strive to improve. “[Igenity Brangus can benefit the commercial cowman] through sire selection, if you know what the DNA status is for a dam then you can make

decisions about keeping a replacement heifer,” said Beckendorf. “If I am marketing steers, even though I’m not taking them to the rail, I can improve the [ribeye area] and get a better price, including marketing commercial bulls.” “Our situation is a little different as we are a tropical environment, different from the American environment and market,” Soto explained. “Select for what the market wants and what your environment allows. We are maniacs about measuring all the data. So, we have all the data about the animal’s time from the ranch, including phenotypic, and we use the genetics as an additional tool to better understand how it correlates. It is not the only selection tool, but an additional tool.” Future product developments with Neogen include building a “Brangus Dashboard,” which will allow commercial cattlemen an online area to store and interpret their results.

“The Brangus producers will be able to login to the dashboard and view all their results when they get them. They will be able to compare multiple years together and benchmark the data,” described Ginn. “Also, they can create a custom index [comprised of their herd’s selection traits] in addition to having the static indices. Further, they can manipulate and work with the data for information they want to make decisions off.” “It would be terrific to give the flexibility for us to pick the traits we select for and are useful to our production,” Soto affirmed. “For us, scrotal circumference is a must!” Additionally, IBBA aims to continuously improve upon current products available to producers and strives to meet the commercial cattlemen’s goals for genetic improvement. The Igenity Brangus DNA testing method is a newer technology available to Brangus

continue reading on page 14

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IBBA << continued from page 12

producers that, Beckendorf stated, will “depend on how serious they will be about improving their operations.” Commercial cattlemen continue to desire other DNA solutions, technological advancements, and other production efficiencies. “A critical trait for me is disposition, along with the other main traits provided,” Beckendorf said. Adaptation and heat tolerance are additional visual inspection traits that Brangus producers look at during evaluation that are difficult to measure. “Length of hair impacts our program as it is very hot,” explained Soto. “We need animals that will first adapt then see if they will be able to perform. If they have the performance traits but cannot adapt, it is not useful. A key attribute judged by bull buyers is if there is long hair or the animal is not behaving well in the heat, they will not buy that bull no matter the genetics or pedigree.” “I’m excited the association is taking a step forward in this [DNA] 14 | SPRING 2018

research and offering this [Igenity Brangus] to commercial breeders who aren’t necessarily members,” asserted Beckendorf. “Overall, I would like to congratulate [IBBA] for adjusting and optimizing by staying in touch with the cattlemen and how you can make [Igenity Brangus] better and more pragmatic by knowing what [commercial cattlemen] are looking for,” Soto reaffirmed. “I would like to reinforce how important the heat tolerance factor is for us. [Talk among southern breeders about selection is] shifting toward more selection in heat tolerance. Performance from average daily gain (ADG) is leading the selection programs [Soto’s market]. However, in the American market, I believe [Igenity Brangus] will be very helpful against CAB® or other certified meat programs. This will help define the breed and the potential of the animals.” IBBA has partnered with Allflex and Neogen GeneSeek in sponsorship

for a promotional Igenity Brangus giveaway. Commercial cattlemen who purchase Brangus and Brangusinfluenced bulls at selected spring sales will be placed into a drawing for a chance to win one Allflex tissue applicator, 25 TSUs, and 25 Igenity Brangus profiles. This opportunity will give cattlemen the chance to exercise the DNA and Igenity Brangus profiler process. Read more on page 16.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Macee Prause was raised in

La Grange, Texas. She received a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science in 2015 and a Master of Science in Science, specializing in animal breeding and genetics in 2016, both from Texas A&M University. Her agricultural background comes from her growing up assisting with her family’s beef cattle production, processing, and meat market. In college, she continued to develop and broaden her experiences in the industry through a multitude of organizations and agricultural activities. Macee is currently the member relations specialist for the International Brangus Breeders Association, where she facilitates and manages DNA testing and results.

IBBA << IGENITY BRANGUS GIVEAWAY

IGENITY BRANGUS GIVEAWAY News from the International Brangus Breeders Association Allflex, International Brangus® Breeders Association (IBBA), and Neogen GeneSeek have partnered in sponsorship for a promotional Igenity® Brangus® giveaway to target commercial cattlemen who buy Brangus and Brangus-influenced bulls at selected spring sales. The Igenity Brangus Profile is a DNA evaluation tool for commercial Brangus cattle. Using the profiler, breeders are able to predict maternal, growth and carcass traits and use Brangus-specific indices for confident selection decisions. Igenity Brangus helps producers to understand and manage the potential for animals to perform and transmit traits of economic importance. The Igenity Brangus giveaway prize consists of 25 free Igenity Brangus Profiles for replacement heifers ($625 Value) and 25 free Allflex tissue sampling units and one Allflex tissue applicator ($100 Value) when a non-member, commercial bull buyer makes a Brangus, Red Brangus™, Ultrablack®, or Ultrared bull purchase at one of the following sales. Qualifying sales were determined based on sale establishment and non-association affiliation. • • • • • •

to be drawn as the giveaway winner. A giveaway winner will be informed and announced following sale transfer completion via IBBA’s electronic communication channels. Brangus® is a registered trademark of the International Brangus Breeders Association. Igenity® is a registered trademark of Neogen Corporation. Allflex® is a registered trademark of Allflex USA.

Genetix Cattle Plus Range Ready Plus Brangus and Ultrablack Bulls in Navasota, Texas, on Feb. 24 Tested by Time Sale at Mound Creek Ranch in Leona, Texas, on March 17 GENETRUST at Suhn Cattle Company in Eureka, Kansas, on March 27 Southern Excellence Sale at Doguet’s Diamond D Ranch in Poteet, Texas, on April 14 GENETRUST at Cavender’s Neches River Ranch in Jacksonville, Texas, on April 28 JLS International Winning Tradition XVI Sale in Devine, Texas, on May 5

Non-member, commercial bull buyers will be entered to win with each Brangus, Red Brangus, Ultrablack, or Ultrared bull purchase at these sales. With each bull purchase, the buyer’s name will be submitted for a chance

Igenity Brangus - Confident Selection Igenity Brangus INTERESTED? Contact the IBBA for more information. (210) 696-8231 | info@gobrangus.com

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EXPERT CONNECTION << BOS INDICUS CARCASS MERIT

CARCASS MERIT AND MEAT QUALITY IN BOS INDICUS INFLUENCED CATTLE by Raluca Mateescu, PhD., University of Florida

The U.S. Beef Quality Audit identified low and inconsistent quality as major impediments to improving domestic demand for beef products. Consumers evaluate the quality of beef at the point of purchase with respect to freshness, marbling and 18 | SPRING 2018

color. Consumers evaluate the quality of beef at the point of consumption, where the focus is on quality of eating experience or palatability described by three sensory traits: tenderness, juiciness and flavor. Ability to deliver a consistently superior quality product

is important if the beef industry is to maintain and expand its share of the market. The strength shown by the high-quality branded-beef market in the last few years confirms that a sizable proportion of consumers are willing to pay for assured quality,

>> EXPERT CONNECTION

Photo provided by Mateescu.

indicating that the importance of quality is only going to increase going forward. Meeting and exceeding quality expectations will be needed to maintain or even increase market share. Even more important for the future of the industry is expanding the consumer base. As the average income increases, new consumers will enter the beef market, and the eating quality these new consumers experience will largely determine if they will continue to demand beef. Improving eating quality is critical to convince both habitual and new consumers of the superior value they are getting from the money spent on beef. Tenderness is the most important sensory attribute consumers use to judge beef quality and is a major focus in my research program at the University of Florida. The USDA grading system,

established in 1996, is based on marbling and maturity and is used to separate beef carcasses into groups with uniform quality. In the absence of any other system, the beef industry is using the USDA grading system to determine premium and discounts, to predict the palatability of the meat from a beef carcass, and to communicate it to the consumers. Although the USDA grading system has served the industry well, changes in consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; preferences, limitations in the ability of the system to predict eating quality, and limited consumer understanding of how the system works are some of the problems associated with using this system as indicator of palatability. By comparison, beef is an expensive animal protein and what sets it apart are its distinctive sensory attributes leading to a unique eating experience. Programs to improve

eating experience when consuming beef and the ability to better predict the eating quality level for marketing purposes are critical to increase consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; confidence that quality expectations are met. Management and genetic programs designed to address these issues and management practices that positively or negatively influence eating experience need to be developed. To analyze the relationship between the USDA quality grade and the degree of tenderness, I used a dataset of 3,125 animals spanning the range from 100-percent Angus to 100-percent Brahman. In this data set, 1,378 were BrangusÂŽ animals. The phenotypes of interest were tenderness assessed by WarnerBratzler shear force (WBSF) and USDA quality grade. The WBSF is an objective measure of tenderness,

EXPERT CONNECTION <<

Photo provided by Mateescu.

and it measures the force required to shear a cooked steak in kilograms (kg). The lower the number, the less force is required â&#x20AC;&#x201C; indicating a more tender steak. The USDAAgricultural Marketing Service (USDAAMS) is engaged in designing standards to indicate the degree of tenderness for beef. In this program, a steak with a WBSF less than 4.2 kg is considered tender, and a steak with WBSF less than 3.7 kg is considered very tender. The average WBSF for the population used in this study was 4.49 kg and, using the USDA-AMS standard, 42.8 percent of our animals would be considered tough, 11 percent tender, and 46.2 percent would qualify as very tender. Based on USDA grading system, cattle in our data were classified as 7.4 percent Standard, 44.1 percent Select, 33.1 percent Choice-, 11 percent Choice, 3.3 percent Choice+ and 1.1 percent Prime. Table 1 shows the tenderness classification of steaks from different quality grades based on the WBSF measurement. For example, 65.37 percent of the cattle graded Standard were graded as very tender, 7.79 percent as tender and 26.84 percent as tough, based on the WBSF. The scatterplot in Figure 1 shows the distribution of our cattle across these quality

Figure 1.

continue reading on page 22

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IBBA << continued from page 20

grades and their respective toughness or tenderness measured by WBSF. There are three important points to take from this figure: 1. There is considerable variation in the degree of tenderness across all quality grades. There is a small trend in the average tenderness across quality grades, described by the red line, indicating that, on average, steaks from higher quality grades tend to be more tender, or have lower WBSF. However, it is also clear that, most of the variability in tenderness is within quality grades and not between grades. The tenderness of steaks from carcasses graded Select or Choice, which was the majority of our animals, varied from very tender to very tough. This highlights the limitation of the USDA grading system to predict eating quality or tenderness. 2. On the right side of the graph, for steaks graded higher as Choice or Choice+, about 43 percent are in fact tough, based on WBSF. Consumers buying these steaks are paying a premium, and they expect a high-quality product, but 43 percent of the time, they will end up with a tough steak and, therefore, a less-thandesirable eating experience. This, in the long run, will translate into decreased beef demand, negatively impacting all sectors of the beef industry. 3. On the left side of the graph, 63 percent of the steaks from carcasses graded Standard or Select are in fact tender or very tender. Consumers buying these steaks are paying a lower price, purchasing a very tender steak that will provide a very positive eating experience. This is great for the consumer and will help increase beef demand, but this is an opportunity loss for the producers as they are selling a high-quality product for a lower, or even discounted, price. 22 | SPRING 2018

Although no errors are desirable, from the consumer and marketing point of view, errors may have different consequences. We could speculate that misclassification errors for moderately tender group have relatively small market consequences, because if the price of the product reflects eating quality, as it would with a “certified tender” program, the consumer is paying and expecting average eating quality and this expectation is most likely met. On the other hand, misclassifications of a product with “tough” or “tender” quality may have a greater negative impact on consumers. Again, if we assume the eating quality is positively associated with the price of the product, not meeting quality expectations leads to dissatisfied consumers. This could have important consequences as past experience is a critical factor regarding attitude toward food. A report (SMART, 1994) evaluating the factors contributing to the intent of consumers to repurchase a product concluded that eating quality was the most important factor at 65 percent, followed by price at 28 percent. Unfulfilled eating quality expectations lead to consumers’ dissatisfaction, reduced future beef purchases and lower demand. The negative consequences associated with misclassifications of carcasses with “tender” into “moderately tender” or “tough” groups are of different nature. These errors represent opportunity losses for the industry, as the product is undervalued. Programs to improve eating experience when consuming beef and the ability to better predict the eating quality level for marketing purposes are critical to increase consumers’ confidence and, subsequently, improve the economic position of the beef industry through increased demand for beef products. All the components defining eating quality are quantitative traits, controlled by many genes and impacted by environmental factors. These traits are not available until late in life or after the animal has been harvested, and measuring

them is difficult and expensive. Improving these traits through traditional phenotypic selection is impractical. Genomic selection using genetic markers that account for a worthwhile proportion of variation to improve provide a viable alternative. Warner-Bratzler Shear Force and the intramuscular fat content (IMFC) were identified from an extensive set of carcass and meat composition traits to be the best predictors of eating quality (Mateescu et al., 2016). Those indicator traits are difficult to measure on live animals. An important objective of our research is to develop DNA tests that can accurately identify cattle with superior genetics for WBSF and IMFC to be used by the industry to address these issues. Knowledge of the genetics controlling these traits along with a precise understanding of the biological networks and interactions underlying the meat quality complex will increase the ability of the industry respond to consumer expectations.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Raluca Mateescu, PhD. is

an associate professor of quantitative genetics and genomics in the department of animal sciences at the University of Florida. Her research interests focus on identification of genetic markers associated with economically important traits in beef cattle. Special interest is given to development of genetic tools to improve nutri-tional and health value of beef and understanding the genetic mechanism of thermotol-erance in Bos indicus influenced beef cattle. She has, also, dedicated much of her time to incorporating the latest genomic discoveries in teaching, at both undergraduate and graduate levels, to ensure that the student population is well prepared to become participants in the genetic revolution and informed users or consumers of biotechnology. Mateescu joined the faculty at Florida in 2014 after serving on the animal science faculty at Oklahoma State University for seven years. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Bucharest University, Romania, and her masters and doctorate in animal breeding and genetics from Cornell University.

EXPERT CONNECTION << SELECTION INDEXES

Selection Indices

by John Genho, Livestock Genetic Services

Several years ago, a group of researchers at Columbia University performed a study on choices. They placed a large display of jams in a gourmet grocery store. Customers who stopped for a few moments to sample the jam were given a $1 coupon towards the purchase of one of the many jams on display. With 24 different types of jam to choose from, only 3 percent of the customers that sampled the jam and looked through the choices made a purchase. The next day, the researchers set the display up again. However, this time they only displayed six different types of jam. Fewer customers stopped to sample the jam – 40 percent of those passing stopped to see the smaller display, while 60 percent stopped at the larger display. But of those that stopped for the smaller display, 30 percent purchased a jar of jam. The lesson learned in this study is clear: people have an easier time making decisions when there are fewer choices. We’ve all been in the situation of hurriedly looking over a menu at a restaurant when everyone else at the table has ordered and we haven’t decided yet. When I’m in that situation, I immediately skip past the sections labeled “Veggie Wraps” and “Chicken.” If there is a ribeye steak on the menu, that’s what I order. I’m sure I’m passing over some good dishes by doing this, although probably not in the “Veggie Wraps” section, but falling back to what I know will be acceptable is much easier than trying to sort through a large amount of data quickly. I’ve taken sales price from several bull sales and correlated them back to the expected progeny differences (EPDs) that were displayed in the catalogs. The only EPD that I’ve ever found highly correlated to sales price is birth weight. It’s as if bull buyers are looking at the menu of EPDs in front of them as their waitress taps her pencil impatiently on her pad of paper – in this case it’s an auctioneer, not a waitress. The buyer finally decides that there are likely some important things that he’s missing, but the one thing he remembers is pulling a calf on an icy cold night. He knows he doesn’t want to repeat that experience. So he goes with what he knows – low birth weight bulls – just as I go with my trusty ribeye steak. In this situation, we could learn something from the Columbia researchers trying to peddle jam… placing too much in front of decision makers often causes paralysis in the decision-making process.

The problem with limiting information is deciding what needs to be removed. We have a host of EPDs that are incredibly relevant and important to serious breeders. We certainly don’t want to hide information, or limit a buyer’s ability to sort through what they feel will help them make a better decision. The answer is summarizing information to make what is displayed more concise. This is where selection indexes come in. Selection indices simply merge EPDs together by using certain weights of importance. Usually these weights are driven by the economics of a certain business model. A bull buyer retaining heifers and selling calves at weaning is running a different business than a buyer purchasing heifers and marketing fed cattle on the grid. These different business models result in different weights being placed on the different EPDs, and the resulting indexes being different. These two buyers may be interested in very different bulls at the sale, as opposed to the situation where they both are bidding on the lowest birth weight bull. Selection indices make finding the bull that fits a particular situation much easier. There are some buyers that already have a decisionmaking model that they apply to sale catalogs. They may say that they never buy a bull below a certain yearling weight EPD, or above a certain birth weight EPD. Animal breeders call these independent culling criteria. Many bull buyers remove potential bulls from those they are interested in based on these cutoffs until they are down to a certain number of potential purchases. While this method is much better than randomly selecting bulls, it does present a problem. Let’s say a bull buyer decides he’s only interested in bulls with a yearling weight EPD of at least 80 pounds. This is good in the sense that it helps him in his decision-making process. However, he’s inherently saying that a 79-pound yearling weight EPD is as bad as a 10-pound yearling weight EPD. We of course know that this isn’t the case. Because of this, selection indexes are superior to independent culling criteria. While indexes are a good tool for making selection decisions, they certainly are not idiot-proof. If you had given me Michelangelo’s chisel and a chunk of marble, I could not have produced his statue of David. That doesn’t mean that the chisel was bad…look what he continue reading on page 26

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CONFIDENT SELECTION GIVES YOU THE POWER OF

gobrangus.com/igenity-brangus CONTACT THE INTERNATIONAL BRANGUS BREEDERS ASSOCIATION TODAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS PRIME OPPORTUNITY OFFERED TO COMMERCIAL BRANGUS PRODUCERS.

210.696.8231 | info@gobrangus.com

EXPERT CONNECTION << continued from page 24

produced with it. It means I don’t know how to make a sculpture out of marble. There is no replacement for good, practical animal breeding skills. The best tools in the world don’t make poor breeders into great breeders. As this example shows, producing good cattle is as much an art as it is a science. But at the same time, don’t discount the value of selection indexes because you know of the mess that some poor breeders have made using them. Next time you’re at a bull sale, or you’re putting one on, think about those Columbia researchers selling jam at an upscale Manhattan grocery store; I’m sure they would be flattered to know their research is being used in diverse ways. Think about how many jars of jam are figuratively on display in the catalog. Selection indices have the ability to move us from the large display with only a small percent of people actually being able to use the information to make a decision, to the smaller, more approachable and useable display.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

John Genho is a geneticist and beef producer based in Sperryville, Virginia. His company, Livestock Genetic Services, runs genetic evaluations for multiple breed associations including IBBA, commercial ranches, and other entities throughout the world. He has a Masters of Science in Animal Breeding and Genetics from Cornell University, a Master of Business Administration from Duke University, and a Bachelors of Science in Animal Science from Brigham Young University. In addition to his education, he has spent his life in commercial beef production.

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MEMBER CONNECTION <<

BRENT & SANDRA GUNDY >> MEMBER CONNECTION

RETAINED OWNERSHIP: THE RISK AND THE REWARD by Tori Perkins

Raising cattle is often reminiscent of gambling. It’s difficult to know if you should take the risk and go all in or if you should cash in your chips and run. In 2017, Brent and Sandra Gundy, of Gundy Cattle Company, decided to take a risk, and they hit the jackpot. Retained ownership is on the rise in the cattle industry, and though it means taking risks, it often leads to getting higher premiums for the quality cattle that are being produced. Retaining ownership of cattle past the traditional time of sale allows for cattle to be fed out and finished before harvest. Gundy Cattle Company in Walker, Missouri, began their retained ownership journey and found success with the practice in 2017. The outcomes of the year were outstanding and are helping the Gundy family to continue to improve their operation. Keeping and feeding them longer gives the cattle more time to finish, get fat, and meet their full carcass potential. Retaining ownership also allows for cattle producers to get to know their cattle and to make their herds better overall. The Gundys have been able to better carcass traits of their cattle and have produced their own replacement females in order to familiarize themselves with their herd and its strengths and weaknesses. “In my mind, you need to be retaining your heifers and making your cow herd better,” said Brent, owner and operator of Gundy Cattle Company. “On the other end, it improves the carcass data on your yearlings.”

Brent and Sandra Gundy have been producing cattle in southwest Missouri for 30 years. They started out raising stocker calves and buying less expensive cattle but have continued to build up their herd and are now extremely proud of how far they have come since their beginning. “The last five or six years, we have gotten a little bit more comfortable to where we can spend a little more money on better bulls and stock,” Brent says. “I want to own the best cow herd that I can possibly have.” Since Gundy has begun buying higher quality, more expensive bulls, he has seen a genetic improvement in the herd. They are very proud of the pen of herd bulls they have established, and they continue to look for balanced bulls with a complete

package when it comes to buying new bulls. He considers everything from maternal to carcass traits with an emphasis on sheath design and disposition. “As I’m raising these cattle, I can’t just focus on one trait,” he says. “They’ve got to be a pretty wellrounded bull with good maternal and carcass traits.” Gundy has been purchasing Brangus® and Ultrablack® bulls from International Brangus Breeder Association (IBBA) members, such as Gariss Ranch, Suhn Cattle Company, Schmidt Farms, Platte Valley Brangus, Cavender Brangus, and others. As the Gundys have built up the higher end of their bull battery and improved their herd, they were looking for ways to get better profits

MEMBER CONNECTION <<

for their cattle. They reached out to IBBA Executive Vice President Tommy Perkins, PhD., PAS, who encouraged them to utilize the DNA technologies available and to take a chance on retaining ownership of their cattle. “I remember the first call from Mr. Gundy inquiring about the use of DNA on his commercial Brangus herd,” states Perkins. “After some convincing, they decided to DNA sample all of their herd sires, as well as some of their replacement heifers, to better understand the genetics of the cattle.” Due to some skepticism, Gundy chose to try retaining ownership of some of his cattle, while hedging others. He says that he found success with the practice, but he chose to

hedge some cattle to make him feel more comfortable from a financial standpoint. “I used hedges to make it where I can sleep better at night,” Gundy said. “Some of them I probably hedged too quick and lost some money, but you figure profit into them that you’re comfortable with and pull the trigger.” When asked about the risks of retaining ownership, Gundy says he thinks that the outcome is worth taking the risk and getting out of his comfort zone. The success last year has built their confidence in retaining ownership, and they are going to continue in the new year. “Retaining these cattle has brought over and above what we could have gotten at the stockyards,” Gundy says. “I do think [retaining

ownership] was well worth the risk.” Gundy credits a lot of their success with retaining ownership to the relationship he has built with his feedlot manager and to being familiar with what to expect from his herd. He depends a lot on the feedlot manager and the stockyard itself to help him with decision making, sorting of cattle as they are finishing, and the marketing of his stock. Gundy encourages everyone who is looking into utilizing retained ownership to build a good relationship with a feedlot manager and to get to know their cattle in order to make the best decisions for their operation. “I depend on the stockyard and the feedlot a lot,” Gundy says. “It’s two different aspects of the industry, but they want everybody to succeed continue reading on page 34

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MEMBER CONNECTION << continued from page 32

because they’ve got to succeed or they won’t stay in business.” With the help of the feedlot manager, the Gundys are able to sort cattle and feed them to the optimum weight and grade. Not all cattle finish at the same time, and having the cattle sorted keeps us from underfeeding some and overfeeding others. “Sorting at the harvest end is a huge thing,” Gundy says. “I think that is a big secret to a person retaining ownership successfully.” A recent pen of 25 head sorted and harvested for Gundy produced carcasses grading 100 percent choice or better with a 65.26 dressing percentage. In fact, the cattle had an average ribeye area

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of 13.83 square inches, 0.76 inches of external fat thickness, yield grade 3.0, and 530 (MT30) marbling score. Gundy Cattle Company is a great example of the success that can be found by utilizing new techniques and some good old-fashioned hard work. The Gundys say they have been successful in the last 30 years, but it hasn’t been easy. “The main thing is that it isn’t always easy, but don’t ever give up,” Brent says. “It does get better.” A good animal health and vaccination program is very important if you decide to retain ownership through the harvest phase. This includes a proper vaccination and health protocol for

your cow-calf and backgrounding enterprise at the ranch.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tori

Perkins is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University with a degree in agricultural communications. She served as a contributing author and winner of the Top Sales Award for the spring 2018 edition of The Agriculturist, a student publication of the Department of Agricultural Education and Communications at Texas Tech University. Additionally, Tori has articles published in the Brangus Journal, Gulf Coast Cattleman, SimTalk, Southern Livestock Standard and other publications. She is co-owner of TP Productions, LLC, a company that specializes in feature story writing, video production, web page development, and social media coordination.

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“Building A Brand” was originally published by Alabama Farm Credit. Photos and story, by Mark Johnson, were re-printed by Brangus Publications, Inc. with permission from Farm Credit Bank of Texas.

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NIC CORNELISON >> MEMBER CONNECTION

BUILDING A BRAND by Mark Johnson In Alabama, the name “Lake Majestik Farms” is synonymous with Brangus® cattle. When Nic Cornelison purchased some cattle from his cousin 12 years ago, he didn’t realize he was about to develop a new passion. “I bought my cousin’s Brangus herd without any real knowledge of the breed,” says the northeastern Alabama cattleman. Cornelison already had a number of interests in addition to the farm. With his father, Royce, he owns a commercial construction company. The family also raises hunting dogs and is heavily involved in its church and the community of Flat Rock, Alabama. But he soon was smitten by his new black cattle. “When I put those cows in with my commercial Angus herd, I quickly noticed that the Brangus looked better and outperformed the other cattle,” he says.

Cornelison became a Brangus convert, and over the past decade, his Lake Majestik Farms brand has become synonymous with the Brangus breed, created by a three-eighths-Brahman and five-eighths-Angus cross. Now close to 1,000 head of purebred and commercial black cattle graze Lake Majestik’s gently rolling pastures.

HOT WEATHER–HARDY

To the casual observer, full-blooded Brahman cattle, with their characteristic shoulder hump and floppy ears, are distinctive and memorable, if not a little odd and exotic. Cornelison points out why Brahman, when combined with Angus, yields cattle that perform well for him. “The breed originated from very hot, humid places in the world,” he says. “This has given

Photo by Mark Johnson.

MEMBER CONNECTION << Photo by Mark Johnson.

“They have really done a lot for not only the Brangus industry, but for this entire area. They’ve been excellent caretakers of a lot of land around here.” - JASON THOMAS, ALABAMA FARM CREDIT

them the ability to withstand very oppressive weather when other breeds can’t. In the hottest part of the day in the Alabama summertime, Brangus will be out in the pasture grazing when other cattle are standing in the pond or bunched up in the shade.” He also appreciates the insect tolerance of the Brahman breed, which is a descendant of Indian Bos indicus cattle. “Flies, parasites, and other types of insects don’t bother Brangus the way they do other

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breeds,” Cornelison explains. As a result, pink eye — typically spread by face flies — is not a problem in his herd. Meanwhile, the Angus genetics contribute good temperament and positive carcass qualities to the breed, yielding high-quality beef cuts that Cornelison is proud to sell locally. A few years ago, Lake Majestik Farms began supplying superior cuts of Brangus beef to butcher shops and restaurants in Alabama and across the border in Tennessee, where it’s even

>> MEMBER CONNECTION

This includes 343 registered Brangus, and the remainder in commercial animals. With the support of the Athens branch of Alabama Farm Credit, the Lake Majestik property has expanded to 4,600 acres in northeastern Alabama, 2,700 of which are dedicated to pasture. Alabama Farm Credit Vice President and Branch Manager Jason Thomas calls the Cornelisons “great customers and great members.” “They have really done a lot for not only the Brangus industry, but for this entire area,” says Thomas. “They’ve been excellent caretakers of a lot of land around here.”

A LARGE EMPLOYER

highlighted on certain menus. Customers also can purchase Lake Majestik’s USDA-inspected Farm-Fresh Beef at the farm.

Combined, Lake Majestik and the Cornelisons’ P&C Construction employ 57 full-time employees, making them one of the community’s largest employers. The family has placed hundreds of acres of prime land into conservation easements that will protect it in perpetuity from commercial development, such as surface mining. Cornelison says that in the next five to 10 years, he would love for the farm to become his full-time career. “Working with my cattle and being home on the farm is what I love most,” says the cattleman who, with his wife of 18 years, Chasity, has two children — daughter Paris, 13, and son Briley, 11. “We do more than just raise cattle

TOP GENETICS

However, it is Cornelison’s breeding program that has raised the farm’s profile within the Brangus industry. By carefully collecting data at multiple points during a calf’s development and ultrasound scanning yearlings for intermuscular fat, ribeye size, and back fat, Cornelison has created a herd that displays top genetics. “We sell bulls anywhere from $3,000 to $50,000, and market semen and embryos across the globe,” he says. “This has made Lake Majestik a destination for cattle producers, and we’re often hosting tour groups.” This interest has created what Cornelison describes as “unexpected” growth in the company. In the 10 years or so since he began breeding Brangus on their property, he and his father, Royce, have increased their herd from about 60 cows to a total of 973 head of cattle.

Photo by Mark Johnson.

MEMBER CONNECTION <<

here. Chasity grows and cans an enormous amount of vegetables, most of which goes to people in the community who need it most. We raise and sell German shorthair and Labrador

retriever hunting dogs, and the kids show cattle competitively and love to hunt and fish. “Frankly,” he says, “I consider myself a very lucky guy.”

CONSTRUCTING FUTURES Several years ago, Nic and Royce Cornelison noticed a decline in the availability of skilled carpenters in northeastern Alabama. “The average age of a carpenter these days is around 62,” says Nic. “It’s just becoming more and more difficult to find young people who are willing to learn a trade like that, and it’s a problem. We need quality, skilled people in the construction industry.” To help remedy the problem, the Cornelisons, who own P&C Construction, began working with the Earnest Pruett Center of Technology in Scottsboro and Northeast Alabama Community College to develop a carpentry program to train young people. “You can go through a six-week program and learn how to cut angles, how different materials go together, and so on,” says Nic, who

serves as vice chairman of the Association of General Contractors of East Tennessee. “You can also participate in a two-year program and follow that up with a construction management degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.” “If they are really working hard at it, a student can leave the program and move directly into a commercial construction supervisor position, which could potentially pay upwards of six figures,” he says. Although the programs are still being developed, Nic says he is encouraged by the possibilities. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer some of our local young people another option for a great career,” he says.

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Q uickly Appr oaching!

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DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T MISS: A NIGHT AT THE HOUSTON RODEO, A TRIP TO TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, THE LARGEST BRANGUS SHOW IN THE U.S., AND MORE! For registration and more information, visit gobrangus.com/wbc2018. 41

ENVIRONMENTAL ADAPTABILITY

The International Brangus® Breeders Association (IBBA) invites YOU to “Build With Brangus!” Brangus® and Brangus-influenced cattle adapt well to a wide range of environmental conditions and climates. The combination of Bos indicus and Bos taurus traits in Brangus genetics allow them to thrive in hot, humid environments and withstand parasites and disease better than any other breed of cattle. These animals have proven sustainability among generations. Brangus cattle have also proven, time after time, to excel in climates that vary from dry desert areas to hot, humid environments. Brangus-crossed cattle have a higher tolerance to endophyte-infected grasses and show significant increase in calving rates and pounds of calves weaned over other breeds. Brangus and Brangus-influenced cattle are out grazing and doing their job, regardless of the severity of their environment. and conditions.

IBBA CONNECTION << CARCASS MERIT EXCELLENCE CHALLENGE

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>> IBBA CONNECTION

ADD VALUE TO YOUR HERD.

Brangus Built is the tag that works for you. Brangus Built is the ultimate commercial female tagging program. These tags can raise your profit, set your commercial females apart from others on sale day, and add value to your commercial brand within the Brangus breed. Brangus Built tags come in the form of a Temple Tag or a Z-tag and must be ordered from the International Brangus Breeders Association (IBBA). There is a unique identification number for ease of traceability, and space is allotted on the tag to allow for customization (i.e. private herd numbers). The cost of the tag is competitive, and adopting this tagging system adds value on sale day. Orders may be placed over the phone or online, at gobrangus.com. For more information, contact IBBA Field Service Representative Matt Murdoch at mmurdoch@gobrangus.com.

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>> SERVICE DIRECTORY

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UPCOMING EVENTS <<

CALENDAR FEBRUARY 2018 8 Torch for Beef Sustainability Tour, Tampa, FL 9 Torch for Beef Sustainability Tour, Marana, AZ 10 Marana “Best of the West” Brangus Sale, Marana, AZ 11 Open Brangus Show at San Antonio Livestock Exposition, San Antonio, TX 12 Torch for Beef Sustainability Tour, Jackson, MS 14 San Antonio Livestock Exposition All Breeds Sale, San Antonio, TX 15 Junior Brangus Show at San Antonio Livestock Exposition, San Antonio, TX 23 Torch for Beef Sustainability Tour, Roswell, NM 24 27th Annual Roswell Brangus Sale, Roswell, NM 24 Genetix Cattle Plus Range Ready Plus Brangus and Ultra Black Bulls, Navasota, TX 24 Hunt H+ Brangus Professional Cattlemen’s Bull Sale, Calhoun, GA 27 - 3/3 World Brangus Congress, Houston, TX 28 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo All Breeds Sale, Houston, TX

MARCH 1 2 2 3 9 10 11 17 22 24 24 27

2018 Genetic Edge XXIII Sale, Houston, TX International Bull Show at Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX IBBA Annual Meeting & Awards Banquet, Houston, TX International Female Show at Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX Junior Red Brangus Show at Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX Cut Above Sale, Cullman, AL Junior Brangus Show at Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Houston, TX Tested by Time Sale at Mound Creek Ranch, Leona, TX Salacoa Valley Super American Sale, Bloomington, TX 24th Annual West Texas Brangus Breeders Asssociation Springtime Sale, Abilene, TX Oklahoma Brangus Association Spring Brangus Sale, Ada, OK GENETRUST at Suhn Cattle Company, Eureka, KS

APRIL 2018 6-7 TBBA Spring Sale, Salado, TX 7 Stockmans Choice Elite Brangus Female Sale, Navasota, TX 14 Jacksons Double J Field Day, Bentonville, AR 14 Southern Excellence Sale at Doguet’s Diamond D Ranch, Poteet, TX 28 GENETRUST at Cavender’s Neches River Ranch, Jacksonville, TX MAY 2018 5 JLS International Winning Tradition XVI Sale, Devine, TX 19 Texas Best Sale, Weimar, TX JUNE 2018 16 Salacoa Valley Belles of the South Customer Appreciation Sale, Fairmount, GA

SEND YOUR IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES TO PEYTON WALDRIP AT PWALDRIP@GOBRANGUS.COM. FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE LIST OF UPCOMING EVENTS, VISIT GOBRANGUS.COM/EVENTS. 48 | SPRING 2018

ADVERTISERS INDEX <<

ADVERTISERS INDEX

5K Cowbelle Ranch ��5 Allflex ��16 American Marketing Services ��5, 7, 9, 21 Asana Ranch ��7 Bovine Elite, LLC ��47 Briggs Ranches ��9 Brinks Brangus @ Westall Ranches ��35 Cavender’s Neches River Ranch �� 51 Char-No Farm ��7 Circle X Land & Cattle Company ��IFC Clark Cattle Services ��47 Clover Ranch �� 15 Cold Creek Ranch ��7 Doak Lambert ��47 DV Auction ��9, 17, 21 El Rancho Espanol de Cuyama ��8 Elgin Breeding Services, Inc. ��47 Farris Ranching Company ��6 Genetic Edge XXIII Sale �� 21 Genetix Cattle Plus ��7 GENETRUST �� 13, 15, 51 Great Mark Western ��7 Harris Riverbend Farms ��9 Ideal Video Productions �� 21 L.G. Herndon, Jr. Farms ��7 L. W. Hudgins Brangus ��33 Lake Majestik Farms ��5 Lakin Oakley ��47 Luke Mobley ��47 Marshall Farms ��IBC Miller Brangus ��5, 7 Mound Creek Ranch ��28-29 Neogen GeneSeek ��16 Oak Creek Farms ��BC The Oaks Farms ��5, 7 Oklahoma Brangus Association �� 17 Phillips Ranch ��7 Salacoa Valley Farms ��5, 9, 23 San Angel Brangus �� 15 Santa Rosa Ranch ��3 Seminole Tribe of Florida ��5, 23 Sexing Technologies ��49 Suhn Cattle Company �� 15 TAJO Ranch �� 15 Terry Reagan ��47 Town Creek Farm ��27 Triple Crown Ranch ��11 Truitt Brangus Farms ��5 Wes Dotson ��47 West Coast Brangus Breeders Association ��39 BC: Back Cover, IBC: Inside Back Cover, IFC: Inside Front Cover

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