The 2023 Judging Clinic will be hosted by Darol Dickinson and will be held on November 7th, 2023
CODY BAILEY
AUGUST 4
Great Northern Cheesehead
Longhorn Futurity Gresham, WI
Contact: Ali Mast
715-495-4369
More info: 5dranch.org
AUGUST 19
NETLA Montgomery County Fair Show
Gaithersburg, MD
Contact: Lizz Huntzberry 240-291-1958
More info: https://www.mcagfair.com/
SEPTEMBER 8-9
The G&G Fall Classic Sale & Futurity Culpeper, VA
Contact: Ann Gravett 540-219-9369
Contact: Chase Vasut
Contact: Shawn Pequignot
SEPTEMBER 15
The Legends Futurity Duncan, OK
Contact: Justin Rombeck 816-536-1083
AUGUST 5
Great Northern Longhorn Classic Sale Gresham, WI
Contact: Dan Huntington 715-853-7608
More info: 5dranch.org
SEPTEMBER 2
CTTLA Fall Shootout Show
Location: Wise County Fairgrounds Decatur, TX
Youth • Halter
Judges: David Wars & John Oliver
Contact: Danielle Mershon
danielle@whistlingtxlonghorns.com 254-630-0053
SEPTEMBER 8-9
The Good Life Futurity Lincoln, NE
Contact: Justin Georges 402-580-0209
AUGUST 12
MSTLA Double Down Futurity
Location: Latigo Event Center
Colorado Springs, CO
Contact: Nicky Adams 719-683-8173
Contact: Travis Casey 719-650-5234
SEPTEMBER 3
Top of the West TLA Show
Location: Twin Falls County Fairground Twin Falls, ID
Judge: Justin Sabio
Contact: Shadow Seaman victoryranchlonghorns@gmail.com
SEPTEMBER 10
NETLA Maryland State Fair Timonium, MD
Youth • Halter • Non-Halter
Judge: Danielle Mershon
Contact: John Moxley
crosswrenchranch@msn.com 240-446-9950
SEPTEMBER 22
NETLA Great Frederick Fair
Location: Frederick Fairgrounds Frederick, MD
Youth • Halter • Non-Halter
Judge: Larry Smith II
Contact: John Moxley crosswrenchranch@msn.com 240-446-9950
SEPTEMBER 30
Boarder State Shootout
Eldorado, KS
Contact: Scott Farber 316-706-9400
OCTOBER 4-7
TLA Convention & Championship Show & Futurity
Location: Stephens County Fairgrounds
Duncan, OK
Contact: ITLA Office staff@itla.com 254-898-0157
SEPTEMBER 30
Dickinson Cattle Co, 56th Anniversary Customer Appreciation Day 35000 Muskrat Rd.
Barnesville, OH 43713
Contact: Kirk Dickinson 740-758-5050
OCTOBER 6-7
The Fred Bryant Memorial Futurity Springfield, MO
Contact: Johnny Hicks 269-998-8027
This has to be one of the toughest and most hated jobs of being a longhorn producer. We all have our favorite cows and thinking of getting rid of them is hard. The emotional attachment to these cattle is a great thing but we can’t let that get in the way of making decisions that will improve your herd and ultimately the longhorn breed. This article is my opinion for the most part and the costs that I use are from raising cattle in the western part of the country with very little pasture. I truly hope your costs are lower.
Many years ago I worked for the man who originated the Beefmaster breed and I ask him how he decided what cows to keep. His answer was to the point. “We cull EVERY cow that doesn’t deliver a calf to the weaning pen unassisted”. I told him I thought that was pretty harsh and he said “ We sell some very good cows but we darn sure get rid of all the bad ones”. Longhorns are known for being great mothers so lets keep it that way. Remember that culling is just selection. If they don’t measure up to the higher standard they should be gone.
I’m looking at culling the bottom end of a cow herd. The registered sales and private sales of registered cattle are your income stream. Those cattle are the middle or upper part of your herd.
We all know that our costs are rising on every aspect of raising cattle. From pickups, trailers, and tractors, to feed costs and Vet expenses the cost just keeps going up. Let’s concentrate on feed costs for the moment. Between cubes, hay, grain, and pasture, my cost to carry a cow for 1 year is about $1250. My cost to take her calf to a yearling is $680 so that cow has to bring in about $2000 just to break even. The only way that cow has of paying for herself is through her calf. We need to be raising better calves and culling is one way of doing that.
Cows are your biggest expense and what she produces is your main income stream. Will that cow have a calf that can cover her expenses? If you hold her calf over can the cow cover both her and her calf’s expense?
If not, she is not helping your program and is keeping you from excelling in this business. Remember; this is a business. Let’s look at a commercial operation and see the differences. Most ranchers will sell all their calves right off the cow or may precondition calves for a little while and then sell. Very few will hold back replacement heifers and almost none will hold any bulls back. It’s more economical to sell weaned heifers and buy back bred heifers and you don’t loose that year of taking the heifer from weaning to breeding age and then wait for her to calve. The same is true for bulls. Why wait for your prospect to grow up when you can buy a young bull and put him right into the program. Now let's look at really culling your cow herd. Remember, this is the bottom end of your cattle. Look at that cow: would you buy her if she belonged to someone else? Does she have the conformation, color, horn, pedigree that you want in a cow? I’d say that this is a great starting point. If she has most of what we are wanting let’s go further. Has the cow produced some of the best calves in your herd. Calves you would call keepers? You really need to look at several factors now, her age and how well is her udder holding up. It’s not uncommon for older cows to develop a big teat and need to be milked out so the calf can get started on it. That doesn’t get better. You’ll do the same thing next year. Has this cow ever missed having a calf for you and if so, why?
How about the age of the cow and how well is she holding up. Does she need a little extra to get through the winter or to milk enough to raise a healthy calf? In many areas foot problems can have a huge impact on how a cow performs. Prolapse is a problem that will continue over and over so those cows need to be sold or butchered.
How many chances do you want to give a cow? If she misses 1 year on calving maybe you can make an excuse. If she has a calf the next year you may be fine but keeping her is costing the same year after year. When it gets tough is if that cow is 90 inches or bred out of this world or she was the first cow you bought and the family loves her. I’m glad that’s your call and not mine. I know the correct thing to do but not sure I could do it either.
Not every heifer you raise should go back into your cow herd. They may not belong in any cow herd. The goal is to keep the very best of your heifers and I never try to keep more heifers than the number of cows that I sell.
This will keep my cow herd at a constant level. I’m guilty of holding heifers till they are yearlings just to see how they develop. The truth is, I could have made most of those choices when they were weanlings. I like competing at futurities with heifers because you get a feel for what is out there and if your heifer can compete. It lets you know where the industry is headed. My opinion is to keep about 10% of your heifers back or no more than the number of the cows sold . Selling heifers as weanlings is a good way of decreasing cost. By selling several weanling heifers you may be in a position to buy a real nice yearling heifer that will help bring your herd to the next level.
Almost everyone agrees that there are too many bulls in this breed. The question is WHY and I don’t know the answer but I have an idea. We look at these bull calves and want to wait and see how he develops so now he’s weaned and in a pen or pasture with other bull calves we are waiting on and each one is costing $680 to get to a yearling. Make that decision sooner. Maybe sell all your bull calves at weaning and go buy 1 really nice prospect. There’s lots to pick from every year. If you are going to keep a bull calf to use get some DNA on him and get a better idea of what he will produce. Haul him and compete to see how he stacks up to the other bulls his age. Older bulls that you have as herd sires need to be evaluated every year. The fact is, better bulls are coming around each year and using the same bull for an extended amount of time will slowly put you out of the market. Any bull that you use should be semen tested. Even if you have had that bull and are confident in him. There is nothing worse than putting a bull out and then finding out he is sterile when none of your cows have calves. Along with the semen test a scrotal circumference should be done as it has a direct relationship with that bull’s heifers fertility. Bulls should be culled that don’t pass the test.
Taking cull cattle to a registered sale is not a good idea. Those sales are your bread and butter and you can ruin your reputation in a heartbeat by taking inferior cattle to a registered sale. People at registered sales know lower quality cattle when they see them. It isn’t uncommon to see registered cattle go for very low prices at a decent sale. By the time you pay the consignment fee, commission, motel bill, fuel, and eating out you may very well have done better at the sale barn.
To move cattle quickly and get them off your feed bill the local sale barn is the place to go. I know that you hate doing that for several reasons but it is the truth. At the time I’m writing this, the prices at the sale barns are up and you no longer have them on the feed bill. One note here: Don’t sell them as registered or can be registered. The point is getting them out of production as a registered cow or bull. This will do wonders for the registered business in the long run.
A BEEF program is a very good option for moving culls. Cows can be taken right off grass and hauled to the packer and sold as grass fed and grass finished beef. Most of the beef we sell is exactly that. Feeding longhorns for slaughter is very doable but you may not be set up for that. There are places you can sell light weight calves who will be turned out to grow frame and then fed up for slaughter The ITLA has a committee that deals with the beef aspect of the longhorn business and they can help.
I know that culling is a very hard job but is extremely important for your growth in the longhorn business and also for the breed in general. We have concentrated on only a few of the great traits of the longhorn cattle and are at risk of loosing those other traits that made them the iconic breed that they are. The longhorn breed is depending on you to make the best decisions possible and be able to make money while doing it. As I said at the beginning a lot of this is just my opinion but I hope it has helped you make the decisions necessary.
Mike Metcalfe ITLA Director, Region 4
IT MAKES NO SENSE
Everyonehasheardinthenewsofthe governmentofTheNetherlandsclamping-down ontheirfarmersandcattleproducers.Listento thismessagefromBillBullard,CEOofR-CALF. TheNetherlandsisleadingthewayandthe USAisclosebehind.Watchandkeepuponthe WarOnFood.Every TexasLonghornproducer isafoodproducer.Whenobstaclesseem unreasonable--thereisagovernmentregulation behindit.
Food Security
5
National Security
Engergy Security
ENTER NOW!
$30 OPEN
EVERYONE WELCOME!
$0 YOUTH
SATURDAY AUGUST 19TH @11AM
REBECCA SCOTT OPEN
ENTRIES CLOSE JULY 20TH BUT LATE ENTRIES WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH MIDNIGHT AUGUST 1ST WITH A LATE FEE
PREMIUMS ARE PAID IN YOUTH AND OPEN FIRST IN CLASS IS $60 AND PREMIUMS WILL BE PAID ON A SCALE FOR EVERY ENTERY IN THE CLASS TROPHY BUCKLES WILL BE AWARDED TO THE ALL AGE CHAMPION COW, BULL, AND STEER IN YOUTH AND OPEN THIS IS THE LARGEST COUNTY FAIR IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND WITH GREAT LIVESTOCK, A CARNIVAL, SHOWS, AND VENDORS
Hey y ’all my name is Rachael Martin I am the 2023 Miss ITLA Queen I am a senior in high school from North Carolina and a member of NETLA & ITLA. I love Jesus, family, animals, & kids. I have had the best time representing the ITLA this year and I’m looking forward to all the new experiences yet to come. It has been wonderful to teach others about Texas Longhorns and agriculture while meeting so many new people along this journey Thank you all for giving me the opportunity to represent the breed we love through this special position.
1 Timothy 4:12
Hey y ’all! This past month we had the honor to go represent and fundraise at the North Carolina State 4-H Horse Show. We had the best time working side by side with Miss Rodeo North Carolina (Rachel Gagliardi) and Miss Teen Rodeo North Carolina (Hannah Mennig). In fact, Miss Rodeo North Carolina 2023 and I interviewed each other about our different positions and representing for our associations which was so much fun. We all had the opportunity to hand out ribbons and awards to each 4-H winner and even got to see an awesome class where the kids got to dress up their horses. I got to represent ITLA all weekend at the show while meeting new people and helping out with different 4-H classes. I even got the chance to judge several classes in the art division. It was so much fun to see all the creativity and effort all of the kids put into each piece. Shoutout to Ms Amber for giving me the wonderful opportunity to judge the art. Overall it was an amazing show and we got to interact with so many great people from our state that are contributors to the agriculture in our communities. Can’t wait to see all of you at any upcoming shows and especially our 2023 Championship World show and Futurity!!! See you there!
God Bless,Rachael Martin
1 John 4:16
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
I am a member of ITLA and NETLA I am 10 years old from Bailey North Carolina. I have been a longhorn member since birth. My parents registered my first calf when I was born I attended shows and sales before I could walk. Now I have my own cattle that carry my brand. My favorite thing about raising Longhorns are the people The Longhorn people are great people and willing to help. I also love the cattle because they are such a special breed
Hello everyone,
It has been a busy but hot summer in North Carolina. This summer I am helping my family with hosting 4H summer camps. These camps are one way I am spreading the love of Texas Longhorns with others. I also enjoy sharing the love of agriculture and farm life. Teaching other kids about where our food comes from and an understanding of why we need farmers and ranchers is important to me.
Some of my other activities this month is completing and representing as Little Miss ITLA and Miss Rodeo NC Princess in horse show, rodeos, and presentations. I enjoy every minute of this great opportunity. Happy
Martha Jane “Marty” Morehart-Marcum, 66, of New Holland, passed at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 22, 2023 in the Adena Regional Medical Center following an extended illness.
She was born February 26, 1957, in Elyria, OH, to the late John and Gertrude Brennan Morehart. On September 5, 2018, she married Carl David Marcum who survives.
In addition to her husband, surviving are a brother, John Jack Morehart; sisters, Kay (Bob) McLaughlin and Kathryn Louise Hickman; and a niece, Amanda Raines. She was predeceased by a sister, Dorothy Jackson.
Marty was the owner of High Winds Farms and High Winds Farms Pony Rides. She was a member of the Greater Ohio Showman’s Association. She was known for traveling Texas and Ohio and joining states with her famous trained steer Sancho, used for family and fun photos.
A memorial service will be held in 2024 on or around her birthday. Her obituary will be updated with the time and date once the service has been planned. Arrangements are under the direction of the WARE FUNERAL HOME, Chillicothe, Ohio.
Either Sex 15 months & older
Steers any age
ITLA Dual Registration (2 years and below)
ITLA Dual Registration (2 years and older)
P.O. Box 2610 Glen Rose, TX 76043
Phone: 254 898-0157 Fax: 254 898-0165
Proper fees must accompany this application
I hereby certify this to be a true and correct statement and I request to have same recorded in the International Texas Longhorn Association Registry, in consideration of which I agree to abide and be bound by the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations of the Association and amendments thereto
P.O. Box 2610 ◆ Glen Rose, TX 76043 Phone: (254) 898-0157 ◆ Fax: (254) 898-0165
Proper fees must accompany this application
I (we) the owner(s) of this animal, or authorized agent of owner(s), hereby warrant the information contained herin to be true and correct and apply for transfer of ITLA Certificate of Registration, and will legally defend ownership as represented
TRANSFER BY LEASE I, , (Owner - Lessor) (Address) ITLA Member # do hereby lease this , named (Cow or Bull) (Animal Name)
Identification Number ITLA Number (Brand #) (Registration Number) to , (Name of Lessee) (Address of Lessee) ITLA Member # for the following period: from (Date) to (Date)
Lease/Loan of Sire: The signature of the Lessee may be used in lieu of the owner of the sire when submitting a registration application providing this form is completed and filed with ITLA by the owner within 30 days after delivery of sire to Lessee.
Lease/Loan of Dam: The signature and address of the Lessee may be used and shown as breeder on registration applications in lieu of the signature and address of the registered owner of the dam for the purpose of registering of recording progeny born during the period specified on this form, provided this form is completed and filed with the ITLA, by the owner, within 30 days after delivery of the dam to the Lessee.
Signature of Owner/Lessor
Date
Signature of Lessee
*PO Box 2610 * Glen Rose, Texas, 76043 * 254-898-0157 * Fax 254-898-0165 *
Bull’s Registered Name:
Brand / ID Number:
Registration Number: Enclose copy of front and back of registration certificate
Owner:
ITLA Member #:
Ranch Name:
Street Address:
City: State: Zip:
Phone Number:
Signature:
Application must include the Following:
1. Fee of $100.00
2. DNA type on applicable bull.
3 Health certification in effect at time of all semen collection, including negative tests for Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, 5 Leptospirosis, Vibriosis, and Trichomoniasis
4 Copy of Bull’s Registration Certificate
5 Photo of Bull
Failure to comply with procedures set forth in the ITLE Artificial Insemination Enrollment regulations will be cause for cancellation of enrollment You may contact the lab of your choice for DNA kits and procedures. ITLA recommends Neogen for DNA results. Neogen Genomics 4131 N 48th St Lincoln, NE 68504. Email for Neogen; geneseekinfo@neogen.com and phone number 402-435-0665.
Name of Animal Being Registered:
AI Breeding Certificate
I hereby certify the following information to be true And correct concerning the Artificial Insemination of the following cow:
Registered Name of Cow
Registered Number Brand/ ID #
Location of Brand/ ID # Holding Brand and Location
Name of Certified Sire
Registration # Brand ID A I #
Name of Inseminator Date of Insemination
Address of Inseminator
City, State, Zip
Signature of Inseminator
Embryo Transfer Certificate
I hereby certify the following information to be true and correct concerning the Embryo Transfer of the following cow:
Registered Name of Cow Holding Brand and Location
Registered Number Location of Brand/ ID #
Name of Owner of Cow
Brand/ ID # Membership Number
Address
Name of Certified Sire
Registration # Brand/ ID # A.I. #
Name of Transfer Technician Date on Transfer
Address of Transfer Technician
Signature of Transfer Technician
