The Carolina Cattle Connection - Volume 37, Issue No. 4 (APRIL 2023)

Few

on Young

Bulls

on a Successful Breeding Season, by Dr. Steven Meadows .................. page 36

BioZyme News ........................................................................................................................... page 64

Carolina Cooking — Mediterranean Beef Pinwheels ......................................................... page 73

CattleFax News .......................................................................................................................... page 43

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Update — The Beef Checkoff and Lab Grow Protein by Greg Hanes ......................................... page 55

Corteva News page 33

Director’s Report — Spring Forward, by Bryan K. Blinson ................................................. page 3

E.B.’s View from the Cow Pasture — Sayings From Yesteryear, by E.B. Harris ......... page 10

Edwards Land & Cattle Company Named Limousin Promoter of the Year .................... page 42

Farm Credit News ...................................................................................................................... page 67

Federation of State Beef Councils Update ............................................................................ page 45

From Congress to Courtrooms, NCBA is Defending You, by Todd Wilkinson ................. page 54

Have You Herd — Electronic Logging Devices a Concern for Livestock Haulers, by Rachel Walter ..................................................................................................................... page 12

Herd Health — Adding Value to Calves - Vaccination, by Brian L. Beer, Travis Mitchell, Lee Van Vlake .................................................................... page 41

Herd Management — Veterinarian Perspectives from the Birthing Barn - Part 2, by Tony Hawkins, DVM ........................................................................................................... page 13

John Deere News ....................................................................................................................... page 66

N.C. Angus News — N.C. Angus Association 78th Annual Meeting, by Cortney Holshouser .......................................................................................................... page 16

N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council Annual Report ............................................................. pages 37-40

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association News ...................................................................... page 52

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President’s Report

— Debate the How, Not the Why, by Todd Wilkinson .................................................... page 51

New NCCA Members for 2023 ................................................................................................ page 60

North Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ............................................................. page 13

Pasture Managment Systems, Inc. Mile of Fence Program Update ................................. page 59

Premier Select Sires News ....................................................................................................... page 25

Purina News .. page 56

Ridley Block News ...................................................................................................................... page 71

S.C. Angus Association News ................................................................................................... page 20

S.C. Charolais Association News, by Georgeanne Webb ....................................................... page 31

South Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ............................................................. page 14

Survey of Current Beef Cattle Deworming Practices Across North Carolina .............. page 28

The Chaplain’s Corral — The Suffering Savior, by Dave Harvey .......................................... page 10

The Simmental Trail, by Jennie Rucker .................................................................................... page 26

Trending in Food & Media ......................................................................................................... page 30

United States to Host International Grassland Congress .................................................... page 9

Understanding Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) and Improving Their Accuracy Through Genomic Testing, by Johnny R. Rogers & Felipe A.C.C. Silva ..................... page 62

You Decide!, by Dr. Mike Walden .............................................................................................. page 14

Zoetis News ................................................................................................................................. page 34

N.C. Cattlemen’s Association

President SCOTT WEST

489 Panacea Springs Road • Littleton, NC 27850

Vice Presidents

RYAN CLARK

5250 NC 772 Hwy. • Madison, NC 27025

BRANDON BOWMAN

2346 Ann Street • Claremont, NC 28610

JIM LEDFORD

260 Mulberry Lane • Otto, NC 28763

Immediate Past President

BURON LANIER

2877 Piney Woods Road • Burgaw, NC 28425

NCBA Regional Vice President (Policy)

FRED SMITH, JR.

NCBA Policy Division Director - JOHN LANGDON

N.C. Beef Council Director

RALPH BLALOCK, JR.

Beef Board Director - BRIAN WARREN

Secretary/Treasurer - EVERETT JOHNSON

Directors At Large

MATT POORE • NEIL BOWMAN • TODD SEE

Executive Director - BRYAN K. BLINSON

2228 N. Main Street • Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council

Director of Consumer Information

ASHLEY W. HERRING

Administrative Assistant - KIM BURDGE

S.C. Cattlemen’s Association

Executive Director - TRAVIS MITCHELL

P.O. Box 207 • Saluda, SC 29138

Phone: 803-609-2828

Email: twmitch@clemson.edu

Website: www.sccattlemen.wildapricot.org

Executive Committee

President - Timmy Benton

1st Vice President - Joe Oswald IV

2nd Vice President - Gene Crim

Secretary - Carol Hendrix

Treasurer - Eric Seymour

Past President - Roscoe Kyle

William Brigman, Latta • Joe Oswald, IV, Allendale

Roscoe Kyle, Inman • Terry Kirkland, Batesburg

Eddie Evans, Easley • Cecil Eaddy, Manning

Thomas Legare, Johns Island • Richard Sox, Lexington

Carol Hendrix, Westminister • Clay Alexander, Starr

Timmy Benton, Walterboro • Michael Bailey, Lancaster

Bonnie Cann, Abbeville • Ashley Mills, Blair

Drake Yon, Ridge Spring • Gene Crim, St. Matthews

Lee Haddon, Gaffney • Eric Seymour, Columbia

S.C. Beef Council

P.O. Box 11280 • Columbia, SC 29211

Phone: 803-917-1119

Email: scbeef@scda.sc.gov

Website: www.sccattle.org

The Carolina Cattle Connection

Vol. 37, No. 4 APRIL 2023

Sales & Publication Office 2228 N. Main Street Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Phone: 919-552-9111

Fax: 919-552-9216

Email: mail@nccattle.com

Website: www.nccattle.com

The Carolina Cattle Connection is printed on 30 lb recycled newsprint by BN Printing in Benson, N.C.

STAFF

Manager, N.C. BRYAN BLINSON

Manager, S.C. TRAVIS MITCHELL

Editor & Advertising Director CASEY L. HINNANT

Assistant Editor & Proofreader KIM BURDGE

N.C. Circulation KIM BURDGE

S.C. Circulation TRAVIS MITCHELL

Material in The Carolina Cattle Connection is not to be reproduced in total or in part without the written permission of the Editor. All submissions become property of The Carolina Cattle Connection, but we make every effort to return items such as photographs and artwork as requested.

The Carolina Cattle Connection, the official publication of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association and the S.C. Cattlemen’s Association is published monthly by the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association.

A complementary subscription is included with membership to each state’s association. Nonmember subscriptions are $30 per year.

All address changes for NCCA members to:

The Carolina Cattle Connection 2228 N. Main Street • Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

All address changes for SCCA members to:

The Carolina Cattle Connection P.O. Box 207 • Saluda, SC 29138

Director’s report

By BRYAN K. BLINSON Executive Director, NCCA

Spring Forward

Most of us look forward to spring each year with renewed excitement and anticipation of what this growing season will bring. This year, it kind of seems that spring arrived when we are usually dealing with muddy boots, cold feet, and insulated coveralls. We have enjoyed warm days, early buds, and green grass. All of that is exciting, but this column is not really going to be about meteorology or agronomy but rather the kind of springing forward that has long term benefits.

We have just concluded the 71 st Annual N.C. Cattlemen’s Conference, and the enthusiasm for the future was infectious from beginning to end. For those of you who were there, I trust you felt it too. We had the biggest trade show we have ever had, and it seemed that there were interested producers at most of the booths every time I passed through. The educational rooms were full to the point we had to move walls to open up space multiple times. I was worried we might not have enough food due to the overwhelming attendance, but the great crew at the Hickory Metro Trade Center and the Catawba Valley Cattlemen’s Association made sure everyone was full. The final count revealed that there were over 800 cattle enthusiasts who participated in this year’s event.

We kicked off the Cattlemen’s Educational Series sponsored through a grant from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Corn Growers Association with our friend Kevin Yon from South Carolina, who described how he and his wife Lydia began and continue to grow their farming operation. We had been asked to provide information on farm succession, and Kevin knocked it out of the park. We followed that up with many of our own specialists, who went into detail about the basic knowledge needs of cow/calf producers. Dr. Tom Van Dyke, Dr. Deidre Harmon, and Johnny Rogers discussed nutrition, management, and health for cow/calf operations. We then broke out

into workshops where the three of them discussed considerations from weaning to market. Dr. Matt Poore presented a workshop on local finishing, nutrition, and market readiness, and Jack Nales discussed how to participate in the Got to Be N.C. Beef program.

The education continued on Saturday with workshops about vet/ client relationships from Dr. Van Dyke, a meat demo by Dr. Currey Nobles, multispecies grazing opportunities by Dr. Andrew Weaver, a reproduction demo by Dr. Filipe Silva, alternative farm income ideas by Pete Anderson , and additional information on the Got to Be N.C. Beef program by Jack Nales.

Our various committees met on Friday afternoon. The CattleWomen heard from former American National CattleWomen president Evelyn Greene about opportunities for outreach. The Stocker and Cattle Feeders committee heard from NCDA&CS Marketing Specialists Neil Bowman and Will Thompson about traceability opportunities, and the N.C. Forage and Grassland Council heard more from Kevin Yon about the various forage uses on their farm. The Forage and Grassland Council awarded Kim and Chad Woods with the Environmental Stewardship Award and were treated to a presentation on practices they have employed to enhance their farm.

We then had our annual meeting, and President Buron Lanier handed over the gavel to our new president, Scott West, from Littleton. We welcomed Jim Ledford onto the executive committee to represent the Western District of the NCCA. We are looking forward to an exciting year with Scott at the controls. His enthusiasm and dedication will definitely be infectious. We heard from each of them at the luncheon on Friday about the experience of the past year and the enthusiasm for the year to come.

It was at the luncheon that the real excitement came. As we looked out over the huge crowd enjoying prime

rib, it was obvious that the crowd was youthful. While some of the faces were the same as they had been for decades, the overwhelming number of young producers was more than encouraging.

We were fortunate to have the presentation of the Mile of Fence Program from Pasture Management Systems to Wilson County, which recruited 61 new members. This initiative provided over 600 new members to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association. We were excited when they announced the program would continue for 2023.

Another exciting crew present was our N.C. State University Collegiate Cattlemen’s group. They helped throughout the conference and helped to keep things lively in the trade show.

I hope you were able to follow along with the conference activities through our social media posts, which were very

popular. I know a lot of people took photos in front of the new backdrop to remember the 71 st Annual N.C. Cattlemen’s Conference.

I know that I was excited, enthused, and encouraged. We often hear how we don’t have young producers coming along to fill our shoes. This year’s conference proved to me that not only do we have young farmers who are capable and excited, but they will bring new ideas, markets, and strategies that we can sit back and enjoy watching. I can honestly say that I have never been more excited after a conference. Not just because it set records for attendance and participation but because of the overwhelming influx of new ideas, new people, and new enthusiasm.

If you could not make it, mark your calendar for next February so you, too, can get in on the excitement.

2023 Spotlight iSSueS Schedule

Most of the breed associations in North and South Carolina have stepped forward and renewed their contracts for Spotlight sections in The Carolina Cattle Connection for 2023. If your breed is not featured as a Spotlight section and you would like to inquire on any open months please feel free to contact me. Below is the tentative schedule for the upcoming year.

2023 Reserved Spotlight Issues

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Piedmontese — All About the Breed

History - Piedmontese cattle originate from the Piedmont region in northwest Italy, a region that is secluded and protected by the Alps mountain range. This area was populated with an ancient European breed of cattle known as Auroch ( Bos Primigenius ). Other domestic European cattle, common to the more temperate climate zones, belong to the species of bovine known as Bos Taurus.

Thousands of years ago, Zebu (or Brahman) cattle ( Bos Indicus ), which were common in tropical areas such as India and Africa, began to migrate, some of which stopped in the Piedmont region, taking advantage of the natural Alpine barriers.

These two distinct breeds, the Auroch and the Zebu, blended and evolved in the harsh and secluded mountain terrain over the centuries to become the Piedmontese breed. Today, they are truly an efficient animal, genetically designed to produce low fat, tender beef.

There are several breeds from Italy that also show the influence of this Zebu migration – these are the so-called Italian “white breeds,” but the similarity to the Piedmontese does not go further than the color.

In 1886, the appearance of double muscling in Piedmontese cattle attracted

the attention of breeders, who had the foresight to recognize the enormous potential of this development. The first Italian Herdbook was opened in 1887. Systematic improvement of the Piedmontese began around 1920, and a new herd book was set up by the Breeders Association in 1958. The Piedmontese was developed as a triple purpose meat/ milk/work breed. Today, however, it is used primarily for beef production, but some cows are still milked.

Piedmontese cattle are Italy’s most popular breed, and their numbers are growing worldwide. Piedmontese can be found in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Great Britain, Holland, Mexico, Poland, and New Zealand, in addition to the United States.

Introduction to America - The first Piedmontese in North America arrived in 1979 through an importation made from Italy by the PBL Cooperative of Saskatchewan, Canada. Additional importations throughout the 1980s added to the Piedmontese lines in North America. By the 1990s, importation of additional genetic material (semen and embryos) had dramatically increased, and there is now a wealth of bloodlines from which to select.

Characteristics - Double muscling is an inherited condition that occurs

in many cattle breeds. However, it is most prevalent in only a few breeds. What makes the Piedmontese cattle different from the others? It is the C313Y Myostatin gene. A full blood Piedmontese will always carry two copies of this special C313Y Myostatin gene marker and, therefore, will always pass one on to any offspring. No other double muscle breed will carry two copies of this particular C313Y marker.

In 1997, several research groups uncovered the genetic cause of double muscling by mutations in the Myostatin gene. This gene occurs naturally in all mammals, and its function is to restrict muscle growth. However, in the case of Piedmontese cattle, the C313Y gene naturally mutated, resulting in the enhanced development of the muscle. Muscle development in Piedmontese cattle averages 14 percent higher than in other average beef breeds. Most likely, all muscles of the body are affected to some degree, but the muscles showing the most obvious change are those of the thighs, rump, loin, and shoulder. This particular Myostatin gene mutation also helps to provide the consistent tenderness of Piedmontese beef. This added benefit is achieved through the stretching of the actual muscle fibers, making them thinner and, therefore, more tender without the need for artificial means to achieve the same effect.

Piedmontese are generally white to light grey in color, with the muzzle (including inside the mouth), around the eyes, ears, tassel of the tail, hooves, and horns being black. At birth, the coat color of the calves is of a deep pale fawn. The breed is of medium size with fine bone structure. Confirmation is broad and muscular with a medium sized dewlap. The cows generally weigh around 1,212-

1,322 lbs at maturity, and at birth, the calves weigh, on average, from 80-99 pounds. The average Piedmontese cow stands 57” at the hip, while bulls stand at 59” and weigh between 1,700-2,200 pounds. Piedmontese cattle dress out at a much higher percentage than that of other beef breeds. One Piedmontese bull can feed many mouths for months on end.

Piedmontese cattle are docile and highly fertile. They exhibit excellent mothering instincts, ample milk yield, and longevity; often producing for greater than nine years. Calving ease is a result of the delay in the manifestation of the muscling, usually occurring several weeks after birth. Combined with a light bone structure, this results in long, slim calves.

The milk production of the Piedmontese is sufficient to suckle the calf; this is a consequence of the multipurpose selection applied to the breed from the beginning. Some Piedmontese breeders also use the milk for cheese production. The cheeses Castelmagno, Bra, Raschera, and many of the Tome coming from the valleys of the region Piedmonte are produced with Piedmontese milk.

Piedmontese are known for their high feed conversion and efficiency and were ranked first for their feedlot performance ratio by the Great Western Beef Expo in 1991. Higher than average weight gains are common, and in some studies, the Piedmontese breed achieved a 4.44 lbs average daily weight gain.

The breed has a marked aptitude for the production of meat, characterized by an adequate somatic development. It has a good daily live weight gain and excellent adaptability to various environments, even in modest feeding conditions. Piedmontese have a broad and

Piedmontese cows are a gentle, trusting, and a high efficiency breed.

e Special Section f

muscular chest, wide withers, muscular loins, a long trunk, and good muscular development of the rump and the thighs. The carcass contains little fat and has a low percentage of bone; the beef is of excellent quality.

There is a biased assumption that larger cattle breeds are more aggressive, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Aggression in cattle is usually a result of fear, learning, and hormonal state. Piedmontese cattle are gentle giants. They are treated with care by ranchers that employ low stress handling and are given ample open land to roam about, free to express their curious nature. It is a winwin situation as the cows and ranchers stay happy as they build a relationship of trust between them.

Polled status - Full blood Piedmontese cattle are naturally horned animals as stated by the breed standards. However, the common practice of dehorning at a young age is generally conducted.

Body - The medium sized breed is fine boned. Feet and legs are clean, dry, and correct and show good, strong hooves. All meat body parts are long, wide, and muscular.

Production traits - Piedmontese cattle are calm animals with good pasture ability. They also have good fertility, longevity, and calving ease with good maternal traits. The protein containing meat is tender and fine grained with low fat and bone percentage.

General Statistics

• Early maturing and long living

• High fertility levels

• Calving ease

• High feed efficiency

• Climate adaptability

• High dressing percentages

• High cutability

• Beef with lower fat and cholesterol

Beef Comparative - Piedmontese cattle produce carcasses of considerable value which, thanks to the meat potential and the low fat rates, rank in the highest categories of the EUROP classification.

The mg of cholesterol in a 100 g piece of Piedmontese beef is just 48.5 mg compared with others: beef - 73 mg, pork - 79 mg, roast chicken - 76 mg, and sole52 mg. (www.piemontese.org.uk)

Results from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Meat Research Centers Germplasm Evaluation Program, comparing eleven breeds, report that although live weights of Piedmontese were significantly lighter than those of Angus or Herford sires, retail product of meat weight was greater because of the much higher dressing percentage. The unique heritable traits of Piedmontese are passed on in the first cross offspring, meaning that even a 50 percent Piedmontese will exhibit significantly more red meat with less fat and bone. The report also indicates that Piedmontese are an excellent candidate for use as a terminal sire for other breeds.

Additional research conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) at the MARC Center compared eleven breeds of cattle, and the results of these studies confirm that not only is Piedmontese beef genetically lower in fat than other breeds, but it also has the lowest fat thickness, .29 inches, and the greatest tenderness, 11.0 pounds on the Warner Bratzler Shear Force test, of all the breeds in the study. Results also showed that the average Piedmontese steak was almost 70 grams heavier than the Hereford-Angus cross steak (357.1 g compared to 288.3 g), which is expected due to larger ribeye areas on Piedmontese. (www.pauscattle.org)

Piedmontese cattle are prized by top beef producers around the world

because of their unique genetic makeup of noticeably enhanced musculature. The natural occurrence of significant muscle mass while at the same time remaining tender without the need for excess marbling is a dream trait for every chef.

Piedmontese beef is healthier than commercial alternatives and remains higher in protein and Omega 3 fatty acids while being consistently tender with fewer calories. The meat is lean without losing the rich, beefy flavor.

The concern about eating beef centers on the saturated fat the meat contains, but what you don’t hear the media say is the equal amount of unsaturated fat in beef. Contrary to popular belief, consuming red meat and white meat has an equal effect on blood cholesterol levels. Moderation is key when choosing your diet, and no food should be eaten in excess. We eat more oats, barley, antioxidant filled fruits, and fortified foods to combat high cholesterol, but did you know you can still have red meat on a low cholesterol diet?

It is commonly known that Piedmontese beef is leaner than conventional beef, with less marbling. Other important qualities of the beef are higher in protein and lower in fat and calories, but most are unaware that purebred Piedmontese beef is also lower in cholesterol. USDA research shows that a 3.5 oz Piedmontese steak has 36 g of cholesterol versus 68 g for a regular steak. The nutritional profile does not lie. With nearly one in three American adults having high cholesterol, lean meat that contributes to a low cholesterol diet, like Piedmontese beef, becomes a hot commodity.

In the end, you may spend more on a low fat, low calorie, low cholesterol, high Omega 3 fatty acid lean protein that tastes

as flavorful and tender as any prime beef, but some feel that you get more bang for your buck. (www.piedmontese.org)

The topic of whether red meat causes heart disease has been beaten to death by everyone you talk to at this point. Not all beef is healthy for you due to the heavy processing before being presented to consumers. That does not take away from the fact that red meat contains an abundance of amino acids, vitamins A, B 6, B 12, D, E, and minerals, including iron, zinc, and selenium. Relative to caloric intake, beef is the best source of high quality dietary protein.

When you think about it, it’s obvious. We’re eating less red meat than we were 30 or 40 years ago, but the rates of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer continue to rise. Nutrition specialist Dr. Seeman concedes that mainstream media points to skinless chicken and fish as healthy proteins, but all whole food sources, including unprocessed all natural beef, can be part of a healthy diet.

Filets are a certified heart healthy beef cut.

In this tug-of-war between white meat and red meat, the introduction of Piedmontese beef shakes up the whole game while keeping in mind the health of consumers. Piedmontese cattle naturally have more muscle and up to 30 percent less fat than conventional beef due to superior genetics. Currently, there is a wide selection of Piedmontese beef that qualify as the American Heart Association’s certified heart healthy. (www.piedmontese. com/about_nutrition.aspx)

It’s no surprise that grass fed beef is naturally healthier than grain fed beef due to having less total fat and cholesterol. Piedmontese cattle that are grass finished produce beef with five times more Omega 3 fatty acids and two times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), on top of being even leaner and more tender than grain fed beef. It’s easy to taste the difference.

A New York Strip contains a total of 180 cal and 26 g of protein.

Spotlight on piEDMontESE e Special Section f

Piedmontese Today - The Piedmontese was evaluated in Cycle IV of the Germ Plasm Evaluation Program at U.S. MARC. Birth wt. (80.2 lbs), unassisted births (92.5 percent), and survival rate to weaning (91.1 percent) of half blood Piedmontese calves were similar to Hereford x Angus cross calves. The same was true for 200 day weaning weight. Postweaning gain, however, was somewhat lower (2.49 vs. 2.74 lb./ day) and was comparable to the smaller Continental breeds. Dressing percentage (62.7 percent) was the highest of all Continental and British breeds. Fat thickness (0.31 in.) was the lowest of all 27 breeds evaluated in GPE, and ribeye area (13.19 sq in.) was the largest of all breeds. Percent retail product (73.4 percent) was the highest of all breeds, and wt. of retail product (485 lbs) was second to the Charolais. Percent of carcasses grading USDA choice (41.7 percent)

was the lowest of all breeds, except for Brahman (39.7 percent). In spite of low quality grade, tenderness as measured by shear force did not differ significantly from the average of Herefords and Angus. Research has shown that double muscled cattle, such as the Piedmontese, have a mutation in a gene known as “Myostatin.” This mutation is related to improved tenderness of the muscle. Age of half blood Piedmontese heifers at puberty (348 days) was among the youngest of all breeds. Pregnancy rate of heifers (95.5 percent) was second highest of all 27 breeds. Percentages of calves born (93 percent) and weaned (84 percent) for Piedmontese cows were higher than for Hereford x Angus cows (88 percent and 79 percent, respectively). However, the percent of unassisted calvings was slightly lower (84 percent vs. 87 percent). Calf weaning wt. (498 lbs.) was similar to Hereford x Angus cows (504 lbs).

Old Rudera Farm — A Family Tradition

By LARRY STRICKLAND

Old Rudera Farm is a family owned farm going back three generations in Nash County. It was originally a row crop farm consisting of tobacco, corn, and soybeans. After two generations, it became a cattle farm when Larry and Marina Strickland took it over in 1996.

The farm’s name comes from a German castle in the area of Germany that Marina grew up in. We started out with commercial cattle and soon began looking for a niche in the cattle market. We researched many breeds and finally decided to try the Piedmontese breed due to its meat qualities. After producing several meat animals and eating the beef, we were sold.

Now we are still in the process of replacing commercial cows with registered Piedmontese. We currently run about 50 head of 100 percent registered Piedmontese, 15 crossbred cows, and two commercial cows. Our plan is to only have registered Piedmontese that have the double myostatin gene that makes the beef very tender. Marina has her meat handler’s license, and our specialty is selling Piedmontese beef to the public at the Rocky Mount Farmer’s Market, selling from the freezer at home, and we enjoy promoting the breed.

Our son A.J. and his wife Kaitlin, who live across the road from us, now have their own farm under the Strickland Bar Ranch name, and we operate together. They will be the fourth generation to work the farm. A.J. and Kaitlin enjoy showing the Piedmontese beef cattle at the Kentucky State Fair, Nebraska State Fair, and, our favorite, the N.C. State Fair.

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Doing the Lord’s Work on Farm HUB, Inc.

Keith and Bitsy Hoopingarner started their farm, Farm HUB, Inc., in March of 2020 in Franklin, N.C., in the western part of the state with their son Joshua and his wife, Courtney. They raise Piedmontese cattle for beef and seedstock and Royal White sheep for lamb and seedstock. Keith and Bitsy will tell you about their vision for their farm and why they are raising Piedmontese cattle.

The following are some questions asked to Keith and Bitsy about their farm:

Keith, what were your reasons for starting a farm at this stage of your life? “Bitsy and I had moved to Franklin to be part of a church and to help with the church and the community. During that time, as I read my Bible, I kept reading about the land and that God desires to heal the land. So we prayed over the land in Macon and Rabun counties. We then went to Florida to look after Bitsy’s mother, who was battling dementia, and then my father, who had a stroke. One day as I was reading in 1 Corinthians 15, I read verse 46, which speaks of first the natural then the spiritual. It was a “wow” moment. I said, “LORD, are you talking about healing the physical land?” So we changed our focus and started looking at the land, naturally. I had some health trials, along with caring for my dad’s health. In this process, I believe the Lord was showing me that our land needs to be healed so that the plants can be healthy and, in turn, the animals and then the people. I have never read in the Bible about retirement - so that is why we decided to start a farm at this stage of our lives.”

Bitsy, what steps did you take during the health trials that brought you to where you are today? “Keith and I started educating ourselves on eating a more healthy diet. We learned about avoiding pesticides and herbicides found in much of processed foods these days. We started cutting out sugar and unhealthy carbohydrates. We read a book called “The Maker’s Diet” by Jordan Rubin, which taught us how to make more healthy choices with our food. Grass fed and grass finished beef is a healthy choice as you look at the Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio. It has more Omega 3, which is what our bodies need.”

Keith, why did you choose the

Piedmontese breed of cattle? “After months of research studying different cattle consultants’ guidelines and reading numerous cattle books, I made a list of what we wanted in our cattle. Piedmontese checked about all of our wants.

“I talked with numerous farmers/ ranchers who raised Piedmontese. I asked a medical doctor who raises Piedmontese why he chose the breed. He said he had six children and wanted them to have healthy food. He also lifts weights as a hobby, and the high protein, low fat, low cholesterol that this meat offered made his decision “a no brainer!” He said it was the healthiest meat one could find, and the only meat to rival it, not to do better, but to rival it, was wild caught deep sea fish.

This conversation really impacted me. We still hadn’t eaten any Piedmontese beef at this point but found a company in Nebraska, Certi fi ed Piedmontese, that shipped grass fed and fi nished Piedmontese. We ordered a box of steaks that were grass fed and finished. When we received the meat, we had a family get together with our three children, their spouses, our grandchildren, and my dad. Beforehand, I told everyone that we wanted their honest opinions about the meat’s tenderness, flavor, and texture as we would be investing a lot of time and money into our decision on which breed to go with. After eating the steak, they all said it was the best steak they had ever eaten. This was the final check on our list.

“So to list a few of the items on our checklist: good forager with good conversion rate; meat from a grass fed and grass finished beef that was tender, fl avorful and with good texture; good maternal instincts; good fertility; a temperament that would allow close working for pasture rotations; fine bone and elastic skin that are tenderness indicators; dark pigment to combat sun damage and pinkeye; white coat to help with heat stress and continue foraging when dark cattle are looking for shade; high dressing out percentage, availability of semen from bulls that were linearly measured to go with our planned A.I. program. (We can purchase semen from Anaborapi in Italy, which has a fantastic bull testing program, as well as other breeders here in the United States.)

“When we found out that Piedmontese meat was naturally tender, flavorful, low in cholesterol, low in calories, lean, and high in protein, I knew this would be a great help in the finishing of the grass fed and finished cattle for processing, as it would be hard for me to mess it up.”

Bitsy, what does a day on your farm look like? “Because we are only a few years into farming and small, we can be up close and personal with our herd. We check on all our animals, including sheep, livestock guardian dogs, and especially new calves. Every new calf is tagged, weighed, and a DNA sample is taken.

“We do rotational grazing, and our cattle are moved to new paddocks every day with fresh, clean grass. After we check on everyone and feed hay if needed, we make new paddocks. The rest of the day we work on fencing or whatever project we have at the time. Around 4:00 p.m. we move the cows. They know the routine and look forward to their move. Many times they will leap or jump as they come into their new paddock. After moving their water tubs and mineral box, we take down old paddocks, check the electric fence voltage, and head for home. Our mineral box has 20 bins of free choice minerals,

vitamins, and kelp with sea salt, so the cows can get what they need. It is amazing as they know what they are lacking and will go for that mineral. We have finally reached the point where we are selling some seedstock heifers, cows, and bulls and we have beef for sale.”

Do either of you have any fi nal words? Bitsy - “We are very grateful to have discovered the Piedmontese breed, and we are enjoying our healthy, tender, delicious grass fed beef!”

Keith - “We are grateful for the Lord’s help and guidance in this journey. There are many people along the way that have been very helpful. I would encourage all cattle producers to check out Amazing Grazing with Johnny Rogers and Dr. Matt Poore of N.C. State University. I believe that all of us want to see the land healed. I am amazed at the opportunity we have been given and the call. I am thankful that healthy meat doesn’t have to taste bad or be tough. The Piedmontese breed is naturally tender, naturally healthy, and naturally flavorful due to their unique God given genetic makeup. I am thankful for finding out about this breed and now being able to work with them. Thank you all for allowing me this opportunity to share with you about the cattle breed, Piedmontese.”

By DR. MATT POORE N.C. State University

Know Your Plants!

Beef cattle are amazing creatures, as they can take highly fibrous materials (forages) and convert them into a high quality and delicious protein food. Vast acreages of grassland cover much of the earth, and the ability of those grasslands to support pasture based livestock is a key ecological system that all cattle farmers are part of. When managed well, these pasture based systems sequester carbon, improve water quality, and provide other ecosystem benefits.

Many of us grew up learning a great deal about our cattle, including the principles of managing reproduction, genetics, and nutrition. Knowing all of that is critical to managing the animals. Unfortunately, many of us didn’t learn much about the plant and soil parts of the pasture ecosystem, and the success of our farms is largely dependent on how we manage those two components.

There has been a lot written about soil health in recent years, so I will not go into detail about that, but I am a firm believer that the health of your whole system is only as healthy as your soil. We can all benefit from growing more roots, whether it be by planting cover crops following cash crops or managing for deeper and more extensive rooting

of perennial pastures through improved grazing management.

What I do want to address this month is the Plant part of the system. Recently we have started up our educational programming for the new year, including bringing out our plant collection. The collection is generally about 60 different pasture plants that are common in North Carolina. The plants include many we would consider weeds, although almost all of them can provide some level of nutrition. I started the practice of using a plant collection about 15 years ago when we were working on a program to support the renovation of pastures following the 2007 drought. We found at that time that educational program participants really liked having green plants in the room.

I kept the collection in my front yard in Raleigh for about five years, but after it grew in size, our colleague Dr. Sharon Freeman took on the task of managing the collection, a job she continued until last year when I took it back over. Sharon did great work educating conservationists and extension agents about the wide variety of plants that we all should know something about.

The mainstream forages - The collection includes cool-season perennial

grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, orchardgrass, tall fescue, and timothy. Also, warm season perennial grasses like bermudagrass, bahiagrass, dallisgrass, johnsongrass, gammagrass, and legumes, including red clover and white clover. These are plants nearly every one of us should be able to identify.

What are weeds? Weeds are, of course, plants that are unwanted because they cause some kind of problem where they are growing. A substantial amount of weeds will decrease the production of desirable forages and might have other issues, such as some kind of toxicity. Many plants have compounds that could be toxic at some level, but some are truly poisonous. You need to know the difference!

When cattle are moved frequently, many of the plants we know as weeds are grazed better than you might expect. In fact, some of these plants are among the first that cattle find in the new area and completely consume. They can provide critical nutrients and secondary plant compounds to the diet and may be more important than we realize. The collection includes broadleaf annuals like ragweed, spiny amaranth (spiny pigweed), and lambs quarters and perennials like hemp dogbane, milkweed, horsenettle, and poisonous hemlock. Weedy grasses include broomsedge/broomstraw, nimblewill, and Japanese stilt grass. There are also improved varieties of two traditional weeds, chicory and buckhorn plantain. These two are really changing how we think about weeds and are very useful in systems requiring very high animal performance.

My friend Mike Jones from Surry County says there are no weeds on his farm, only a diverse mix of plants with various roles. Some of the plants on Mike’s farm are planted, and some are natural, but he has spent a lot of time

learning about all the plants he has and managing for biological diversity.

Traditionally, we have valued pastures with “pure” stands of desirable forages like tall fescue with red and white clover. You can get that with newly established or renovated pastures, and it is really beautiful. As the pasture ages, it will evolve into a more complex mix of species that is compatible with the management placed on it. Non-planted species (“weeds”) that are especially well adapted and present in the seedbank will gradually come into the stands. Typically, old pastures in our area of the eastern Piedmont are a mix of tall fescue, orchardgrass, bluegrass, red and white clover, dallisgrass, bermudagrass, and miscellaneous broadleaf weeds, especially horsenettle and spiny amaranth. Folks like Mike Jones have stimulated a lot of interest in the study of these more complex plant communities.

A new addition to the collection last year was several species of tick trefoil, a native perennial legume of the genus Desmodium. I first learned about tick trefoil from Mike, as it was one of the species he planted in his native savannah development. I knew that the pesky seeds get all over me in early fall (“begger lice” or “begger ticks”), but I never realized they were potentially important in natural grassland ecosystems in the Eastern United States.

I have a 20 acre pasture on our North Carolina farm that has evolved out of old tobacco land. Once I learned about tick trefoil from Mike, I realized I had quite a bit in that pasture based on my socks when grazing that in the fall. After 30 years of natural evolution with frequent rotation, this pasture has a very diverse mix of plants, including considerable white and red clover, orchardgrass, and tall fescue in the spring. In early summer, the warm season perennials, including bahiagrass

Finishing steers grazing pasture with purpletop, tick trefoil, hemp dogbane, and many other species.

A complex perennial mix including chicory, plantain, orchardgrass, tall fescue, red clover, white clover, and small burnet at Morris Moore’s farm in Surry County.

(invading from the roadside), dallisgrass, and purpletop, start to dominate along with four species of tick trefoil, hemp dogbane, and serecia lespedeza. There are at least 20 more species present, many of which I have not yet identified. I really enjoyed grazing this pasture last year and was very impressed with the way the cattle ate these “weeds” and thrived. I am really excited to get out and see how these plants come on this year.

This time of year is a good time to get out and start thinking more deeply about your pasture ecosystem. Take a nice day and walk some pastures, and think about what you are seeing. What are the species? What is the pasture condition? Once you start to see your pastures as an ecological system that you are part of, you will become a perpetual learner. There is so much to learn, and starting with the plants is a good point. How

many of the major plants I mentioned can you pick out of your pastures? Do you know important weeds that could cause terrible problems, like poison hemlock?

There are many guides to plants available, but an especially useful one is a collection of fact sheets written by Dr. Sharon Freeman that is housed on the Amazing Grazing website. Just put Amazing Grazing Pastureland Plants in Google, and you will find it. These are short practical guides with good photos of major plants you should know.

It was great to see so many of you at the N.C. Cattlemen’s Conference in February, and thanks to everyone who stopped by the booth to say hi and check out the plants! We had a great time and look forward to a great season coming up. Come see us at an Amazing Grazing workshop sometime. I will bring the plants!

United States to Host International Grassland Congress

In 1948, the 892 page “Yearbook of Agriculture ” was simply titled “ Grass .” In the book’s foreword, then-Secretary of Agriculture Clinton Anderson wrote to a nation recovering from war:

“Many of the people with whom I have talked look upon grassland as the foundation of security in agriculture. They believe in grass, and so do I, in the way we believe in the practice of conservation, or in good farming, or prosperity, or cooperation. For grass is all those things; it is not just a crop. Grassland agriculture is a good way to farm and to live, the best way I know of to use and improve soil, the thing on which our life and civilization rest.”

Too often, we tend to take notice of corn, soybeans, wheat, and cotton as they develop and paint the rural landscape, but it’s grass and other forage crops that cover over ¼ of the land area in the U.S. and the world. Privately owned grasslands account for 528 million of our nation’s acres. Grass and other forage lands are as important today as they were in 1948 and before — maybe, even more so.

In 2023, and for the first time in over 40 years, the American Forage and Grassland Council will host the International Grassland Congress (IGC). It will be held in Covington, Ken., from May 14-19 and offer producers, researchers, extension agents and specialists, and others a unique opportunity to listen and talk to grassland scientists, farmers, ranchers, and industry leaders from over 60 countries around the world. The theme of the conference is “Grassland for Soil, Animal, and Human Health.”

The IGC program is packed with presentations on the production, storage, and utilization of forages and will offer discussions of grassland policies, social issues, and ecosystem services. There will also be a trade show marketplace, which will be the hub of the event, where over 1,000 attendees from more than 60 countries will gather to visit with sponsors and exhibitors, network at evening receptions, and view scientific posters.

All day on May 17, participants will be provided a mid-congress tour (included with registration) in the areas of Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. There will also be optional pre-congress tours in the Southern Plains, Southeast, Northeast, and Pacific Northwest regions of the United States. Register today at www.internationalgrasslands.org/2023-igc

E.B.'s ViEw from thE Cow PasturE

By E.B. HARRIS

Sayings From Yesteryear

As time goes along, people who have spent a lot of time outside in the sunshine and thought they were 10 feet tall and bulletproof find out different. Later on, as time goes by, every now and then, a bullet might glance off of you.

Once a year, I go to the dermatologist. They will check me over and sometimes get that little can out because they want to freeze a few spots. I went the other day, and the doctor said, “You have a little spot here on your nose that we need to take a look at.” He took a little sample and then called me a few days later. He said the spot needed to come off, so we made an appointment for me to come back.

On this visit, they deadened the spot, cut it out, and got out the hot iron and cauterized it. I asked the lady who took it off if she had ever branded any cattle. She said she had not. I said, “My nose smells as if you were branding cattle.” She said, “I guess I know now what branding cattle smells like.”

They finished that part and taped a bandage on my nose. If you looked for it, you could see it, but it really did not block

any of my vision. I told the nurse who put the bandage on my nose that if my daddy were here, he would not approve of what she just did. She asked why, so I told her the following story.

I don’t remember the age, but I was a little tyke. My brother Jimmy was 5 or 6, which would put me around 3, but I remember this happening. Jimmy decided it was time to milk a goat. He had seen daddy and the rest of the crowd here on the farm milking a milk cow, so he caught up a goat to milk. I don’t know if it was a milk goat, a bush goat, or a pet goat, but I remember the goat being there. It was a white goat, so that makes me think it was a bush goat.

He caught the goat. I don’t remember if he put a chain or collar on it. I was going to be the milk pail boy. He got an old rusty tin can with the lid cut 90 percent off and 10 percent still on the can. His idea for that tin can of goat’s milk I can’t answer. I don’t know if he was going to feed it to the cat, dog, pigs, or what. I knew he was not going to take it in the house for mama to put with the rest

of the milk.

The objective was to milk the goat. I was to hold the can for the goat’s milk to go into. After a while, the old goat had all of our foolishness that she wanted. She broke and got away from Jimmy.

He was chasing the goat and telling me to bring the tin can on.

While running to catch up with Jimmy and the goat, I tripped over a rock, and the old rusty tin can cut me right in between my eyes on my nose. You know your face has more blood vessels than anywhere else, so I bled like a stuck hog. I went to the house. Mama was in the kitchen, so she cleaned me up and got a

bandage to put across my nose where it was cut.

She got me taped up, and I was walking around the house with that big bandage on my nose right in between my eyes. Daddy came in for lunch, and when he saw me, he said, “Frances, what are you doing to that boy?” She went on to tell him what had happened. Daddy said, “Take that bandage off that boy’s nose. If the rooster crows while that bandage is on his nose and he looks cross eyed he will be cross eyed, the rest of his life.” (I think mama took the bandage off). I don’t know that saying to be the truth, but I do remember daddy saying it.

the chaplain’s corral

By DAVE HARVEY Chaplain, Cowboys for Christ

The Suffering Savior

Psalm 22:1 - My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Mark 15:34 - And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

As we see in these verses, the suffering Savior cried out on the cross

“If you have cattle, pastureland, or raise hay like I do, you need to call Donna Byrum. In 10 minutes on the hood of my pickup, she signed me up for a program that I had no idea about. The next time she came by the farm, she brought me a check!

~ E.B. Harris

as He gave His life for His creation; sinful mankind. The wide chasm that had developed between the holy God and His creation had become too wide, too deep, and too long as there was no way for sinful mankind to be restored into fellowship with His Creator. The holy God is completely holy, and His creation had become completely sinful. The holy God saw this wickedness and evil, and He declared in Genesis 6:5-6 - “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” But not all was lost because with God like love, the Father turned to His one and only Son, and together they made a plan to redeem sinful mankind.

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What was the plan? What could possibly pay a debt so large, so enormous that it called for death, which would be the end of His creation? It would not solve the problems. Death would only end mankind; even if they were evil all of the time, the Creator would still not have His creation to love. The Father and the Son knew that evil, sinful mankind would never be able to pay the sin debt because the penalty for sin was death; eternal death. And mankind has no power even to withstand the deception of the devil, and he certainly would not

have the power to come back to life after he paid the debt for sin. Therefore, the Father and the Son developed a plan that would require the Son to become man and give HIS LIFE for the sins of all mankind.

John 3:16-17 - “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” With the penalty paid, the chasm would be filled, and creation would be restored to the Creator. But the Son would die, and the death that was required must be sure as death could be because it must fulfill the requirements of the holy God for the sin debt.

The plan must be executed, and the death of the Son must happen as a man, the God/Man. The virgin would have the Christ child. He would grow into the God/Man to be the Savior to give His life for His sinful creation. The truth of His sacrifice for sinners would be declared, and all that would be required is for sinners to accept this free gift of forgiveness by believing in His wonderful gift of His blood to cover their sins. The plan was complete and sinful mankind must be told of the ultimate sacrifice being made by the holy Son of God. The Holy Spirit, who will remain with the Father in glory until the plan was completed, will move upon King David, “a man after God’s own heart,” to tell mankind of the happenings of that day when the Son’s blood would be shed on a cross to complete the plan of redemption of sinful mankind. This wonderful plan and the truth of eternal salvation and forgiveness by the gift of the Son would be declared to make it possible for all to respond and believe.

The Son said, “I will go.” The Father said, “I will accept your blood as payment for all sins,” and we are told three times in the holy word of God the depth, the width, and the length of God’s love in Psalm 22:1, Matthew 27:46, and Mark 15:34 which filled the chasm that separated the Creator from His creation. This cry of pain, agony, anguish, and suffering from the Son came as He hung on the cross, naked, bleeding, and battered, as the only Son felt the wrath of God the Father being poured out on Him because of the sin of the world. The sin debt was big, but the price paid for sinful mankind was enormously larger than any payment that had ever been made, larger than any requirement, greater than any sacrifice; the life of the giver of life. Jesus tells us in John 6:48 - “I am that bread of life.” And the bread of life was dying on the cross instead of sinful man. The good shepherd was fulfilling His own words in John 10:11 - “I am the good shepherd:

the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” For He was giving His life to redeem mankind from eternal death.

Psalm 22:1 - “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?” These are the words that were cried out by the Son, the God/Man, to the Father as He hung on the cross. And before these words were cried by our Lord, King David wrote the Holy Spirit inspired words that were uttered in the Garden of Gethsemane, “That this cup, this terrible death on the cross would be avoided if there was some other way, but not my will, but thy will be done.” Psalm 22:2“O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent.” Around 700 years before Jesus Christ cried out in the garden and before He died on the cross, King David wrote these words as directed by the Holy Spirit. The Son had already delivered the nation of Israel from bondage in Egypt, which were recorded in Psalm 22:3-5 - “Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you, our fathers put their trust; they trusted, and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you, they trusted and were not disappointed.”

Then the Holy Spirit directed King David to describe the events leading up to the crucifixion in Psalm 22:6-8 - “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him since he delights in him.” And many years later, we are told by the Apostle Matthew the details of how it came about in Matthew 27:27-31 - “Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him, and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff, and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him.” Then they led him away to crucify him on the cross as we are told in Matthew 27:3944 - “Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross if you are the Son of God!” In that same way, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down

now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” In the same way, the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”

The “man after God’s own heart” went on to describe the results of vileness, wickedness, and the evil of sinful mankind as their Savior gave His life for His sheep. Psalm 22:14-18 -”I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me. They have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. They have pierced my hands and my feet.” Remember this was written 700 years before the crucifixion of our Lord as we are told in Matthew 27:32-35 - “They came to a place called Golgotha (which means the Place of the Skull). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall, but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. “They divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

Jesus Christ, the God/Man, had given His life to pay a debt that was not His, and He was utterly spent as water poured upon the earth. His heart failed

Him, the body of the God/Man had given all, and He had no more firmness than water. The enormous weight of the sins of mankind pulverized the body of the Son of God, and His whole being was made a blood sacrifice, like an offering being poured out upon the altar. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He had been a fountain of tears, and His sweat was as drops of blood, and before He was nailed to the cross, He was beaten; and now on the cross, He was naked, raw and bloody. Hanging on the cross, His strength was gone, completely exhausted. The fountain of life had become the gutter of death because of us. Because of the sins of mankind, and the forsaken Son of God cried out in Psalm 22:1 - “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Why have you, my Father, left me to hang here in front of all of these people that I created; why? God the Father turned His face from the Son because, at that time, the Son was covered with our sins. The Father was looking at us with love because the Son had our sins, and the Son could sense even in His suffering that the Father had looked away from Him. The Father had taken His eyes of love from the Son and was looking at sinful mankind with pure love from the God of Love.

And all we have to do is believe because Jesus paid it all! Would you bow before the Father, the Holy Son, in the strength of the Holy Spirit and thank Him for His suffering this Easter season? In Jesus’s name, Amen.

By RACHEL WALTER N.C. State University -- ANS 402 Beef Management

Electronic Logging Devices a Concern for Livestock Haulers

What are Electronic Logging Devices? An electronic logging device (ELD) is a piece of technology used to record driving time for commercial motor vehicles. The device plugs into a vehicle’s onboard diagnostics port and captures data on the vehicle, such as engine, location, speed, and miles driven (Figure 1). The main use of ELDs is to record hours of service (HOS), the number of hours a commercial driver spends driving per day, and how many hours they have driven each week 7. The federal government regulates HOS and therefore requires many commercial fleets to have an ELD system for this reason. In 2018, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration4,5 ruled that any commercial driver who is required to maintain records of duty status must have an electronic logging device (ELD) installed in their vehicle. According to the FMCSA, livestock haulers are considered commercial drivers if they are using a vehicle for business use. In addition, a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is required for livestock haulers whose truck weighs over 26,000 pounds, even if the truck is being used for personal reasons. In all, the majority of livestock haulers are classified as commercial if they are using their vehicle to make money in any way.

Why are ELDs being required?

According to the FMCSA, the HOS rules and regulations “allow a driver a period

of 14 consecutive hours in which to drive up to 11 hours after being off duty for 10 or more consecutive hours.” The reason for this is the FMCSA wants to try and prevent car accidents due to driver fatigue. Overall, ELDs are now required to properly monitor HOS and promote highway safety.

Prior to ELDs, many drivers would use paper logs to record their driving hours. However, these logs could be manipulated and falsified. Unlike most jobs, truck drivers are not paid for the hours they work. Instead, they are paid for the miles they drive. Say, for example, they are held up at a loading dock for longer than anticipated, and those hours they spend waiting for their truck to be loaded still count towards their HOS. However, they are not compensated for that time. They didn’t clock any miles. As a result, many drivers would try to make up their driving miles by exceeding their HOS1.

Why are ELDs a challenge for livestock haulers? Electronic Logging Devices are a challenge for livestock haulers because if a driver exceeds their HOS, they are forced to take a break.

Scott VanderWal, who is the South Dakota Farm Bureau President, has concerns about the ELD regulations, “We have a living, breathing animal in the back of these trucks. [Drivers] can’t stop for eight hours on the side of the road”, he said1. Unlike a driver hauling a truck full of school supplies, the driver having to rest means that animals are confined in the trailer for longer than necessary. The risk associated with prolonged confinement includes increased stress, increased risk of disease, and increased risk of injury.

The alternative to leaving animals on the truck while the driver takes a break is to unload the animals while the trucker rests. However, this alternative is not practical because of three major reasons.

The first is that truckers drive alone and do not have the ability to unload and reload livestock on their own. The second is that transportation companies would

then have to find temporary housing along their trucking routes for animals to safely be held while the driver rests. The third, and possibly most concerning, is co-mingling of any species of livestock could create animal health issues 6 Livestock producers, many of which are small and struggle to gain the attention of legislators, such as Congresswoman Spanberger, have fought to voice these challenges (Figure 2).

How do ELDs impact producers/ consumers? Not only do ELDs mandates affect the entire supply chain for producers, but they also affect consumers. Consumers care about animal welfare. If drivers are forced to stop on the side of the road with their livestock penned up in their trailer, consumer confidence in our meat industry would drop drastically. The unloading and reloading of cattle are a biosecurity and human/animal safety risk, which also decreases consumer confidence in the safety of their meat6

What has been done to exempt the livestock industry? In May 2018, the Department of Transportation (DOT) first issued an exception from any distancelogging requirement for truckers hauling livestock within a 150 air mile radius of where the livestock was to be loaded and unloaded. Once the driver hits 150 miles, they had to start recording their HOS. However, this partial solution still did not help the livestock industry, as many drivers travel well beyond 150 miles. By December 2018, the FMCSA ruled that transporters of livestock and insects are not required to have an ELD. The statutory exemption will remain in place until further notice, and drivers do not need to carry any documentation regarding this exemption.

What are other alternatives for livestock haulers? The FMCSA has good intentions by wanting to keep truck drivers and other drivers on the road and the livestock that is being transported safe. However, stopping or unloading and reloading livestock is not a viable

option. One alternative would be to have stop points where drivers change out. This would keep the livestock moving but would allow drivers to uphold their HOS. In conclusion, the livestock industry is going to have to continue to fight to gain permeant legislation against the use of ELDs. Shipping a truckload of toilet paper is not the same as shipping a truckload of animals, and legislation needs to reflect that.

References

1Scott VanderWal. Electronic logging device rule could hurt livestock industry. (2020, February 13) Retrieved March 1, 2022, from www.agweek.com

2Figure 1: Eld integration graphic 2020. (2020, May 7) Retrieved March 1, 2022, from www.assetworks.com

3Figure 2: Spanberger, R. A. (2019, April 11) After listening to Cattlemen & Livestock Transporters in my district, I called for a one year delay of ELD regulation implementation.Retrieved March 1, 2022, from www.twitter.com

4FMCSA (2018) Livestock and insect haulers. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from www.fmcsa.dot.gov

5 FMCSA (2020) Regulatory guidance: Transportation of agricultural commodities, including livestock. Retrieved April 2, 2022, from www.fmcsa. dot.gov

6Protect the Harvest (2022) How the ELD mandate will affect animal welfare. Retrieved April 2, 2022, from www. protecttheharvest.com

7U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy (2019, March 28). Electronic logging device and hours of service rules for livestock drivers. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from advocacy. sba.gov

Have You Herd articles written as a portion of the ANS 402 Beef Management course requirement at N.C. State University Department of Animal Science. The opinions of Rachel Walter are not necessarily those of N.C. State University or Dr. Carrie Pickworth.

Figure 2: Propaganda for Legislation to change ELD requirements for livestock haulers3

Figure 1. Functions of an ELD2

Herd ManageMent

By TONY HAWKINS, DVM, Valley Vet Supply

Veterinarian Perspectives from the Birthing Barn — Part 2

Is ‘this’ normal?

Ideally, labor goes off without a hitch, and you have a healthy calf, foal, kid, or lamb on the ground within about an hour of the labor process starting. If you read Part 1, when we discussed readiness prep and what to have on hand, you already have a relationship established with your veterinarian and their contact information handy. Now, here are five signs of trouble to watch for; remember to phone your veterinarian right away should you need immediate assistance that you’re uncomfortable performing yourself.

1. You don’t see what you should see coming. The way any of these species should come into the world is kind of like how a diver dives into the water. Normal presentation would be that they have their front legs forward and kind of together, with the head propped down in between their front legs. You should see two hooves coming, and the hooves should be pointed down toward the ground. If you’re seeing progress, but only one foot is coming out, that probably means that the elbow or the shoulder is getting caught, and it’s not going to be able to come out on its own. If this is the case, you’ll have to try to help provide some traction to get that second leg out. Trouble is on the horizon if, at first, you see hooves that are pointed upward or even a tail – anything that doesn’t resemble normal presentation. In this scenario, that animal needs to be examined right away.

2. It’s not progressing as it should. If you see what you should, but the progress that you expect is not being made, then

you need to examine that animal. A general guideline for most species is 30 minutes. If you’re not seeing any noticeable improvement or advancement within that 30 minute timeframe, then you need to have a veterinarian examine them, see what’s going on, and maybe even help deliver that animal. About 45 minutes to an hour is usually the average time for a delivery. The main thing here is making sure they continue to make noticeable progress.

3. The baby will not nurse. Depending on if the animal nurses or not, within four hours of being born, we might have to tube them to get colostrum into their system. When tubing, keep in mind that the windpipe and esophagus are next to each other; the esophagus is on the left side of the throat. To make sure it’s going into the esophagus, slowly pass the tube to avoid any damage – never force it –and reach along the outside of the neck and feel for it to pass before administering the colostrum replacer. Keep in mind there are colostrum supplements and colostrum replacers. There is a difference, and it’s a good idea to have both on hand in case of circumstances like this. Colostrum replacers have roughly double the level of antibodies in them compared with colostrum supplements. As you may remember from Part 1, colostrum products come from hyperimmunized animals, and they don’t immunize goats, cattle, and horses against the same disease risks. Therefore, it’s important to choose a species specific colostrum replacer or serum replacement.

4. The momma rejects the baby.

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There is a slim likelihood that she will reject the baby. And if she does, do your best to keep working with her and helping them to nurse. It may take a couple of weeks helping to facilitate that nursing, which can certainly be frustrating and not fun for anybody, but as long as you keep working with her and helping them to nurse, it’s pretty likely that she will end up accepting them.

5. An umbilical cord infection occurs. Umbilical cord infections occur when bacteria are picked up in the environment. It’s important to use iodine for disinfecting the umbilical stump, and the easiest way I have found to do this is to use a spray bottle instead of using a cup and dipping it. It is not recommended to cut the cord because those vessels

have to pull apart and stretch to contract down. If we cut it, then we can have some bleeding issues. Typically, the cord falls off on its own. Now, there’s some debate on whether to clamp or tie off that cord. My opinion on it is if you see the animal born and you can immediately disinfect it, I think it’s a good idea to tie off that umbilical stump. This said, if you’re unable to do that within the first three to four hours of life, then don’t do it. This is because if there’s any contamination up there, you’re going to trap it in, which increases infection risk.

I hope that time in the birthing barn is uneventful and, if not, this information helps you and your animals should trouble ever present itself. Continue learning at ValleyVet.com

N.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices for the Month of FEBRUARY 2023

Cattle Receipts: 15,730 • Previous Month: 17,461

Feeder supply - 25% steers • 45% heifers • 28% bulls FEEDER

You Decide!

By DR. MIKE WALDEN William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor Emeritus N.C. State University

You Decide: Is the Labor Market Returning to Normal? After inflation, the labor market shortage has probably been the top story of the past two years. Many businesses have struggled to find workers, despite increasing starting pay. The number of open jobs outnumbers jobless individuals, and a large number of people who could be working haven’t taken a job.

The latest national jobs report for January suggests some of these concerns may be improving. The number of non-farm jobs added at businesses exceeded half a million, almost double the December number and the highest since last February. The labor force participation rate, which measures the number of people working or looking for work as a percentage of those who could work, was at its highest since the pandemic.

Yet maybe the most interesting change is inside the aggregate numbers. After a surge in tech jobs between 2019 and mid-2022, many tech companies are cutting jobs as they worry about a possible recession. At the same time, however, industries that were having trouble finding workers – like restaurants and personal services – have had better success in recent months. For example, the hospitality and leisure sector, which includes restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues, added 44 percent more employees in January compared to their monthly average in 2022.

Some may read these recent results as meaning the job market is returning to what it was before COVID-19 hit. This may be a stretch. Although the number of job openings per unemployed person has edged down to 1.7 – from a high of over 2 – it is still much greater than the 1.2 jobs per jobless person before the pandemic.

Also, because the economy has enjoyed good growth in the last two years, the standard for employment shouldn’t necessarily be the numbers from early 2020. Between 2019 and 2022, economic growth exceeded employment growth by a significant margin in both the nation as well as in North Carolina. In short, employment has not kept up with economic output.

There are also long term trends to recognize. It is common to hear that the labor force participation rate has improved, but it is still less than the rate before COVID-19. Many are expecting the rate to eventually reach earlier levels.

It may not, however, because labor force participation in the country has been declining for several decades.

Between 2001 and 2011, the labor force participation rate fell 2.7 percentage points. Between 2011 and 2021, it fell another 2.5 percentage points, and it’s expected to drop another 1.6 percentage points between 2021 and 2031.

There are several factors behind these reductions: an aging population, a jump in retirements, a declining birthrate, more young people spending additional time in school and delaying their entry into the workforce, and a rethinking of the worklife balance for many households.

Hence, what has been happening in the labor force is not all related to COVID-19. The natural reallocation of jobs as the economy changes, and shifts in demographic and societal factors, significantly impact the workforce.

Still, if we don’t have enough individuals to do the work needed in the economy, what are we going to do? There are many possible answers.

One is to improve worker productivity. This means getting more output from each worker. Usually, this is accomplished by matching workers with technology or machinery that allows them to accomplish more in the same time period. Some industries are well suited to do this – manufacturing is a good candidate.

Others aren’t. Productivity improvements in the construction industry have lagged behind most industries because there are often unique factors at sites preventing the use of mass produced inputs. For example, walls for buildings can be mass produced in factories and then shipped to construction sites. But concrete poured foundations are often not perfectly level and thereby are not a viable match for precisely leveled factory built walls.

Another tactic is to expose young people to possible careers much earlier

than their late teens or early 20s. A program in North Carolina is using specially equipped trucks containing virtual reality machines to give middle school and high school students “virtually real” exposure to trades like plumbing, welding, carpentry, and brick laying – all occupations in need of new workers. By using the machines, students sense they are actually performing the work, and many become very excited. Backers of the program hope it will motivate more students to pursue careers in construction.

Many companies are finding they must offer greater flexibility to workers in order to improve their success in hiring. Flexibility includes more options for remote work, greater sensitivity to the needs of children and families, and

training opportunities within the company that can improve promotion possibilities.

The conclusion is that the changes we are seeing in the labor market are not all due to the pandemic. Many would have eventually happened without the pandemic. They are part of our ever changing economy.

It is ironic – at least to me – that today’s concern about a labor shortage is exactly the opposite of the prevailing concern less than a decade ago about a possible emerging labor surplus. This was at a time when labor-saving technology was beginning to emerge. There were worries the typical unemployment rate could hit 20 percent.

How times and concerns have changed in less than a decade, but one

S.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices for the Month of FEBRUARY 2023

Cattle

lesson of history is that change usually is the norm. So, can we really define a “normal” labor market? You decide.

You Decide: Will North Carolina Be The New Leader In Energy?

Although there are debates about the speed and details, it is clear that an energy transition is taking place. Not unlike the transition from animal powered energy to fossil fuel derived energy, it will cause massive changes in the economy, creating opportunities for new businesses, as well as downsizing — and sometimes extinction — in other businesses.

North Carolina’s transition is already underway. Solar generated energy is becoming more significant each year, and plans for offshore wind based energy were recently announced.

Yet a corollary question is whether North Carolina can create a broader new energy economic sector that goes beyond serving the state’s needs by selling components of new energy to buyers outside of North Carolina. This would bring outside money to the state to improve North Carolina’s prosperity.

Based on important recent economic announcements and proposals, it’s a strong possibility that North Carolina could build a new energy economic sector that could result in billions of dollars of new annual income and thousands of good paying jobs. However, as with almost everything, it could involve costs along with benefits. The question then becomes, could the costs be reduced or eliminated while still enjoying the benefits?

Three big announcements and two proposals form the core of the state’s new economic sector. The key announcements were Toyota’s decision to build a battery

factory south of Greensboro, Wolfspeed’s plan to construct a computer chip factory west of Raleigh in Chatham County, and the Vietnamese automaker VinFast’s announcement of an electric vehicle assembly plant in Chatham County. Together, these three companies will invest almost $14 billion and employ thousands of workers earning middle income wages.

The proposals are for two lithium mines in North Carolina, one in Cleveland County and the other in Gaston County, both west of Charlotte. Lithium is a key component of batteries for electric vehicles. Currently, the United States imports 98 percent of lithium from foreign countries.

Producing more domestic lithium would give the country greater control over its energy future. Producing lithium in North Carolina would be a multibillion dollar industry with several thousand jobs.

The announcements and proposals would have significant economic impacts on North Carolina. Suppliers and complementary companies would also likely locate in the region between Raleigh and Greensboro, enhancing the economic impact.

Two existing mining operations in North Carolina would likely experience increased business. North Carolina is a leader in producing phosphate, a component in some types of electric batteries. Pure quartz is used in many tech products, among them computer chips. North Carolina has the largest pure quartz mining operation in the world in the western part of the state.

Besides having major statewide economic impacts, the emerging new

energy sector between Raleigh and Greensboro should help moderate the state’s long standing urban-rural divide. The 21st century has greatly benefited cities, where a college educated workforce has attracted expanding economic sectors such as technology, pharmaceuticals, and finance. At the same time, traditional rural economic sectors such as textiles, furniture, and tobacco have downsized due to foreign competition and changing preferences.

The corridor between Raleigh and Greensboro spans numerous rural counties. Workers living in those counties will be able to take advantage of many blue collar jobs in the new factories and companies, boosting rural residents’ pay.

Of course, change always has potential downsides. Counties in the new energy corridor that traditionally had wide open spaces and abundant nature will be altered. Development and density will increase. We’ve already seen this in Chatham County. There will be increased debates between residents over how to deal with the change.

Mining operations often raise concerns, including the two proposed lithium mines. Worries

over contamination of groundwater, excessive dust, destruction of the natural habitat, and noise are the most common complaints.

Safeguards willingly undertaken by the mining companies as well as state regulations, are the two most common approaches to dealing with these issues. Still, there are always questions about what exactly should be done and who should pay.

With regard to the last question — who should pay — a somewhat novel approach has been used in some states. It is to impose a tax, sometimes called a fee, on a mine’s annual production value to raise money to mitigate the negative impacts of the mining operations. This is commonly called a severance tax, and North Carolina already has such a tax in place for some extractive operations. A severance tax on mining operations associated with the new energy sector may be a way to balance benefits and costs.

North Carolina is positioned to be a major player in the new energy future. How big will the benefits be? What about the potential costs? Is there a way to balance both? You decide!

NORTHCAROLINAANGUSASSOCIATION

By CORTNEY HOLSHOUSER, NCAA Executive Secretary

N.C. Angus Association 78th Annual Meeting

The 2023 N.C. Angus Association Annual Meeting was held on February 11 at the Yadkin County Agricultural and Educational Building in Yadkinville, North Carolina. It was a great day of fellowship with our North Carolina Angus family, highlighted by an educational session, conducting association business, and welcoming new members to the association.

by helping them market their calves. Jennifer and Roger explained the concept of the Buckingham County Replacement Heifer Sale that markets commercial females for a premium by adapting a strict selection process. One theme that was repeated throughout the panel discussion was the importance of serving your customers and offering them opportunities to add more value to their cattle.

& Consumer Services, was recently elected as a Wake County Soil and Water District Supervisor, and owns and operates Pack House Farm. Beth spoke to the group about the importance of women in agriculture getting involved in organizations you are passionate about and telling our story to the public. The Auxiliary also hosted the always popular silent auction throughout the day. The Juniors visited Inman Family Farm in Dobson, enjoyed BBQ, made plans for the coming year, and elected new officers as well.

include Emily Barnes, Bryant Chapman, Nathan Ireland, Marty Rooker, and John Smith. Following the membership meeting, the Board of Directors met to elect officers. The 2023 NCAA officers are Callie Carson – President, Michael Wyatt - Vice President, and Karl Gillespie - Treasurer.

The day began with an interactive discussion panel focused on marketing bulls to customers and helping those customers market their calves for a premium. Troy Marshall, American Angus Association Director of Commercial Industry Relations, served as the moderator. Troy began the session by giving an update on the association’s commercial programs offered and expanded on the recent announcement of the Angus Link program’s new collaboration with IMI Global as a third party verification service. Troy explained that the collaboration will make it easier and more efficient for producers to access an extensive suite of verification programs and the feeder cattle industry’s leading genetic merit evaluation tool in one enrollment. Paul Bennett of Knoll Crest Farm, Bill Tucker of Tucker Family Farms, Jennifer Ligon with Buckingham County Virginia Extension, and Roger Morris, President of Buckingham Cattlemen’s Association, served as panelists. Paul and Bill each spoke of their experience raising and marketing registered bulls and providing service back to their customers

The N.C. Angus Auxiliary and N.C. Junior Angus Association held its Annual Meetings early in the day. The Auxiliary met at the Yadkin Masonic Lodge and enjoyed a BBQ lunch, made plans for the coming year, elected new officers, and were treated to guest speaker Beth Pugh Farrell. Beth is currently serving as an Agricultural Programs Specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture

After a short break, the Annual Business Meeting of the N.C. Angus Association (NCAA) was conducted. Each present association committee chairman shared their annual report of activities for 2022 and goals for the coming year with the membership. The retiring NCAA board of directors members were recognized and thanked for their three years of service to the association. The retiring board members are John Brewer, Derek Goddard, Brooke Harward, Zach Moffitt, and Jeff Wood. New Board members were nominated and elected to serve the association for a term of the next three years. New members

The social hour gave members and sponsors an opportunity to interact and share industry knowledge. Thank you to our many sponsors who helped to make the meeting an enormous success. Our 2023 Industry Partners include Gold Level Partners – ABS, Biltmore, Farm Credit Associations of N.C., Genex, Neogen, Performance Livestock & Feed Company, and Zach Moffitt Cattle Marketing & Consulting; Silver Level Partners – Clifton Seed Company, Merck Animal Health, Sunset Feeds, and Zoetis; Bronze Level Partners – Harpley’s, LTD Farm & Garden, Mitchell’s Meat Processing, Nutrien Ag Solutions –Statesville, and Windy Hill Farms/ Vytelle. Additional specialty sponsors were Yadkin County Farm Bureaufacility sponsor and Annual Meeting sponsors Carson Family Farms, Forsyth County Farm Bureau, and JC’s Ranch. Farm sponsors include Back Creek Angus, Biltmore, Crescent Angus Farm, C-Rock-R Farm, and Panther Creek Farms.

During the social, the featured farms on the NCAA website, the ad spaces for association sales, and the select pages in the N.C. Angus News magazine was auctioned. A one-of-a-kind Angus quilt was auctioned for the Auxiliary, and a special cake was auctioned for the juniors. A special thank you to Neil Bowman for serving as the auctioneer and to all of the dedicated NCAA members who participated in the auction. It was a huge success.

The award portion of the evening was next. Louis Fulcher of Fulcher Farms

The N.C. Angus Auxiliary.

The marketing discussion panelists from left to right are Callie Carson, Troy Marshall, Paul Bennett, Bill Tucker, Roger Morris, and Jennifer Ligon.

Retiring NCAA Board members from left to right, Zach Moffitt, Brooke Harward, and Jeff Wood. Not pictured are John Brewer and Derek Goddard.

in Godwin was recognized for winning the Ira Gentry Memorial trophy for consigning the high selling lot in the 2022 Spring Fever Sale. Fulcher Rita 1140, a WAR Cavalry B063 Z044 daughter, sold for $15,500 to Windy Hill Farms, LLC. The consignors of the high indexing Angus bulls in the N.C. BCIP Bull Test Sales in Waynesville and Butner were then recognized. Gary Hill of Hill Angus Farm and Tim Aldridge of Oakview Angus were given awards during their respective sales in December.

Many N.C. Junior Angus members were recognized for their outstanding achievements. Hannah Vanhoy, 2022 N.C. Junior Angus Secretary then reported on the activities and accomplishments of the juniors for the year and introduced the new 2023 officers. The DeEtta Wood Leadership Award was presented to Hannah Vanhoy for her participation in various Angus activities during 2022. The National Junior Angus Association Silver Award was also presented to Hannah Vanhoy by Chuck Grove, American Angus Association President. Next, 2023 N.C. Auxiliary President Alex Brown introduced the new Auxiliary officers, and she and Auxiliary Scholarship CoChairman April Bowman presented the N.C. Angus Auxiliary Merit Awards to several N.C. Junior Angus members for individual achievement in various Angus and agricultural activities.

Marcie Harward, National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) Foundation Director, then spoke about her year of service as a liaison between the NJAA and Angus breeders. She highlighted the Foundation’s fundraising campaign this year as we celebrate 150 years of Angus in America.

Zach Moffitt then made a special presentation to Sharon Rogers, who

served as N.C. Angus Association Executive Secretary from 2014-2022. Zach praised Sharon for her strong work ethic and devotion to the Association and its members.

One last, especially important presentation was made when Roy Outlaw of Outlaw Angus was posthumously inducted into the N.C. Angus Hall of Fame. Roy’s family was able to be there to accept this well deserved award and

Continued on the next page

Zach Moffitt and Brent Scarlett recognize Louis Fulcher as the recipient of the Ira Gentry Memorial trophy.

Hannah Vanhoy, left, was presented her NJAA Silver Award by Chuck Grove.

Nate Bowman, left, is presented with the N.C. Angus Auxiliary Merit Award by Alexandra Brown.

Hannah Vanhoy, right, received the DeEtta Wood Achievement and Leadership Award from Cortney Holshouser.

North Carolina Angus Association

ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS

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455 GORE FAMILY ANGUS

Mark & Lori Gore Tabor City

702-401-8005 • 455goreangus@gmail.com www.455farms.com

4K FARMS/TARHEEL ANGUS

Richard D. Kirkman, DVM Siler City 919-742-5500 • rdk.cefa@gmail.com

BACK CREEK

Joe & Robin Hampton Mt. Ulla

704-880-2488 (Joe); 704-880-3572 (Robin) robinbackcreek@att.net

Facebook: Back Creek Angus

BILTMORE ESTATE

Kyle Mayberry - Manager Asheville

828-768-1956 • livestock@biltmore.com www.biltmorelivestock.com

CARSON FAMILY FARM, LLC

John, Callie, Isaac & J.R. Carson Laurel Springs

336-818-9087 • carsonfamilyfarm@gmail.com

CHAPMAN CATTLE COMPANY Bryant Chapman Taylorsville 828-514-0526

FOUR S FARMS

Kim & Connie and Jason & Robin Starnes

Luther Lyerly - Manager Salisbury

704-640-5875 • kim-4sfarms@carolina.rr.com

GENTRY HOMEPLACE ANGUS

Howard & Donna Gentry King

336-413-6698 • whgentry@windstream.net

GRAGG FARMS

Paul, Chris & David Gragg Boone

828-268-4136 (Paul); 828-268-4137 (Chris) 828-268-4135 (David) gragg_farms@hotmail.com

H&H FARMS

Buddy & Jennifer Hamrick - Owners Bly Hamrick - Manager Boiling Springs

704-472-1912 • jennham@bellsouth.net

HI-LO FARMS, LLC

William & Kate Reichert Fuquay-Varina 919-812-0435 • hilofarmsblackangus.gmail.com

Cortney Holshouser

NCAA Executive Secretary

919-796-2346 ncaa.sec@gmail.com www.ncangus.org

HILL ANGUS FARM

Dr. Gary M. Hill Hendersonville 229-848-3695 • gmhill@uga.edu

JACK KNOB FARMS

Karl, Janet & Logan Gillespie Franklin 828-371-2220 • karl@jackknobfarms.com www.jackknobfarms.com

JENKINS ANGUS FARM

Jaime & Christy Jenkins Marshall 828-206-1345 • jenkinsangusfarm@gmail.com

KNOLL CREST FARM

The Bennett Family Red House, VA

434-376-3567 • knollcrestfarm@knollcrestfarm.com www.knollcrestfarm.com

LANE ANGUS

Roger & Bundy Lane

Bundy Lane - Manager Gates

252-398-7705 (Bundy); 252-398-7719 (Miranda) 252-357-1279 (Office) bundylane@hughes.net; laneangusbeef@gmail.com www.laneangusbeef.com

PANTHER CREEK FARMS

John C. Smith, Jr. Pink Hill

252-526-1929 • johnsmith3982@embarqmail.com

S&J Farms

Steven & Julie Lung

Nathan Lung - Manager Carthage 910-947-3414 • sandjfarms2013@gmail.com

SMITH CREEK ANGUS FARM

Marty & Lynne Rooker Norlina

252-213-1553 • mrooker@mrookerlaw.com

SPRINGFIELD ANGUS

Phil Goodson Louisburg

919-880-9062 • philgoodson2@gmail.com www.springfieldangus.com

TRIPLE LLL ANGUS Greg Little Monroe

704-219-1294 • greg.little@atimetals.com

VANDEMARK ANGUS

Keaton & Janie Vandemark Spring Hope 252-885-0210 • keaton@vandemarkfarms.com

WINDY HILL FARMS, LLC

Michael A. Moss

Will Moss - Manager Ramseur

336-460-7451 • windyhillfarmsllc@gmail.com

WINSLOW GENETICS

Ben & Kathleen Winslow Halifax

252-578-5487 • bensbulls@gmail.com

WOOD ANGUS FARM, LLC

Russell Wood Willow Spring 919-275-4397 • rwood4400@gmail.com www.woodangus.com

Roy Outlaw was posthumously awarded the N.C. Angus Hall of Fame Award. John Smith presented the award to

hear what others wrote about the impact he made on the N.C. Angus Association during his many years of leadership.

The evening banquet brought out even more members to enjoy dinner and fellowship. President Carson welcomed everyone to the banquet and thanked the N.C. Angus Auxiliary for providing the beautiful room and table decorations for the day. Members enjoyed a meal of prime rib and all the trimmings. Following dinner, President Carson introduced the evening’s keynote speaker, American Angus Association President Chuck Grove. In this year of celebrating 150 years of Angus in America, Chuck gave a presentation on N.C. Angus Association history and an outlook for the future.

Lastly, President Callie Carson recognized Mike Moss as retiring NCAA President. She spoke of how dedicated and innovative Mike has been as a leader within the Association and thanked him for serving as President for the past two years. Mike was unable to attend due to sickness, so his son Will accepted the award on his behalf.

Thank you to the Annual Meeting Committee: Roy Swisher - Chairman, Callie Carson, Teresa Swisher, Greg Collins, Brooke Harward, and John Brewer, and all the other members who helped make the day a success.

Will Moss accepted the plaque for his father, retiring NCAA President Mike Moss.

Chuck Grove was the evening’s keynote speaker

Roy’s family.

You shouldn’t have to have a gun held to your head to take advantage of the expert A.I., superior genetics, the best in purebreds and outstanding farm supplies featured in the Classifieds in this issue!

ANGUS NEWS

Angus Members: Check Your Voting Eligibility Now. Participate in the electoral process during the 2023 Angus Convention by meeting key requirements. American Angus Association members wanting to participate in the election of delegates and alternate delegates to the 140 th Annual Convention of Delegates need to meet four eligibility requirements before 5:30 p.m. on April 7.

According to Association bylaws, only eligible voting members can nominate, be nominated, vote, or be elected in the annual election of delegates. To participate in the electoral process and other business during the 140th Annual Convention of Delegates, a member must be an eligible voting member and must meet all of the following requirements by 5:30 p.m. on April 7:

• Active regular or life membership (dues paid in full by the deadline stated above)

• 18 years of age or older

• Registered at least one animal or completed at least $250 of business with the Association or Angus Genetics Inc. within the preceding 12 months from when the nomination period begins

• Be current with all financial obligations to the American Angus Association and all its subsidiaries when the nomination process begins.

The nomination period for 2023 begins on April 10; therefore, the above criteria must be met by the end of the previous business day on April 7. It’s encouraged to submit all necessary requirements at least three business days prior to April 7 to allow time for

processing.

The American Angus Association will mail delegate nomination materials only to active regular and life members who qualify as eligible voting members prior to 5:30 p.m. on April 7.

Contact Martha Greer, coordinator of board relations, at 816-383-5100 or mgreer@angus.org with any questions.

The 140 th Annual Convention of Delegates takes place on November 6 during the National Angus Convention in Orlando, Florida. Online registration for the convention will begin on July 1. More information will be available at angusconvention.com

Angus Media names Clay Zwilling as President. Illinois native to lead largest beef breed media company. The Angus Media board of directors recently named Clay Zwilling president of the organization to guide the company as it delivers industry leading education, information, and marketing to the beef industry.

“Clay is a natural leader,” said Mark McCully, vice chairman of the Angus Media board of directors and chief executive officer for the American Angus

Association. “His passion for innovation, while keeping an eye on the tradition, makes him a perfect fit.”

Most recently, Zwilling was the chief operating officer for Walton Webcasting, where he helped develop the organization during a time of rapid growth. Prior to that, he was the chief executive officer of the National Swine Registry, working with the executive committee, breed boards, and membership to create and execute their vision and mission. Zwilling started his professional career with Farm Credit Illinois as the director of marketplace education and development.

“Angus breeders are stewards of both their herds and family ranches, as well as the Angus legacy,” Zwilling said. “Angus Media plays an important role in telling their stories and giving them cuttingedge, cost effective marketing tools to achieve their goals.”

Zwilling brings diversified livestock experience to Angus Media, but his roots are in the beef business. He grew up raising

Angus News continued from the previous page

cattle and knows that background from other segments of the livestock industry is additive, giving him additional perspective.

“I believe the vision of Angus breeders is very much like the rest of the livestock industry,” he says. “We all want to ensure the profitability of the industry we love. That requires an understanding of the tried and true but with the ability to be innovative and creative.”

That kind of vision is exactly what intrigued him about the position and, similarly, why the Angus Media board selected him as the new president.

Zwilling holds a master’s degree from Texas A&M University in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication. He did his undergraduate work at Oklahoma State University and Lake Land College in Illinois. In addition to his work experience, Zwilling has held various leadership roles within the livestock and

agriculture industries, including currently serving on the board of the National Pedigreed Livestock Council and OSU Animal Science Alumni. He was an All American and a member of the national champion livestock judging team and is a past Illinois State FFA president.

Zwilling will assume his duties as president on May 8 and will relocate to the St. Joseph area with his wife, Deanna, and their 2-year-old daughter, Allie.

For more information about Angus Media and the American Angus Association, please visit angus.org.

Applications open for Angus Foundation’s Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship. Youth using Angus genetics in commercial operations can apply until May 1. The Angus Foundation offers a variety of scholarship opportunities, including to youth beyond the seedstock industry. Applications are open for the Foundation’s Commercial Cattlemen

USDA Abattoir and Processor

Scholarship, which awards $1,500 to four outstanding youth in the beef industry. This scholarship is unique from others offered by the Foundation as it aims to support students specifically from the commercial sector of the industry.

“We’re proud to offer this scholarship opportunity to students from commercial

cattle backgrounds,” said Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director. “We recognize the importance of supporting young people using Angus genetics and want to help them succeed in our industry.”

Young men and women whose families use Angus genetics in their commercial operations are eligible to

S.C. AnguS ASSoCiAtion newS

The late Cory Watt of Iva, was honored with the 50 th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity dedication at the 2023 S.C. Angus Association Annual Meeting and Banquet. Pictured accepting the award is Cory’s family, from left are Tanner, Cori Grace, and Carly Rhodes; Sally Harrison, presenting; and Rebecca and Jody Watt. Photo by S.C. Angus Association.

These Angus breeders were elected to serve on the S.C. Angus Association board of directors at the 2023 S.C. Angus Association Annual Meeting and Banquet, on March 17 in Clemson, South Carolina. Pictured seated from left are Hank Sprowl of Greenwood; Paige McPhail of Seneca, secretary; Cecil Eaddy of Manning; and Sally Harrison of Ridge Spring. Standing from left are John Garrett of Troy; John Petty of Blacksburg; Lee Clinton of Clover, president; Donnie Watts of Lynchburg, vice president; and John Ripstein of Sumter. Photo by S.C. Angus Association.

receive the scholarship. Students should be pursuing an undergraduate degree or vocational program at an accredited institution of higher education. Selection emphasis is placed on the applicant’s knowledge of the cattle industry and their perspective of the Angus breed.

“I’m grateful for the Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship awarded by the Angus Foundation,” said Tucker Huseman, 2022 scholarship recipient. “I come from a commercial ranching background and scholarships like this allow me to pursue my passion for beef cattle production through my education.”

The applicants or their parents/ guardians must have transferred or been transferred an Angus registration paper in the last 36 months (on or after May 1, 2020) and must be considered commercial and not seedstock in their operation. The scholarship applies to any field of study. A separate application from the general Foundation application is required for the Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship. The application can be found on the Angus Foundation website. Applicants having received or applied for Angus Foundation undergraduate scholarships using the standard general application this year or in past years will not be considered for this scholarship.

For more information on the Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship, visit AngusFoundation.org. Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $4.2 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships.

Make plans to attend “Ranchers’ Revelry” — celebrating 150 years of Angus in America. Audley Farm graciously hosts Angus Foundation fundraiser event on May 19. Scottish Angus breeder George Grant brought four Angus bulls across the Atlantic Ocean to America 150 years ago, establishing the enduring legacy of Angus excellence. Angus enthusiasts are invited to celebrate the bulls’ arrival in Victoria, Kan., in 1873 – 150 years later – on May 19 at Audley Farm in Berryville, Virginia. “Ranchers’ Revelry,” hosted by Audley Farm, promises to be an entertaining evening set in the northern tip of the Shenandoah Valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

“We are excited to welcome the Angus Family and support the Angus Foundation’s mission and celebrate the legacy of the breed,” said Turner Kobayashi, Audley Farm general manager. Audley Farms will host their first on-site production sale the next day on May 20.

For over 250 years, Audley Farm has been a part of American history, established when Lord Fairfax granted a 3,000 acre estate to Colonel George William Fairfax. In 1764, George Washington’s cousin, Warner Washington, bought half

of the estate from Colonel Fairfax, and from that point, Audley remained in the Washington family for 138 years. The most well known of Audley’s historic residents was Eleanor “Nelly” Custis Lewis, the adopted daughter of George and granddaughter of Martha Washington. Her historical residence, Audley House, has been completely restored and is now the centerpiece of Audley Farm, located a short 30-minute drive west of Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

According to Kobayashi, Nelly was known for her “revelry” as the hostess of Audley Farm. She was a beautiful young woman and a talented musician, dancer, and artist who helped entertain guests at her adoptive parents’ social events. Throughout her life, Nelly regarded herself as the keeper of George Washington’s legacy.

During the Friday evening “Ranchers’ Revelry” event, a unique collection of exclusive experiences, art, collectibles, and business services will be auctioned, helping to sustain the Angus legacy for the next 150 years. All proceeds of the event will benefit the Angus Foundation and its mission to support the breed’s education, youth, and research programs.

“Fundraising events planned like “Ranchers’ Revelry” are only possible because of the generous help we receive from supporters,” said Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director.

“The Angus Foundation is grateful to Audley Farm for completely underwriting this event. It will be a top tier Angus experience for everyone. We are very appreciative of the Angus breeders and allied industry members who have donated to this fundraiser.”

“Ranchers’ Revelry” is not a ticketed event. However, reservations are required since seating will be limited. To register your attendance, visit bit.ly/ RanchersRevelry

Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award scholarship increases for 2023. Youth recognized with National Junior Angus Association award will now receive $5,000 through the Angus Foundation. The Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award was designed to recognize one outstanding National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) member each year. In 2023, the scholarship awarded by the Angus Foundation will increase from $2,500 to $5,000. This prestigious award honors an NJAA member who exemplifies excellent leadership and character through their Angus involvement and beyond.

In 2013, Bill and Betty Werner of Werner Angus in Cordova, Ill., donated $50,000 to the Angus Foundation to sustain a permanent endowment fund for the

recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award in memory of Jim Baldridge. Since then, this NJAA award has been known as the Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award and has supported many Angus youth in pursuing secondary education.

“We’re excited to have the opportunity to provide recipients of the Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award even more support through this scholarship increase,” said Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director. “The Foundation is proud to invest in youth who exemplify the leadership qualities and strong character developed through NJAA involvement.”

Nominations for the Jim Baldridge Outstanding Leadership Award are due May 1. The application form can be found at www.angus.org/Foundation/ WhatWeDo/Awards and asks applicants to answer three essay questions and provide their resume and two letters of recommendation. The recipient is selected by a judging committee and will be announced at the 2023 National Junior Angus Show in Grand Island, Neb., during the awards ceremony.

Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $4.2 million

in undergraduate and graduate scholarships. To learn more about the work of the Angus Foundation, visit AngusFoundation.org

About the Angus Foundation. Established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 1980, the Angus Foundation remains focused on its mission to support Angus education, youth, and research. The organization has distributed more than $4.2 million in youth scholarships since 1998 and has also invested more than $1.3 million in beef cattle research in the past decade. For more information, contact the Angus Foundation at 816-383-5100.

Angus Means Business. The American Angus Association is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 22,000 members across the United States, Canada, and several other countries. It’s home to an extensive breed registry that grows by more than 300,000 animals each year. The Association also provides programs and services to farmers, ranchers, and others who rely on Angus to produce quality genetics for the beef industry and quality beef for consumers. For more information about Angus cattle and the American Angus Association, visit www.angus.org

33rd Annual Yon Spring Sale Results

A cold but sunny day was enjoyed by all at the 33rd Annual Yon Spring Sale on February 18. The sale offering included both bulls and females, mainly registered Angus, with a select offering of SimAngus and Ultrablack genetics. The sale was broadcast live on DVAuctions.com

Auctioneers were Eddie Burks and Dave Mullins.The top bull sold for $27,000 as Lot 1. Yon Cutting Edge, sired by Yon Top Cut G730, sold to Woodhill Farms in Viroqua, Wis., and Baldridge Performance Angus in North Platte, Nebraska. (Yons retained a ⅓ semen interest.)

The top selling female lot was a fall pair, Lot 204/204A, Yon Burgess F469, at

$18,000 to Windy Pond Farms in Moultrie, Georgia. Lot 204 served as a donor cow at YFF and is sired by Basin Payweight 1682. She sold with a heifer calf at side sired by Yon Top Cut G730.

Cattle were sold into 14 states, with long time repeat customers as well as first time buyers sharing in the purchases. There were cattle for every budget, with excellent genetics at affordable prices. All cattle were sold satisfaction guaranteed.

The Yon Family Farms Fall Sale will be held on October 27-28 in Ridge Spring, S.C., where approximately 400 head will be offered. Visit their website at www. yonfamilyfarms.com for more information.

SALE RESULTS

• 166 yearling Angus bulls averaged $4,745

• 5 yearling SimAngus bulls averaged $4,650

• 4 yearling SimAngus HT bulls averaged $4,438

• 1 yearling SimGenetics bull brought $6,500

• 3 yearling Ultrablack bulls averaged $3,167

• 3 yearling Brangus bulls averaged $3,167

• 2 Commercial bulls averaged $8,000

• 22 Angus fall pairs averaged $5,489

• 3 SimAngus fall pairs averaged $3,917

• 25 Angus bred cows averaged $3,890

• 2 SimAngus bred cows averaged $3,125

• 2 SimAngus HT bred cows averaged $3,125

• 39 Angus bred heifers averaged $4,827

• 2 SimAngus bred heifers averaged $3,000

• 2 Ultrablack bred cows averaged $3,125

• 4 Ultrablack bred heifers averaged $2,750

Top selling bull - Lot 1 - Yon Cutting Edge.

High selling female - Lot 204/204A - Yon Burgess F469.

Our breed Spotlight special sections are excellent forums to reach producers and cattle industry insiders in the Carolinas and throughout the Southeast. Advertisers also receive a special discount for placing their message in the Spotlight.

Scenes from the 2023 Yon Family Farms Spring Sale

NEWS

Premier Gives Over $25,000 in Support to Scholarship Applicants.

Premier Select Sires awarded a total of $25,950 to students through the 2023 Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship Program. Scholarships valued at $2,500 each were received by two students through the Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship and the Wayne Dudley Scholarship. There were 14 other students receiving scholarships of $750-$1,250 in value.

Winners from North Carolina include:

• William Coltrane of Pleasant Garden, N.C., is the son of David and Amy Coltrane. William received the

Johnny Daniel Memorial Scholarship. William is from Coltrane Dairy LLC, a Holstein operation milking 5,500 cows. He is a student at the University of Mount Olive studying ag business and animal science. After graduation, William plans to return to his family’s fourth generation farm. He says that although today’s farmer faces many challenges, the future looks better, and he plans to play a part in helping farmers gain the respect they deserve for their dedication and work ethic.

• Laurel Gray of Stony Point, N.C., is the daughter of Andy and Amy Gray. Laurel is from Grayhouse Farms, a dairy operation with a 1,200 cow milking

herd. She is a student at N.C. State University studying agricultural business management. After graduation, Laurel plans to return to her family’s dairy farm to assist with the financial aspects of the business, including payroll, bills, and accounting. She also enjoys field work and working with calves and heifers. In addition, she plans to raise and sell beef direct to consumers and play a role in her family’s hunting business.

Honorable Mentions for the scholarship program include:

• Joseph Coltrane of Pleasant Garden, N.C.

• Lemuel Coltrane of Pleasant Garden, N.C.

The Premier Future Ag Leaders Scholarship Program provides financial support to eligible students pursuing agricultural education, and it also provides additional return to the cooperative’s member-owners by supporting the next generation of young people desiring to study and work in the agriculture industry. The Premier Select Sires board of directors has made

a commitment to providing money to support this scholarship program on an ongoing annual basis.

About Premier Select Sires. Premier Select Sires is a farmer-owned cooperative that serves beef and dairy producers in its 23 state member area. Dedicated to providing its members with all they need to achieve success, Premier provides:

• Industry leading genetics from the Select Sires, Accelerated Genetics, and GenerVations brands

• Effective herd health and management products, as well as artificial insemination supplies

• Reliable services and programs backed by years of success

• Knowledgeable industry experts who are easily accessed for consultation, advice, and on-farm assistance

Together with its five sister cooperatives across the United States, Premier owns and controls Select Sires Inc., the world’s most recognized name in bovine genetics.

Clemson Bull Test Sale. The 47 th Annual Clemson Performance Tested Bull Sale was held on February 4 at the Garrison Livestock Arena Cattle Complex in Clemson, South Carolina. It was a record breaking sale, with a purebred Simmental bull bringing the top amount ever sold at that sale. A consignment from Jim Rathwell of Six Mile, S.C., sold for $38,000 to TNT Simmental Ranch of Lehr, North Dakota. This bull, AK/NDS Copacetic 41J, is sired by WLE Copacetic E02. A SimAngus bull consigned by John Cook of Buckhead, Ga., brought $9,000. This bull is a son of MR SR Highlife G1609.

Two other SimAngus bulls also sold for top dollar. Another Jim Rathwell

By JENNIE RUCKER Executive Secretary N.C. Simmental Association

consignment, AK/NDS Bankroll 120J, sold for $7,250 and is a son of W/C Bankroll 811D. A bull consigned by Chuck Broadway of Monroe, N.C., sold for $5,750. This bull, BCIV Atlas J032, is sired by Byergo Pistol Pete 6903.

There were two purebred Simmental bulls in the sale, and they grossed $41,500 to average $20,750. The six SimAngus bulls grossed $35,000 and averaged $5,833. N.C. Cattlemen’s Conference.

It was so good to be able to visit with people at the recent N.C. Cattlemen’s Conference in Hickory. We held a board meeting and made some decisions about the N.C. Simmental Association. We do plan to hold another fundraising raffle

with an item graciously donated by Pinkston’s, Inc. in Wadesboro, North Carolina. We really appreciate Preston and Erin Beth Pinkston for their help every year in providing an item, usually a chainsaw, for our raffle.

Fall Harvest Sale. We will be holding our Fall Harvest Sale again over Labor Day weekend. This year the date will be September 2 for the Fall Harvest Sale, and our annual meeting will be on September 1 at the Shuffler Sale Facility. Anyone that has attended in the past knows what a fun time we have at our meeting, and in fact, we are going to

change the name to a “social.” I always say, “Friday night’s annual meeting is our party time but on Saturday, we are all business selling good quality Simmental.” This is a weekend you don’t want to miss if you are interested in Simmental genetics. We will be honored to have the chairman of the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees, Doug Parke. Of course, he is our sale manager, but we will also be able to hear about items and things of interest from the American Simmental Association from him. Please make plans to be there for this “Simmental Weekend.”

Spotlight material is due APRIL 1 for the MAY issue

Regular copy deadline is APRIL 5 for the MAY issue Or else!

Survey of Current Beef Cattle Deworming Practices Across North Carolina

Dear North Carolina Beef Cattle Producers,

On behalf of the Pickworth Lab at North Carolina State University, thank you for your interest in participating in this research study. My name is Katie Williams, and I am a graduate student at N.C. State University. I am a Master’s

candidate in the Department of Animal Science under the mentorship of Dr. Carrie Pickworth, Associate Professor of Ruminant Nutrition. I look forward to working with you all as producers. To better understand the current deworming protocols in North Carolina, we have created the Survey of Current Beef Cattle

Deworming Practices Across North Carolina, addressing demographics, management practices, and production protocols. Beef cattle producers need to be able to rely on management tools that are effective, and resistance to dewormers threatens the future of those products. Meanwhile, some studies have shown

that cattle develop immunity to parasitic infections and consequently may not need to be dewormed at all. Results of this survey, in combination with a multi-herd fecal egg count surveillance study, will allow us to better understand the internal parasite status management in North Carolina beef cattle.

You, as a beef cattle producer in North Carolina, over 18 years old, are invited to participate in this survey by visiting https://ncsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/ form/SV_bIonYD6MOCvDB0G or through the QR Code below. Participation is strictly voluntary. We would greatly appreciate it if you choose to complete this survey in order to provide us with more information as we evaluate current deworming practices and the future needs of the industry. There are minimal risks associated with your anonymous participation. Only pooled data will be utilized to help develop the next research steps. The results of this survey have the potential to benefit beef cattle producers in North Carolina and throughout the Southeast.

However, some disagree and believe that a lack of deworming would put the animals at risk, but that is not always the case. Participation will be completely anonymous, and participants are encouraged to use a private browser while taking this survey. Qualtrics does not track or collect IP addresses, and no direct identification information is being collected.

Thank you for taking the time to assist us with this information for the benefit of the North Carolina beef cattle producers. I look forward to working with all of you in the future. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Dr. Carrie Pickworth 919-513-0262 • clpickwo@ncsu.edu

Katie Williams 704-408-0765 • kgwilli2@ncsu.edu

S.C. CharolaiS NewS

By GEORGEANNE WEBB S.C. Charolais Association

I hope you are planning to go to Knoxville on April 22 for the Appalachian Sale. We will be there with two bulls. Wayne Bennett plans to bring 15 head, so there should be some great cattle there. There are 80 lots consigned, including 9 bulls, embryos, donor cows, a Monticello daughter, and a recipient with a full sibling to the Jehu bull.

I talked to Mike King recently, and to tell you the truth, I don’t think he had any idea who I was. He just said, “This is Mike. How can I help you? Thank you for calling.” That was the extent of the conversation. Keep Mike in your prayers.

Wayne Templeton had a terrible fall and was taken to the hospital. No broken bones, but they kept him for a couple of days to monitor him. He is home now, but keep Wayne and Delores in your prayers.

For you local folks, we attended Betty Newton’s 90 th birthday party. She and Johnnie were local commercial

cattlemen and were the beginning members of the Pickens County Cattlemen’s Association. We lost Johnnie in January, but Betty celebrated her birthday with a large group of her friends, and we were included in that list. She is doing really well. I can tell you, for her to be 90, she is sharp as a bell. We all enjoyed great food and lots of laughs.

Now to get on my soapbox, I saw on the national news that the USDA has a huge book of regulations for farmers and cattlemen that they are going to try to get passed. Did you know about this? I didn’t. Personally, I would like to know what these regulations are before they get passed. Where is SCDA, Farm Bureau, SCCA, Clemson University, etc., to relay this information to agriculture workers?

It pays to know these things before they get passed, not afterward. It is easier to get stopped than changed after they get approval. You know some of that mess is

going to be a problem since Washington wants to get rid of all cattle and livestock and stop fertilizing pastures and killing weeds in pastures. I heard some of this might be that Waters of the U.S. again.

How dare they tell folks in agriculture how to protect creeks and streams. We all saw how they protect creeks and streams in Ohio, so don’t preach to farmers. We are much more careful than the politicians.

Y’all have stumbled on the best place to advertise expert A.I., superior genetics, the best in purebreds and outstanding farm supplies. Check the Classifieds in this issue!

4B FARMS, LLC

Shelby, NC

Bryson, Wren, Beau, Belle, Bonnie & Bennet Westbrook 980-230-4868 brysonw@thewestbrookco.com

4K RANCH

Nelson, VA

Rick & Linda Kern 919-272-6124 4kranch@bellsouth.net

AWC CATTLE COMPANY

Winston-Salem, NC

Andie & Wes Carpenter 336-970-1655

jcarpenter@alphagraphics.com www.windmillacresfarms.com

BLINSON

POLLED HEREFORDS

Lenoir, NC

Keith & Peggy Blinson - 828-310-4526

Bryan & Beth Blinson - 919-422-9108

DOUBLE J FARM

Traphill, NC • Earlysville, VA

John Wheeler 910-489-0024 doublejfarmllc@yahoo.com www.doublejfarmllc.com

FIVE J’S BEEF & CATTLE COMPANY

Clayton, NC Jody & Angela Standley

Kim Prestwood (Manager) 828-320-7317 - Kim jodystandley@gmail.com

GRASSY CREEK FARM

Bullock, NC Scott, Pam, Hailee, Lillee, & Elizabeth Bissett 919-482-1176 Bissettsp1@gmail.com

HEREFORD HILLS

Greensboro, NC

Bill Kirkman III 336-382-9635 ST Genetics Representative

SAVE THE DATE

55th Annual N.C. Hereford Classic Sale

***NEW DATES for 2023***

May 12 - NCHA Annual Banquet

May 13 - N.C. Hereford Classic Sale

***NEW LOCATION***

Shuffler Farm Sale Facility

444 Union Grove Road • Union Grove, NC

LOOKABILL FAMILY LIVESTOCK

Lexington, NC

Reggie, Patty, Tyler & Noah Lookabill 336-240-2142 rlookabill6015@gmail.com

McCOY CATTLE FARM Cove City, NC Myron & Charlie McCoy 252-229-4602 mccoycattlefarms@gmail.com

MITCHEM’S FARM 3C Vale, NC Wayne, Crystal, Regan & Jordan Mitchem 704-472-4369 mitchemsfarm@bellsouth.net

NORTH PINO LAND & CATTLE COMPANY Mocksville, NC Kevin Robinson 336-940-2547 kevrob1@aol.com

P and J FARMS Monroe, NC Andy Smith 704-400-3436 pandjfarmsherefords@gmail.com

QUAIL RIDGE FARM Rutherfordton, NC Mark Brewer 828-329-2074 markbrewer65@gmail.com

TAYLOR’S MILL FARM Zebulon, NC J. Brent Creech 919-801-7561 tmfherefords@icloud.com

TERRACE FARM Lexington, NC Jim, Linda & Chad Davis 336-247-1554 jgdavis101@yahoo.com

TRIPLETT POLLED HEREFORDS Statesville, NC James Triplett 704-902-2250 triplettmarble@bellsouth.net

W&A HEREFORD FARM Providence, NC George, Tammy, William, & Andy Ward 434-251-3637 gwwardjr@comcast.net

Rebuilding the Cattle Herd Starts With Rebuilding Pastures. Corteva Agriscience Recommends 4 Steps to Help Get Your Grazing Land in Shape. Cattle economics point toward favorable conditions in the coming years. Jeff Clark, Market Development Specialist at Corteva Agriscience, advises producers to begin readying their operations now, starting with their pastures and rangeland.

“Grazing is such an integral part of cattle production — from cow/calf to stockers,” Clark said. “Whether due to too little or too much moisture, our grazing lands have taken a beating. They need recovery. And that takes time.”

Clark recommends producers extend a gentle hand of management through 2023. Record herd liquidation during recent years presents an opportunity to reduce grazing pressure or extend rest periods.

“Before producers consider buying or renting more hard-to-find pastureland, we

recommend taking action to improve the grazing acres they already have,” he said. “That approach can help enhance profit potential.”

Clark suggests producers consider these four steps during 2023:

• Manage moisture for maximum benefit. To help speed drought recovery, control low value, undesirable plants — including viney blackberry/dewberry and opportunistic volunteer trees — ensuring moisture goes toward grass recovery rather than to growing weeds. In rain saturated areas, weeds will aggressively outcompete forage grasses. For broadleaf weeds, a residual herbicide, such as DuraCor herbicide, will help control biennial thistles and other weeds early, along with later emerging species, like ragweed.

• Add flexibility in grazing management. Crossfencing to split a larger pasture into two smaller pastures allows producers to switch paddocks

based on the level of production and the amount of rest needed for the previously grazed pasture to recover. This can help improve forage utilization and allow for greater rest-recovery periods.

• Consider cultural practices to boost productivity. Incorporating weed and brush control, fertilizer according to soil test, or overseeding where needed can help restore productivity. In states where offered, UltiGraz Pasture Weed & Feed saves an application cost by combining herbicide and fertilizer in a single pass.

• Focus on becoming a low cost producer. Remember: Grazed forages represent the cattle producer’s lowest cost feed source. Investing in pasture improvement is an excellent cost management strategy. Don’t overlook opportunities to prebook fertilizer, herbicides, feed, hay, and other inputs when pricing is favorable, as well.

“Herd rebuilding or expansion must start with enabling grazing land to support the additional animals over the long term,” Clark said. “Your trusted advisers, such as Extension specialists, consultants, or industry experts — including those from Corteva Agriscience — can help you make the best decisions for your

operation.”

Learn more about how intensifying pasture management can provide the vital foundation for herd expansion at RangeAndPasture.com/ROI . Find your Corteva Range & Pasture Specialist at RangeAndPasture.com

About Corteva. Corteva, Inc. is a publicly traded, global pure play agriculture company that combines industry leading innovation, high touch customer engagement, and operational execution to profitably deliver solutions for the world’s most pressing agriculture challenges. Corteva generates advantaged market preference through its unique distribution strategy, together with its balanced and globally diverse mix of seed, crop protection, and digital products and services. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and a technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to maximizing productivity for farmers while working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. More information can be found at www.corteva.com

Zoetis Industry Support Program

Provides Opportunities for FFA Students . It’s estimated over 36,000 students benefited from the 2022 program results. Zoetis is excited to formally announce the 2022 results of the Zoetis Industry Support Program. More than $371,930 was donated to FFA chapters nationwide, with about 36,500 students benefiting from the contributions. Veterinarians and animal health dealers, and distributors make the Industry Support Program possible each year by designating a portion of sales from eligible Zoetis Cattle and Equine products to their local FFA chapters.

“We’re proud to support the National FFA Foundation and its impactful mission through sponsorship of Career Development Events and Supervised Agriculture Experiences and this program each year,” said Jared Shriver, senior vice president of U.S. Cattle and Pork, Zoetis.

“The Industry Support Program allows us to reach FFA chapters at a local level and helps ensure that all students can benefit from the leadership and learning opportunities that come with the FFA experience. We’ve partnered with local veterinarians to give back to students for over 15 years now and are excited to continue to do so.”

A survey conducted by the National FFA Foundation revealed how the program funds were used. Whether it be scholarship funding or travel expenses, FFA chapters have used these contributions to further advance opportunities for their students. “We used Zoetis funds to allow all students to participate in FFA activities, regardless of their background or ability to pay their share,” said one surveyed FFA chapter advisor.

• Travel and Events - For many FFA chapters, these funds have been used to

help students cover costs to attend the National FFA convention, competitions, or other conferences. One FFA chapter used its funds to help their state champion veterinary science CDE team attend a workshop through Texas A&M University.

• Classroom Programs - Funds have also been used to purchase resources that enhance students’ agricultural education in the classroom. An FFA chapter utilized the funds to help maintain and implement new practices in raising livestock on their school farm.

• Scholarship Funding - Funding has allowed chapters to support students’ career paths in agriculture. Several FFA chapters have awarded scholarships and resources for Supervised Agriculture Experiences for those interested in working with animals.

“The support and partnership of Zoetis have been instrumental in helping FFA build the next generation of leaders while building the agriculture talent pipeline, shared Lori Randle, senior regional director, National FFA Foundation. “Their contributions make it possible for FFA to provide resources to our teachers that they may use to have a

lasting impact on more than 850,000 FFA members.”

The 2023 Zoetis Industry Support Program started on February 1 and will conclude on April 30. Zoetis customers have until May 5 to enroll and designate their preferred FFA chapters. To learn more about the program and how to contribute, please contact your local Zoetis representative or visit ZoetisUS. com/IndustrySupport

Zoetis Supports More Than 140 Scholarships through Folds of Honor. Contribution supports education for spouses and children of first responders and military. During its annual National Sales Meeting, Zoetis and Folds of Honor celebrated a successful first year with a $218,000 donation from Zoetis based upon fourth quarter 2022 sales of select Zoetis products. This brings the total donation from Zoetis to $705,000 for Folds of Honor based on sales of select Zoetis products in 2022.

Based in Owasso, Okla., Folds of Honor provides academic scholarships to the spouses and children of men and women who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the U.S. armed forces or as first responders. Jared Shriver presented

a check to Folds of Honor at the 2023 Zoetis National Cattle Sales Meeting.

“With our 2022 contribution, Zoetis helped support 141 scholarships for the spouses and children of the heroes that protect our communities and our freedoms,” said Shriver. “We are grateful for our beef and dairy customers who inspire us to help support the educational pursuits of these military and first responder family members.”

Shriver said that supporting scholarships for students pursuing agricultural and animal production studies, like Kaycee Moyer at Oklahoma State University and Yzabella Ahart at Texas Tech University, is important to the company. “These young women’s parents served their country with integrity and dedication,” said Shriver. “Supporting an organization that helps students like Kaycee and Yzabella accomplish their educational goals is a privilege.”

“We are grateful to Zoetis for an impactful first year that has truly made a difference in the lives of so many military and first responder families,” said Ben Leslie, Chief Impact Officer for Folds of Honor. “Zoetis understands the importance of an education and did

something about it. We’re excited to begin our second year together.”

Zoetis is committed to supporting the legacy of leaders in agriculture and communities across the United States. Because of this, Zoetis will continue its Folds of Honor collaboration for a second year. Throughout 2023, Zoetis will donate a portion of sales of select cattle products to Folds of Honor. Qualifying products are Draxxin (tulathromycin injection) Injectable Solution, Draxxin KP (tulathromycin and ketoprofen injection) Injectable Solution, Excede (ceftiofur crystalline free acid) Sterile Suspension, and Excenel RTU EZ (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Sterile Suspension.

For more information about Folds of Honor, visit www.foldsofhonor.org If you would like to learn more about how Zoetis works with Folds of Honor, contact your local Zoetis representative or visit www.zoetisus.com/misc/folds-ofhonor-faq.aspx

About Folds of Honor. Folds of Honor is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United

States Armed Forces. Beginning in 2022, it expanded its mission to include first responders. Our educational scholarships support private school tuition or tutoring in grades K-12, tuition for college, technical or trade school, and postgraduate work, including a master’s degree, doctorate, or professional program. Funds for a second bachelor’s degree or trade/technical program certification are also available. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded about 44,000 scholarships totaling about $200 million in all 50 states. Among the students served, 41 percent are minorities. It is rated a fourstar charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum on GuideStar. It was founded by Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, the only-ever F-16 fighter pilot (with three combat tours in Iraq) and PGA Professional. He is currently stationed at Headquarters Air Force Recruiting Service Detachment 1 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship, visit foldsofhonor.org

About Zoetis. As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our

world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide — from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock farmers and ranchers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $8.1 billion in 2022 with approximately 13,800 employees. For more, visit zoetis.com

Contact these RAAC members to learn more about Red Angus genetics and how they can fit into your herd.

HARDROCK BEEF CATTLE

Ronnie & Donna Holman 4613 Hickory Nut Ridge Road • Granite Falls, NC 828-302-8659 ronnie@hardrockbeefcattle.com

JK RED ANGUS

Jeff Banfield & Madison Adams 331 Tee Jay Farm Road • Aberdeen, NC 910-315-3821 jkredangus@gmail.com

LANGDON RED ANGUS & SIMMENTAL John & Eileen Langdon 7728 Raleigh Road • Benson, NC 919-796-5010 johnlangdon5@gmail.com

ROGERS CATTLE COMPANY

Johnny & Sharon Rogers 945 Woodsdale Road • Roxboro, NC 336-504-7268 rccbeef@gmail.com

PRESNELL RED ANGUS

Jonathan & Jacob Presnell 368 Whitaker Road • Shelby, NC 704-473-2627 (Jonathan) • 704-616-8775 (Jacob)

BULL HILL RANCH

Jim & Alvina Meeks • Raymond Prescott, Manager 1986 Trinity Church Road • Gray Court, SC 864-682-3900 • 864-682-2828 bullhill2@mindspring.com

COUNTRY BOY FARMS

David Miller 316 Key Road • Edgefield, SC 706-840-3709

Terry Boyles, President - twinbfarm1@gmail.com

BEEF TIPS

By DR. STEVEN E. MEADOWS, Clemson University

Extra Care is Needed on Young Herd Bulls — A Few Ideas on a Successful Breeding Season

Now that all the travel and searching is over and you have purchased a new herd bull, what is next? That answer is to take care of that young bull as he enters your program. A certain level of management needs to be done to ensure that your new purchase can return dividends to your cattle program.

Many yearling bulls are developed under a performance test environment, receiving grain and grain byproduct based feed or silage/grazing test programs. Bulls tested at a public bull test station or privately on a farm sometimes can be slightly over conditioned at sale time. However, this is nowhere close to how fat the bulls were in the early years of testing leading up through the ‘80s. Bulls today are larger framed compared to yesteryear. Most performance type nutritional programs rely more on grain byproducts than the old traditional corn, oat, and cottonseed/soybean meal ration of the day. Either way, some bulls may still have excessive body conditions and need to be moderated to maximize breeding ability when turned out with cows. This is especially true for younger bulls.

When you get your new bull home, place him on a maintenance diet high in fiber with less emphasis on grain as a feed source. Place the bull in a large turnout where he can get exercise and “walk” off some of the excess fat if necessary. Do not leave the bull in a small lot where he cannot get out and walk. Grazing is perfect if available, and exercise is a must! You do not want to turn the bull out from a dry lot on breeding day, where he is removed from a grain concentrate diet and thrown on pasture with dead

bermudagrass or dormant fescue overnight to follow a group of heifers or cows for 60-plus days and think he will be fine. The optimal body condition score for the turnout of bulls is a condition score of 6. All bulls, for the most part, will lose some weight when turned out, but when their body score is around a 6, there is reserve body fat to pull from for energy.

Remember, young bulls are still growing, developing, and chasing cows simultaneously. Body score 4 or so bulls are too thin regardless of age. He is too thin if you can easily see some of the rib/ spinal bones.

It is important to realize that the bull you purchased needed to be challenged during the test period to identify several traits usually provided in your catalog or test reports. It would be somewhat harder to separate bulls visually without supplementation.

Hopefully, you have purchased a bull that has been allowed to express his genetic potential and provided exercise during or immediately after the testing program, so he will go home and get his job done. Another absolute in all bulls is always buying bulls that have had a BSE (Breeding Soundness Exam) done before the sale. BSEs are only a snapshot of that bull’s fertility, but it does offer some level of comfort that the bull is fine to use. If it has been more than 60 to 90 days since the last exam, it is a good rule of thumb to recheck the bull. If you talk to your large animal veterinarian, they will tell you that bulls who have not been checked close to turn out could have changed from the last exam. Many things can happen during a 30-to-60-day time lag that will affect his fertility. Your bulls could

have been sick without us ever noticing but ran a fever anyway. An animal with a high fever can impede spermatogenesis and kill the live sperm, requiring extra time for more mature sperm to develop. The time for the development of viable sperm can be around 60-64 days. Your bull could have injured his testicles, caused swelling with increased body temp, and caused sterility. I always recommend no more than 30 days from the first day of bull turnout to be checked. While that’s not a guarantee, it sure increases your odds of success and hopefully avoids your cows being open. A BSE is good insurance. Please note you are not done yet to know your bulls are working and settling cows. BSEs must be done but do not measure libido/sex drive. Observe your bull and ensure he stays with the herd and servicing cows while writing down observed breeding you see. Then watch the cows closely to see how many recycle.

Another tip is not to overload the bull with too many females to cover. A good rule of thumb for the number of heifers/ cows a bull can be turned out with is based on his age and maturity level. There are differences across breeds as to when some breeds reach sexual maturity for sure. Ear breeds tend to mature a little later in age, but a BSE will help us know when he is ready to cover cows.

As a rule, in determining the number of cows a bull can go with, a 15-monthold bull should be able to cover 15 cows in a 45–60-day breeding season. Using this rule, an 18-month-old bull should be able to cover 18 to 20 cows in the same breeding season. You can see by this example for the younger herd bull, there is a direct correlation between age and the number of cows he can be exposed to. This holds until maturity when bulls reach a sexually mature age of 2-3 years. Once bulls hit this mark, it is not uncommon for a bull to cover 30-35 females in the same period assuming all cows are cycling and healthy. Remember, sexual maturity in bulls and females can be breed dependent.

Once the breeding season is over, the young bull must rest and be given access to good forage and, if needed, supplemental feed to ensure the bull continues developing properly. Bulls need to maintain a good BCS (body condition score) of 5-6. Do not allow your bulls to get overly conditioned, which can lead to many more problems. You can maintain bulls at a BCS of 5 for a period, but before turning out, all bulls, young and mature, need to be in the range of 6. Always remember that bulls are following cows and burning energy, thus losing weight. The 9-10 months’ time a bull is out from the cow herd gives him much needed rest and allows you to

get the weight back on him over time in preparation for the next breeding season.

One key and critical management rule is separating younger and mature bulls. The fighting and competition for dominance put the younger bull at a disadvantage and your investment at risk. Even if you have more than one young bull, I would not keep over two bulls together after the breeding season. The fewer bulls you house together after breeding, the less fighting and injury you will have. Every year I have calls from producers having injured bulls where they were not appropriately separated. Your investment is at risk; broken legs, stifled hip joints, and reproductive injury send him straight to the slaughterhouse. There goes your investment, putting you back on the market to spend more on a replacement bull.

When you pull the bulls from your breeding pastures, supply a good area with grazing. If grazing is limited when the bulls come out of the pasture, it may become necessary to supplement the bulls with some grain and hay for a while until grazing is ready. Be careful, however, not to get the bulls fat. Again, we should target that maintenance level of a BCS of 5-5.5 while not breeding cows, and then before turning out, supplemental feed may be necessary to get the bull to a BCS in the range of the upper 5’s to 6. For the most part, good grazing, mineral, and cool, clean water are all that’s needed for mature bull maintenance. While younger bulls may need some supplemental feed occasionally during the year. Generally, grain supplementation may be necessary 60 days or more before turnout, depending on the body condition score at any age. A little care goes a long way in protecting your investment.

Young bulls are being developed on tests. Lots of room for exercise at 10-11 months of age.

HERD HEALTH

By BRIAN L. BEER, TRAVIS MITCHELL, & LEE VAN VLAKE Clemson University

Adding Value to Calves - Vaccinations

Vaccinations are an essential tool in cattle herd health programs. While the primary goal of vaccine use is disease prevention, vaccinations are also used as a marketing tool in value added sales. Utilizing specific vaccination protocols and timing of vaccination can increase the value of the animals sold. Many graded feeder calf sales and video load lot sales require specific vaccinations and vaccination schedules to participate. Buyers are eager to purchase vaccinated cattle because they have a layer of protection. Sick calves do not gain weight efficiently, and preventing death loss in feed yards is a top priority for potential buyers. Vaccinated cattle are worth more because buyers know they are purchasing cattle that are more likely to perform better regarding weight gain and sickness.

Cattle producers should consider having their cattle and calves on a vaccination plan. A sound vaccination plan is paramount to healthy cows and calves while on your farm and to potential buyers. Proper vaccinations can help prevent death loss associated with common, recurring cattle diseases. The list of routine vaccinations for beef cattle herds is not very large. Most cow/calf operations vaccinate for 7-way clostridial (blackleg vaccine), reproductive diseases (Lepto, Vibrio), and respiratory diseases (IBR, PI3, BRSV, BVD, and others). Administering vaccines properly is also important regarding the efficacy of the vaccine. Producers should read the label and follow the labeled dosage and storage instructions.

Blackleg, or 7-way clostridial, vaccination is standard in many cow/calf operations. Everyone knows someone

who has experienced calf loss due to blackleg. Clostridial vaccines are very effective and provide excellent protection from blackleg and other clostridial diseases, so cattle producers see the value of using these products.

Reproductive disease (Lepto, Vibrio) vaccinations are important for the cow herd and replacement females. Reproductive diseases adversely affect pregnancy rates and calf crop percentage, two critical economic drivers for cow/ calf farms. Vaccinations effectively and economically reduce the negative impact of reproductive diseases associated with cows and replacement females. With record high input costs cattle producers have faced, it is vitally important to increase pregnancy rates and not carry open cows on your operation.

Respiratory disease is less common in cow/calf operations, especially if the herd does not introduce new animals from other farms (closed herds). The value of respiratory vaccinations is more challenging to show farmers when they haven’t experienced these issues. Respiratory vaccines given to calves will often benefit the next owner more than the farms where these animals originated. However, respiratory diseases can be detrimental to operations that receive these cattle. Historically, most cattle purchased out of the Southeast end up in the Midwest. These calves will typically arrive in a different climate and are also introduced to disease challenges their immune system has not seen. These disease challenges will negatively impact non-vaccinated cattle. Vaccination timing is critical to the success of a herd health program. This

article will focus on vaccinations for calves on cow/calf farms rather than the cow herd. Vaccination timing for calves occurs around two events; 3-4 months of age and weaning. At 3-4 months old, the passive immunity from the dam’s colostrum has declined, and the calf’s immune system can respond to vaccinations. Vaccinating at this time can protect calves from diseases, especially blackleg. Weaning is considered the most stressful time in a calf’s life and can increase exposure to respiratory and other diseases. Vaccinations at times of known lower immunity and increased disease exposure help prevent infections and negative impacts associated with respiratory diseases.

The table below shows an option for vaccinations given and their timing. Every farm has unique disease issues and disease prevention goals. It is paramount that producers work with their veterinarian to determine proper vaccination protocols and timing for your operation.

Several vaccinations listed require boosters within 2-4 weeks. Booster vaccinations are essential for vaccine effectiveness and must be administered within the timeframe outlined on the

product label.

The decision to use modified live or killed respiratory vaccine centers around safety for pregnant cows nursing vaccinated calves. There is a risk of abortions when using modified live vaccines on calves nursing pregnant cows. The BVD portion of the modified live vaccine causes this issue. Some modified live vaccines are labeled for this use if the cows were vaccinated with a modified live vaccine. Modified live vaccines provide stronger, more rapid, and longer lasting immunity than killed vaccines. Some products available do not contain modified live BVD in the formulation or have killed BVD in combination with modified live components. Be sure to read and follow label recommendations of products used when vaccinating your herd.

Beef cattle economic indicators point toward higher feeder cattle prices for the next few years. With the potential of buyers competing harder to get calves purchased to fill orders, the demand for healthy cattle will increase. Premiums will be placed on calves from operations implementing a solid herd health program where a good vaccination plan is a foundation.

Edwards Land & Cattle Company Named Limousin Promoter of the Year

Dexter started a humble beginning as a son of a small family farmer who raised tobacco, row crops, pigs, and cattle. He was gifted a sow at seven years old as a present from his dad. He raised the pigs from the sow and sold his first hogs at the local stock market and was hooked on livestock from that point forward. Pam was the daughter of a civil servant employee at Camp Lejeune Marine Base for 35 years and a mother who had grown up on a small family farm.

After college , Dexter became employed with Carrolls Foods, a leader in swine and turkey production. He started his career as manager of a swine operation. While at Carrolls Foods, Dexter became a service manager and later developed the first swine contract facility program for the business. Later, Carrolls merged with Murphy Farms and Brown of the Carolinas to form MurphyBrown, which later became Smithfield Foods. Dexter has held many leadership positions in this company. For the past 12 years, Dexter has been General Manager of the Southeast Region and now the Central Region. He is the general manager of the largest swine production consortium in the country. Dexter loves the growers and employees of the industry and has worked hard and will continue to work hard for the industry.

After graduation, Pam taught and coached at Wallace Elementary School, Charity Middle School, and Chinquapin Elementary School. She coached basketball, volleyball, and softball at these schools, and in her tenure, she never had a losing season in any sport. She led her teams to many County championships. She later became the Physical Education and Health Coordinator for Duplin County Schools, which later led to her becoming the Director of Student Support Services. She was responsible for over forty programs in the school district, which included athletics, school nursing, guidance counselors, alternative school, social workers, and school resource officers, just to name a few. Pam retired after 35 years in education to pursue a candidacy for the Duplin County Board of Education.

Brittainy and her husband Kurt are the owners of Edwards and Associates Physical Therapy in Beulaville. She was aware of the limitations of a small community having access to medical services and wanted to provide quality care to her patients. Her business has been in Beulaville for the past 18 years.

Nicholas is the manager of Edwards Land and Cattle Company and Next

Generation Family Ventures, which consist of farming, as well as swine and cattle.

As mentioned earlier, having a quality community is extremely important to the Edwards Family. They are all involved in community work. Dexter served as president of the Duplin County Farm Bureau for seven years and is still on the Duplin Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He also served as president of the Duplin County Agri-business Council for six years and is now on the board as past president. Dexter also served on the Board of Directors for NALF from 2010-2016. He is presently on the Duplin County Board of County Commissioners, just beginning his third term, where he is serving as Chairman.

As mentioned earlier, faith is the main stable of this family. They are members of the Beulaville Free Will Baptist Church. They have realized the miracle of God’s hand many times in their journey. God continues to provide miracles in their lives. Dexter chaired the Stop Hunger Now program in the church for several years, where the church provided meals to hungry countries. One of Dexter’s highest achievements has been his recent endeavor to the In God We Trust campaign to add the motto to both the Duplin County Airport and Duplin Commissioners Board room. Pam serves as the church’s treasurer. She has held the position of youth director and Sunday school teacher. Brittainy serves as a Sunday School teacher and a member of the Property and Space Committee. She has been the youth sermon director. Nicholas serves on the Property and Space Committee and the Backpack Committee. Kurt and the kids maintain the church grounds.

Dexter has received honors from the N.C. Pork Council both in 1998 as North Carolina Pork Producer of the Year and in 2016 as the W.W. Shay Award winner in 2019 for outstanding leadership and contribution to the pork industry. Dexter received the Melvin Cording Service to Agriculture award in 2010, presented by the Agri-business council. Pam was honored at her retirement with a scholarship being named in her honor for an outstanding senior scholar-athlete at the annual Duplin Education Foundation.

Edwards Land & Cattle Company currently runs roughly 800 head of cattle spread out over three counties.

Edwards Land and Cattle Company is home to Limousin, Lim-Flex, Angus, and Red Angus cattle as well as more than 12,000 hogs and turkeys.

The Edwards’ operation has a long and rich history that stems across several generations, Dexter said.

Dexter said his greatest joy has been having his son come back home to help manage Edwards Land and Cattle Company. Nicholas’s involvement has allowed him to find balance between the work he loves and time for his family, Dexter added.

Nicholas has never doubted that being involved with the family business was what he wanted to do in life but said it was his father’s dedication that gave him the ability to come home to the operation. When Dexter first started Edwards Land and Cattle Company after he graduated from college, he only had an acre-and-a-half of land in his name.

“My dad started everything we have from the ground up. He built this farm from nothing,” Nicholas said. “I love working with him, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.”

Nicholas has always looked up to Dexter and said his father is the sole reason he has been able to pursue his passion and find a career in the industry he loves. From the moment Dexter gifted a Limousin bull to him on his third birthday, Nicholas said he has worked to possess and exhibit the same drive as his father.

“He’s taught me everything. He’s been my teacher in everything I’ve done,” Nicholas added.

Nicholas said he has countless memories of working cattle for his father and treasures every one of them. It was Dexter, Nicholas said, who was responsible for giving him the courage

and desire to start exhibiting their cattle. Nicholas’ youth was spent traveling the country, showing the Limousin cattle he had raised on their family’s operation.

While the seedstock industry was not originally the operation’s main focus, Nicholas said he and his father are proud of the various successes their livestock have found in show rings and sales across the country.

Edwards Land and Cattle Company has produced seven All American Futurity grand champions and claimed four titles at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. With these achievements, it is no surprise Dexter and Nicholas have also been recognized as Premier Breeder six years in a row at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville and again in 2022.

In addition to exhibiting successful strings of cattle at literally every major cattle show in the United States, the cattle carrying their ELCX prefix have been just as widely accepted at sale venues across the country. From hosting their own annual production sale at the farm to consigning cattle to premier sale events across the country, cattle bred in their program have met much buyer demand.

“Watching him develop has been one of my greatest pleasures,” Dexter said. “The cattle taught him that if you work hard enough at something, you can accomplish your goals and become a leader. That confidence is the reason we have won Premier Breeder six years in a row. That’s his work — not mine.”

Nicholas’ love for the Limousin breed kept Dexter involved in the Association. Dexter said seeing the

Edwards family members include Dexter and Pam Edwards, Brittainy Edwards Kildow and husband Kurt, children Arden and Gage, and Nicholas Edwards and daughter Allie.

impact the show industry had on his son inspired him to find ways to get more youth involved in agriculture. This inspiration led to Dexter serving for six years on the North American Limousin Foundation Board, including a stint as Vice President.

“My favorite part was having the opportunity to meet so many different farmers and ranchers across the country,” Dexter said of his time on the Board.

He has worked to seize every

opportunity to promote the Limousin cattle he raises with his son. Dexter’s greatest sense of pride while serving, however, came from watching other youth members in the industry grow as cattlemen like Nicholas did. From the moment he saw his three-year-old son fall in love with his first Limousin bull to the cattleman running the family operation today, Dexter said the cattle industry has shaped his son into the hard working man he is today.

NEWS

CattleFax Forecasts Producer Profitability in 2023 with Potential Drought Relief for the West. The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in New Orleans, shared expert market and weather analysis on February 2.

Prices and profitability will again favor cattle producers in 2023. The cattle industry is entering 2023 with the smallest cattle supply since 2015, as drought caused the industry to dig deeper into the supply of feeder cattle and calves. While the exact path to drought relief is unknown, improvements are also expected to translate to moderating feed costs, especially in the second half of 2023. Combined with increased cattle prices, cattle producers, especially the cow/calf operator, will continue to see an improvement in margins for the next several years, according to CattleFax.

Meteorologist Matt Makens said the latest forecast for La Niña has only a 14 percent probability of existence this spring and down further by the summer, which means a pattern change comes our way this year. A neutral phase will take control of the pattern as La Niña weakens and may last several months before giving El Niño a chance to grow this summer and into the fall.

Makens said putting this latest La Niña episode in the review mirror suggests improving drought conditions, more favorable growing seasons, and healthier soils.

“I’m not trying to imply that doing away with La Niña fixes everything. An El Niño can cause drought across

the northern states. There is no win-win for everyone in any weather pattern,” Makens added. “But moisture conditions should improve for the West in the second half of this year.”

Kevin Good, vice president of industry relations and analysis at CattleFax, reported that U.S. beef cow cattle inventories have already fallen 1.5 million head from cycle highs. The 2023 beef cow herd is expected to be down about another million head to nearly 29.2 million.

“Drought affected nearly half of the beef cow herd over the last year, exacerbating the liquidation in 2022. Drought improvement and higher cattle prices should drastically slow beef cow culling through 2023,” Good said.

Feeder cattle and calf supplies outside of feedyards will be 400,000 to 450,000 head smaller than in 2022 at 25.1 million. After being full for most of the past three years, cattle on feed inventories are expected to begin 2023 at 300,000-400,000 head below last year, at 14.3 million head, and remain smaller. Commercial fed slaughter in 2023 is forecast to decline by 750,000-800,000 to 25.6 million head.

“With drought forced placement and culling, beef production was record large in 2022 at 28.3 billion pounds. Expect production to drop over the next several years – declining 4-5 percent in 2023 to 27 billion pounds,” Good said. “The decline in production in 2023 will lead to a 2.2 pound decline in net beef supply to 57 pounds per person.”

Good forecast the average 2023 fed steer price at $158/cwt., up $13/cwt. from

In 2012, the Edwards Family moved their annual sale to their new sale facility located on the 100-year-old farm originally owned by the Edwards ancestors. The facility was a dream come true for the family. The facility has become not only a sale facility but a facility to celebrate many community activities, including weddings and gatherings.

While Nicholas said he loves the competitiveness of the show industry, it’s

the heart and soul of the people raising the cattle that keep him coming back to the industry time and time again.

“I would say we’re a dying breed as far as the kind of people we are. It’s real competitive what we do, but at the end of the day, we’re all on the same page,” Nicholas said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s a show cattle producer or a commercial producer — we are a family. We have each other’s backs when it comes down to it.”

2022, with a range of $150-$172/cwt. throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, and prices are expected to continue to trend upward. The 800 lb. steer price is expected to average $195/cwt. with a range of $175-$215/cwt., and the 550 lb. steer price is expected to average $225/cwt., with a range of $200 to $245/cwt. Finally, Good forecast utility cows at an average of $100/cwt. with a range of $75 to $115/cwt. and bred cows at an average of $2,100/cwt. with a range of $1,900-$2,300 for load lots of quality, running age cows.

When looking at domestic beef demand, the U.S. economy will be a driving factor going in 2023. CattleFax said inflation, rising interest rates, and general economic uncertainty will continue to impact consumer purchasing decisions as many look to limit spending. Inflation reached a 40 year high in 2022, triggering the U.S. Federal Reserve to raise interest rates seven times last year with intentions for further rate increases until inflation falls. Though the Federal Reserve hopes to accomplish a “soft landing” and avoid recession, the U.S. economy is expected to slow in 2023, with most economists calling for a mild recession in the second half of the year.

Good noted that though beef demand has softened, it remains historically strong, and consumers have shown a willingness to continue to buy beef in a new and higher range. He expects the 2023 USDA All Fresh Retail Beef prices to average $7.35/pound, up 4¢ cents from 2022.

He also said wholesale demand will appear to be softer, as prices will not go up at the same rate of inflation despite tighter supplies. The cutout value should move higher to average $270/cwt. for 2023.

Global protein demand has continued to rise around the world, and tighter global protein supplies should broadly support prices in 2023. After more than

20 percent of growth across the last two years, U.S. beef exports are expected to moderate, declining 3 percent in 2023 to 3.5 billion pounds. Japan and South Korea remain the top U.S. beef export destinations, with stable exports in 2022. Meanwhile, Chinese demand has continued to grow, with tonnage up 20 percent last year, likely with continued room to grow.

Mike Murphy, CattleFax vice president of research and risk management services, said National December 1 on-farm hay stock was down 9 percent from a year ago at 71.9 million tons, with hay prices averaging $216/ton in 2022.

“Last year was the smallest U.S. hay production year since 1959,” Murphy said. “Hay prices will likely continue to be high in the first part of 2023, but we expect weather patterns to improve pasture conditions as early as this spring which should help stabilize and soften hay prices throughout 2023.”

CattleFax said corn stocks-to-use are just under 9 percent and will continue to support the market above $6/bu. and provide resistance near $7.50/bu. into the summer with a yearly average price of $6.50/bu. expected.

Blach concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, expecting improvements in the weather pattern and a tighter supply to distribute more money through all sectors of the cattle industry.

About CattleFax. CattleFax is a member owned organization that serves producers in all segments of the cattle and beef business. CattleFax is the global leader in beef industry research, analysis, and information. Since 1968, the organization’s exclusive industry database has set the standard for market information and analysis. Visit www. CattleFax.com to learn more and become a member.

Federation oF State BeeF CounCilS update

Federation Through the Decades

— 1980s. As the Federation of State Beef Councils celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, let’s step back in time and look at successful projects that have created a strong state/national partnership through the decades. We are going back to the future to the ‘80s when the Beef Checkoff began, and big hair was in.

After two national Checkoff referendum attempts failed, the Beef Industry Council and other industry organizations decided to survey cattle producers across the country to determine industry attitudes about beef promotion. The survey found 84 percent supported an industry funded research, education, and promotion program, and half of those surveyed favored an assessment of $1 per head or more. The results also enforced the importance of a state/ national partnership and a more unified beef industry.

Following several more years of meetings, planning, and industry surveys, language was crafted for The Beef Promotion and Research Act to be included in the 1985 Farm Bill. The Farm Bill passed, putting another referendum in motion. In 1986, the Cattlemen’s Promotion and Research Board was approved by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and the Beef Board began coordinating with national industry organizations to conduct research, promotion, and education efforts with more than $70 million in Checkoff collections.

Producers were able to see the new program in action and came out in full force to vote in the 1988 national referendum. With 79 percent of producers voting in favor of the national Beef Checkoff, the industry secured an ongoing funding source for programs to drive demand for beef.

Throughout the decade, research played a critical role in guiding educational and promotional efforts. Research that focused on nutrition, diet, and health; product development; and marketing built the foundation to support every program. Research conducted in the ‘80s helped prove that beef is leaner and lower in calories and cholesterol than many consumers believed and identified new markets and new products for beef producers. Studies on iron absorption and bioavailability also led to the creation of advertising that took the message of beef and iron directly to physicians and dietitians.

Even before the national Checkoff was in place, the Beef Industry Council continued its successful promotion campaigns, including “Make Ends Meat — With the Great Taste of Beef.” The effort promoted money saving ideas and featured new and exciting recipes that utilized cost effective cuts of beef. Point of purchase materials were distributed to more than 21,000 stores nationwide, and television, newspaper, and radio advertising supplemented in-store efforts in many cities.

Utilizing market research gathered

early in the decade, the BIC and state groups focused on promoting beef’s nutritional role in the diet. In 1983, the new theme of “Beef Gives Strength” linked beef to an active, healthy, and contemporary lifestyle. New television ads appeared on national network programs, print ads ran in national consumer magazines, and radio and outdoor billboards rounded out the campaign, with cooperating state beef councils extending the effort at the local level.

One of the first promotional campaigns following the implementation of the Beef Checkoff, was “Beef. Real Food For Real People.” featuring entertainment personalities James Garner and Cybill Shepherd. The campaign’s goal was to position beef as a great tasting, convenient, nutritious food that fits into active lifestyles. Television, print, and radio ads promoted the theme for several years, and it was considered a remarkable success.

For more information about the Federation of State Beef Councils, visit www.ncba.org/federation . Next month we’re merging into the ‘90s when change and adaptation moved the industry forward, and beef became what’s for dinner.

A MessAge froM the Ceo

By COLIN WOODALL National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Fake Meet Flop

This time three years ago, we had no idea what COVID-19 was about to unleash. In fact, we had just ended a successful convention in San Antonio where the hottest topic was fake meat. Fake meat was popping up everywhere. Impossible Foods was building partnerships with many restaurants and had launched the Impossible Whopper with Burger King during the summer of 2019. Beyond Meat had a very successful IPO in 2019 that saw its stock price take off over all the hype. For us, we definitely saw fake meat as an existential threat.

Then came COVID-19. I could spend the next several months talking about all the havoc that COVID-19

wreaked on our industry, but there were a few silver linings. In a time of pure chaos and uncertainty, people wanted to find something that provided a little comfort and happiness. For many, comfort and happiness were found in food, and beef ended up being a food of choice. We received photographs from across the country where the beef case was cleaned out. American freezers and refrigerators were full of beef. That, in and of itself, was a challenge to make sure our Checkoff funded work provided the recipes and cooking tips to ensure a great beef eating experience was had. Consumer visits to beefitswhatsfordinner.com soared, but how long would this last? Would a

post pandemic return to some semblance of normalcy impact beef demand?

Last month, we released the Checkoff funded “Today’s Beef Consumer” report that shows beef demand remaining strong, and since the fourth quarter of 2019, consumers have ranked beef as their top source of protein over chicken, pork, and meat alternatives. Several of the pandemic induced trends remain, such as eating more meals at home. About 76 percent of meals are cooked at home, and 38 percent of consumers say they will cook even more at home in the coming year. Another trend is ordering groceries or meals online. There is 64 percent of consumers ordering groceries online and having them delivered or ready to be picked up at the store while they wait in their car. A whopping 80 percent of consumers have ordered meals online through apps such as DoorDash and Uber Eats. In this meal delivery category, 70 percent of the meals ordered are beef burgers. What is even more exciting is, when it comes to market share, fresh beef dominates with 99.5 percent, while beef substitutes only have 0.5 percent of the market. The consumer is clearly telling us they love real beef.

Earlier, I mentioned the pandemic era photos of the empty beef case. In several instances, the neighboring display

of Beyond Meat was fully stocked. Even in a time of panic and uncertainty, our consumers still did not want to buy fake meat. I believe there are several reasons that fake meat has flopped, and leading that list is taste. I have tried Impossible and Beyond products, so you do not have to. Since we are all beef connoisseurs, you will not be surprised to hear that these fake meat products are terrible. Regardless of the taste, what has amazed me most is how these products promote themselves. We promote beef by selling the sizzle, the taste, and the overall enjoyment of eating beef. Fake meat companies promote themselves by disparaging us with their accusations that cattle are killing the planet. They come to this conclusion by utilizing old and debunked data. I also find it humorous that they attack “factory farming” by building factories of their own. Their package of no taste and hollow accusations has not resonated with the consumer. After desperate attempts to reignite their brands, Beyond Meats has seen its stock price plummet, and Impossible Foods recently announced more layoffs.

While fake meat companies have not had the success they projected, they are not going away. There are many companies in this space, and they will all work tirelessly to improve their product. So, while we have won this round, the fight against fake meat will continue. It is also important to remember that cell cultured products are still being developed using bovine cells to replicate “meat” in the laboratory. There has yet to be any commercially viable use for these products, but it is just a matter of time before we will see them appear in retail or food service. We worked to ensure that USDA has a role in regulating these products, and we will maintain our position that cell cultured products must be regulated the same as beef is currently. We have more to do to protect ourselves, but we can rest well knowing that our consumers still love beef as nature intended it to be.

Don’t get caught napping!

Deadline is 5th of month prior to issue!

NCBA

PresideNt’s rePort

By TODD WILKINSON National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Debate the How, Not the Why

As I reflect on the recent Cattle Industry Convention held in New Orleans this February and think about the beginning of my year as NCBA president, one thought comes to mind: debate the how, never the why. My “why” is aeasy, and I think it’s safe to say it’s probably very similar to yours. Why am I a part of the cattle industry? Because it’s provided my family and me with a good life, and it means something to us. Why did I choose to get involved in leadership years ago, starting with the South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association and then on to NCBA? Because I believe that decisions are made by those who show up, and if you’re going to talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. Why have I stayed in volunteer leadership this long? I want to make sure this industry is here for my grandchildren and their grandchildren. I want them to have the opportunity to come back on this piece of ground my family calls home in South Dakota and run cattle. Like I said, the why is easy.

How do we make sure the legacy of our operations exists 100 years from now? That’s the area where I think healthy debate is useful, but also where

the result should be consensus and a united front. All of this was on full display during the convention, and it makes me proud to serve as your NCBA president.

Committee meetings were held, and producers from across the country and all segments of the industry discussed important industry issues. We set association policy and received feedback on NCBA’s work as a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. We learned that the profitability picture for the coming year favors producers, and we should get some much needed relief in drought stricken areas of the country. More than 7,000 cattlemen and women came together for a common goal — to better this industry and learn from each other.

When asked what concerns me most for our industry’s future, two things come to mind — regulatory overreach and the threat of a foreign animal disease outbreak on United States soil. Those two things as singular items are concerning, but the thought of them becoming one keeps me up at night. This is why traceability has been a primary focus for me as an NCBA officer.

Beef Cattle Series

A hands-on BQA certification training will be conducted on April 6 from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m in the Franklin County Extension Center annex meeting room and in the field. The training includes a freeze branding demonstration and lunch. To be part of the beef series, register online at go.ncsu.edu/2023_ regional_bqa_certification

On April 20, join us “Using EPDs to Fine Tune Bull Selection” with Jamie T. Courter, Ph.D., Bovine Technical Services Manager; Geonomics, at NEOGEN. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m., then dinner, followed by the presentation at 6:00 p.m.; $10 includes dinner. Register at go.ncsu.edu/using_beef_genomics_ meeting

For information contact the office at 919-496-3344, or Martha Mobley at martha_mobley@ncsu.edu

In 2021, the NCBA Board of Directors approved a strategic plan to give the organization a more focused approach to engaging with cattle producers, policymakers, and consumers. Traceability was identified as one of our strategic priorities, and the NCBA Traceability Working Group was formed. For the past year, I’ve chaired this group comprised of producers throughout the country from every sector of the industry. Our mission was to evaluate the current industry efforts to identify and trace animals through the cattle and beef system in the United States and develop a set of requirements for any eventual system that might be put in place in our industry. As you can imagine, there was healthy debate on the “how” of this topic but the why was never in question. NCBA is taking a leadership role on this issue because it is imperative to protect our industry in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak.

Traceability is about risk protection, and I view it the same way as I view the insurance policy on my pickup. It’s also about consumer trust. Consumer demand

for our product and consumer trust in farmers and ranchers is strong, and we want to keep it that way by providing the transparency they are demanding.

The impact of a foreign animal disease in the United States, such as foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), would be catastrophic. Without a working, meaningful national traceability system in place, the impacts would be multiplied significantly. If FMD is identified in the United States, it will result in an immediate stop of all livestock movement within the United States for up to 72 hours until movement control areas are established and epidemiological investigation and tracing activities are undertaken. Most major export markets would close to U.S. beef immediately. The overall economic impact has been estimated as high as $228 billion.

I firmly believe it is you, the members of our association, that are prepared to get out and protect your livelihoods. Cattlemen and women with innovative mindsets are the ones who are going to chart the future. I am looking forward to leading that charge with you.

IRM Red Books Are Here

Due to increased printing costs, the price of the books have increased to $7.00/each this year. We would like to thank Performance Livestock & Feed Company and Carolina Stockyards for again sponsoring this book.

The 2023 version is now available to help cattle producers effectively & efficiently record daily production efforts, which can help enhance profitablity and reduce stress levels. In addition to Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) best practices and proper injection technique information, it has more than 100 pages to record calving activity, herd health, pasture use, cattle inventory, body condition, cattle treatment, A.I. breeding records, and more. It also contains a calendar and notes section.

Simply return the order form below, along with $7.00 for each book to: N.C. Cattlemen’s Association

2228 N. Main Street

Fuquay Varina, NC 27526

You can now order them through our website at www.nccattle.com/resources/merchandise/red-book-order-form. You can also call our office at 919-552-9111 or email us at kim@nccattle.com

NCBA News

“Onward to Orlando” for 2024 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. While the largest cattle industry event in the country wrapped up only a short while ago, plans are already underway to get “Onward to Orlando.” Mark your calendars for the 2024 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show, which is heading to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., on January 31-February 2.

Thousands of cattlemen and women will gather to learn, conduct business, network, and have fun. In a city known for sun and family fun, entertainment will also delight kids of all ages. Cattlemen’s College, which immediately precedes convention, will bring thought provoking, stimulating sessions that provide producers with information they can put to work on their farms and ranches.

The award winning NCBA Trade Show will feature a new layout with several acres of indoor and outdoor displays as well as live cattle handling demonstrations, educational sessions, and entertainment. Trade show exhibitors will offer products and services such as animal health products, equipment, irrigation technology, software, trailers, and so much more.

Additional information will be available soon at convention.ncba.org

NCBA Calls Again for Immediate Halt to Brazilian Beef Imports. Recently, Brazil reported another atypical case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) to the World Animal Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). That report indicated 35 days elapsed between when the case was first identified on January 18 and the date it was confirmed on February 22. This represents an unacceptable delay that is in clear violation of WOAH reporting requirements. It is clear that Brazil is incapable of prompt testing and the reporting requirements that all nations must follow when engaging in international beef trade. Because of a repeated pattern of delayed reporting, NCBA is calling on Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to take immediate action to indefinitely suspend beef imports from Brazil until it has made systemic reforms and takes necessary steps to restore confidence in the nation’s ability to participate in the global beef supply.

“We have seen Brazil repeatedly

fail to meet the 24 hour requirement for reporting of animal diseases listed by WOAH. In order to protect the safety and security of the U.S. herd, and American cattle producers, we demand USDA take immediate steps to block further beef imports from Brazil,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson.

“Furthermore, we expect USDA to keep the border closed to Brazil until they can demonstrate that they are willing and able to play by the trade rules that govern all other nations. If they can’t play by the rules, they don’t deserve access. Secretary Vilsack needs to act now, rather than kicking the can down the road.”

NCBA sent a letter to USDA demanding immediate action on this issue. NCBA is also supportive of bipartisan Senate legislation to suspend Brazilian beef imports pending a review of Brazil’s standards.

“For too long, American cattlemen and women have honored the laws governing international trade, promoting fair and equitable standards, only to have nations like Brazil ignore those same standards. Brazil cannot be allowed to benefit from the investments we have made to build a massive demand for beef around the globe,” said Wilkinson. “If trade partners like Brazil fail to follow the rules, there must be consequences, they must be painful and immediate.”

NCBA Condemns House and Senate Bills Aimed at “Checkoff Reform.” Legislation introduced recently in the House and Senate represents nothing more than another attempt to allow activists to dictate to producers. Senators Booker and Warren have long been supported by animal rights groups, and this collective group of bill sponsors has worked long and hard to dismantle our industry’s only self funded promotion and education effort. Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) and their partners Senators Rand Paul (R-Ken.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the Senate bill. Representatives Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Dina Titus (D-Nev.) introduced the House bill.

“In 2021, cattle producers overwhelmingly denied a referendum to end the Checkoff, with detractors coming nowhere near the required signatures to petition for the termination of this vital

program. The Beef Checkoff has a long track record of support among cattle producers,” said NCBA president Todd Wilkinson. “Congress has plenty of work to do that could be far more beneficial to Americans. They should focus on areas of urgent need rather than wasting time on these unwelcome “reform efforts” that would only benefit anti-agriculture activists.

The Checkoff’s legality and current implementation has already been upheld by multiple federal courts, and last year, the Supreme Court denied a petition challenging the Checkoff. Cattle producers understand the high return on investment and increase in beef demand the Checkoff provides.

“For every dollar paid into the Checkoff program, $11.91 is returned in producer profit and between 2014-2018 total domestic beef demand increased by 12.8 billion pounds. Any legislation that would hurt beef promotion efforts is tantamount to taking money directly out of cattle producers’ pockets,” said Wilkinson. “The introduction of the “Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act of 2023” represents Senators Booker, Lee, Paul, Warren, and Gillibrand working to subvert the will of U.S. cattle producers. NCBA will always stand firm in its support of the U.S. Beef Checkoff program and will continue to fight the animal rights groups and the members of Congress who assist them in their efforts to end animal agriculture.”

NCBA Statement on “Product of USA” Proposed Rule. Recently, NCBA Executive Director of Government Affairs Kent Bacus released the following statement on the USDA’s new proposed rulemaking regarding the “Product of USA” label:

“There is no question that the current “Product of USA” label for beef is flawed, and it undercuts the ability of U.S. cattle producers to differentiate U.S. beef in the marketplace. For the past few years, NCBA’s grassroots driven efforts have focused on addressing problems with the existing label, and we will continue working to find a voluntary, trade-compliant solution that promotes product differentiation and delivers profitable solutions and for U.S. cattle producers. Simply adding born, raised, and harvested requirements to an already broken label will fail to deliver additional value to cattle producers and it will undercut true voluntary, marketdriven labels that benefit cattle producers. We cannot afford to replace one flawed government label with another flawed government label.”

Registration Open for 2023 Stockmanship & Stewardship Events.

Six Regional Events Scheduled Across the Country. Registration is now open for six Stockmanship & Stewardship regional events in five states this spring and summer, with an additional virtual event to be held in November. During each event, producers can become Beef Quality Assurance certified, network with fellow cattlemen and women, participate in hands-on demonstrations led by animal handling experts, including Curt Pate and Dr. Ron Gill, and learn cutting edge operation techniques. The 2023 Stockmanship & Stewardship dates and locations include:

• May 10-12 - Farmington, N.M

• June 13-14 - Norfolk, Neb.

• June 15 - McCook, Neb.

• August 18 - Fort Collins, Colo.

• September 15-16 - Ontario, Ore.

• September 29-30 - Caldwell, Ohio

• November 1 - Virtual

A previous Stockmanship & Stewardship attendee shared, “While I have had experience with most of the topics covered, it was great to hear the speakers talk and give a good overview of industry practices. It was a great event, and it’s one that I encourage others to attend.”

Stockmanship & Stewardship is a unique educational experience for cattle producers featuring low stress cattle handling demonstrations, BQA educational sessions, facility design sessions, and industry updates. The program is sponsored by NCBA, Merck Animal Health, and the Beef Checkoff funded National Beef Quality Assurance program.

“At Merck Animal Health, we are committed to continuously improving animal health and well being through our investments in research and development, our comprehensive portfolio of innovative products and technologies, the expertise of our people, and in supporting the cattle industry and its causes,” said Kevin Mobley, executive director of sales at Merck Animal Health. “We are proud to have a long standing partnership with the Beef Checkoff and NCBA on its Stockmanship & Stewardship program to provide cattle producers with animal care training and education to help them be more profitable and sustainable in their operations.”

For more information about upcoming Stockmanship & Stewardship events and to register, visit www. StockmanshipAndStewardship.org. Cattle producers attending a Stockmanship & Stewardship event are eligible for reimbursement through the Rancher Resilience Grant. To apply for a grant to cover registration costs and two nights hotel, visit www.ncba.org/producers/ rancher-resilience-grant

NCBA Welcomes Introduction

of Black Vulture Relief Act. Recently, NCBA welcomed the introduction of the bipartisan Black Vulture Relief Act, led by Representatives John Rose (R-Tenn.) and Darren Soto (D-Fla.).

“Across the country, cattle producers are coping with extreme input costs and the worst inflation rate in 40 years. Livestock deaths due to black vultures are a financial loss that no one can afford right now,” said NCBA Director of Government Affairs Sigrid Johannes. “Giving producers greater flexibility on black vulture management means one less financial burden to worry about. We appreciate Congressman Rose and Congressman Soto’s leadership and commonsense approach to controlling this abundant predator species.”

The bill would allow a cattle producer to “take” (capture, kill, disperse, or transport) black vultures that pose a risk to livestock. Additionally, the bill reduces permitting burdens and red tape by instituting a simple report that producers submit once per year detailing the number of black vultures they took. Streamlining the system and lifting the

cap on the number of black vultures producers can take is a commonsense approach to managing a fully recovered, aggressive predator species.

“Black vultures have developed into a lethal predator for newborn calves, costing Tennessee cattle producers thousands of dollars in lost revenue each year. We appreciate Congressman Rose’s bill as a significant tool to help control the over population of these predators,” said Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association Executive Director Charles Hord.

Black vulture depredation rates have increased across the Southeast in recent years, surpassing 30 percent in some states like Florida.

“The Florida Cattlemen’s Association appreciates Congressman Soto’s cosponsorship of this commonsense bill,” said Jim Handley, executive vice president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association.

“The economic loss to Florida cattle ranchers from black vultures is significant every year, and we thank Congressman Soto for taking action to assist our industry with this legislation.”

Background - Cattle producers have

experienced firsthand the devastating effects of vulture depredation:

• Danny Clark, Lawrenceburg, Tenn.

- “Lawrence County livestock producers have been experiencing issues with black vultures preying on newly born calves for some time. Economic loss in addition to the time and labor spent during calving season for these producers is devastating. Government approved permits…allowing producers to use lethal means to control these preying birds is also a challenge…I know this year these black vultures have been the cause of [death for] at least one calf and damage to one cow as well, along with others in previous years.”

• Laura Wallace, Spencer, Tenn.“These buzzards have gotten four calves in one season, putting tremendous strain on my little 97 acre operation…The [price of] diesel, fertilizer, fencing, feed, 24D [herbicide] have all gone up.”

• Mark Russell, DVM, Tullahoma, Tenn. - “Last year I found one newborn dead [calf] with its eyes eaten out. This year I came up on over 30 vultures in the field behind my house.”

• Jeff Russell, Kingston, Tenn.

- “During calving season…we have constant problems with vultures loitering in our pastures. I did lose one calf so far this year. When I found it, there were 40-50 vultures in the pasture and in surrounding trees. Every time a cow gives birth the vultures are surrounding it and pestering the cow. We attempt to scare them off, but they have become more brazen and will return within minutes. The population appears to be out of balance. There are too many and the stress it is causing my cows is affecting their well being and the safety of my newly born calves. Help is needed with this issue as it continues to get worse.”

• A.T. Burchell, Columbia, Tenn. - “I have a 200 head beef cattle operation in Columbia, Tennessee, and we have had a continual problem with black vultures attacking newly born calves.”

NCBA Hails House Passage of Resolution to Stop WOTUS Rule. Urges Senate to Adopt Resolution. Recently,

Continued on the next page

NCBA News continued from the previous page

NCBA hailed the passage of H.J. Res. 27, a joint resolution that would invalidate the Biden administration’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule through the Congressional Review Act.

“This vote is a win for America’s cattlemen and women and NCBA is thrilled to see a majority of House members reject the Biden administration’s burdensome WOTUS rule,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson. “Shifting WOTUS rules have plagued cattle producers for generations and this latest rule only continues the decades of uncertainty. We urge the Senate to pass this resolution as well so it can take full effect. At the same time, we look forward to the Supreme Court’s verdict in the WOTUS case Sackett v. EPA and hope that this ruling finally places guardrails on the federal government’s attempt to regulate small, isolated bodies of water on private farms and ranches.”

The Biden administration’s WOTUS rule creates more uncertainty for cattle

producers by putting the burden on individual producers to determine if a water feature on their land is considered federally regulated. Additionally, NCBA has expressed strong opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizing this rule in the middle of a Supreme Court case that addresses this very issue. NCBA is also pursuing litigation against this rule to prevent it from taking effect and harming cattle producers.

The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to invalidate an executive agency’s rule by passing a joint resolution through both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The resolution will now go to the Senate for consideration.

NCBA Concerned with District Court Decision to Let Harmful WOTUS Rule Stand. WOTUS Rule Takes Effect in 48 States. Recently, NCBA expressed strong disappointment in a decision by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of Texas to deny a nationwide

preliminary injunction that would have halted the Biden administration’s harmful Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule from taking effect.

“This latest WOTUS rule will place more burdens on family farms and ranches, drive up costs, and prevent cattle producers like me from making investments in our land,” said NCBA President Todd Wilkinson. “While we appreciate the court’s injunction of the rule in Texas and Idaho, we are strongly disappointed in the decision to keep this WOTUS rule in place in 48 states, and I am proud of NCBA’s efforts to continue the fight against this rule.

“The Environmental Protect Agency finalized the latest WOTUS rule at the end of 2022. NCBA and its litigation partners filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the rule on January 18. NCBA sought a nationwide preliminary injunction, which would have prevented the federal government from implementing the WOTUS rule until the

From Congress to Courtrooms, NCBA is Defending You

By TODD WILKINSON President, NCBA

Today, cattlemen and women across the United States face turbulent times. The return of long standing issues like “Waters of the United States,” and new Endangered Species Act listings are just two examples of misguided, ineffective, and poorly implemented policies coming from federal regulators in Washington.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is leading the fight against these harmful regulations, not only in the halls of Congress and federal agencies but in the courtroom as well. Currently, NCBA is engaged in two lawsuits against federal authorities: the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recently announced Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) final rule and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (FWS) listing of the lesser prairie chicken under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

On December 30, 2022, the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers announced the final “Revised Definition of ‘Waters of the United States’” rule. Scheduled to take effect in March 2023, this rule will create new uncertainty for farmers, ranchers, and landowners across the

country. Immediately after the final rule was released, NCBA and a coalition of national associations filed a lawsuit to stop the rule from taking effect. Rather than clarifying the WOTUS definition, this new rule allows EPA inspectors and the Army Corps of Engineers to exert federal authority over small creeks or ponds that might only hold water right after a rainstorm — a far cry from the oceans, large lakes, and rivers that traditionally fall under the EPA’s purview. Worst of all, the rule would impact our ability to effectively manage water features on our property, including ditches and isolated ponds. Imagine having to get a federal permit before building a new stock pond or road across your pasture. This is unacceptable, which is why we are in federal court to make sure this rule is dead in the water.

While we continue our years long fight against WOTUS, NCBA is also engaged in litigation on ESA listings. In January 2023, NCBA sent a Notice of Intent to sue the Department of the Interior and the FWS over the listing of the lesser prairie chicken.

Cattle producers’ conservation efforts are the only reason the lesser prairie chicken survives today. The bird favors a habitat with a variety of plants, which is best achieved through cattle grazing. Despite our good work, the FWS has further penalized cattle producers and created a system ripe for abuse. For cattle producers in Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas, the FWS has opened the door to activist groups having an outsized say over livestock grazing practices. The FWS arbitrarily divided the population into two Distinct Population Segments (DPS); in the Southern DPS, when the lesser prairie chicken is considered “endangered,” any take of the bird could mean legal liability for landowners. In the Northern DPS, the FWS created a 4(d) rule which offers a way for producers to limit their liability in case of incidental take (the accidental killing of a lesser prairie chicken) by having a grazing management plan on file. Unfortunately, the FWS will rely on third parties to review those grazing plans, putting special interest groups over producers who know the land best.

entire case is decided. Instead, the court granted a limited injunction in only two states — Texas and Idaho.

“The court’s decision to keep the Biden administration’s WOTUS rule in place is concerning and irresponsible,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “Without a nationwide injunction, the rule takes full legal effect today and will become an immediate burden on our nation’s cattle producers. NCBA will continue efforts to defend our nation’s farmers and ranchers.”

About the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. NCBA has represented America’s cattle producers since 1898, preserving the heritage and strength of the industry through education and public policy. As the largest association of cattle producers, NCBA works to create new markets and increase demand for beef. Efforts are made possible through membership contributions. To join, contact NCBA at 866-BEEF-USA or membership@beef.org

Beyond our formal litigation efforts, NCBA worked with our allies in Congress to delay the effective date of the lesser prairie chicken designation. While this is only a temporary solution, NCBA is working hard to protect cattle producers from the harmful effects of this listing.

As a cattle producer myself, I am extremely proud of NCBA’s work defending our policy priorities in court. I certainly couldn’t fight FWS in court myself or read each new bill introduced in Congress, but NCBA fights on our behalf — on Capitol Hill, through agency rulemaking, and in courts across the country. I want to make sure that generations 100 years from now can still enjoy our farming and ranching way of life. That is only possible if NCBA has the strength to keep fighting for us. If you have already joined NCBA, thank you for your membership, but we need your friends and neighbors to join us too. Take a moment to talk to those around you and explain the importance of joining NCBA. NCBA is our voice from Congress to the courtroom, and these fights are too important to sit out.

Cattlemen’S BeeF Board update

By GREG HANES, Cheif Executive Officer

The Beef Checkoff and Lab Grown Protein

As the fortunes of “plant based meat” companies appear to be in decline recently, another competitor to beef raised on farms and ranches is starting to garner more headlines. “Lab grown” or “cell cultured meat” seems to be popping up here and there. Seeing these articles, some producers have expressed concern to me that the Beef Checkoff may begin to promote this “lab grown” protein. Based on the law, my answer to them is always the same — no way!

Regardless of how these lab grown products will be categorized, the Beef Checkoff will not be promoting them. Why? It all goes back to the federal law that created and controls the Beef Checkoff. In this law, called the Beef Promotion and Research Act (the Act), there are very clear

definitions relative to the Checkoff program and what it can and can’t do.

The Act specifically defines three important terms: “beef,” “beef products,” and “cattle”:

• Definition #1 - “beef” as “flesh from cattle”

• Definition #2 - “beef products” are “edible products produced in whole or in part from beef”

• Definition #3 - “cattle” are defined as “live domesticated bovine animals”

The Act goes on to note that the Beef Checkoff can only be used for promotion, advertising, research, and consumer and industry information programs focused solely on “beef and beef products,” and to support the beef industry.

These definitions for both beef and

beef products as coming directly from the flesh of cattle (and cattle are live animals) are key, as lab grown protein does not meet these established descriptions. In addition, no Checkoff dollars will be collected from any of these cell based products. Checkoff assessments are based on live cattle or imported beef and beef products originating from live cattle. There are no provisions in the federal Checkoff law to collect dollars from lab grown meat to be used in our program.

Keep in mind there is one more check and balance to ensure no Beef Checkoff dollars are spent promoting a product that does not generate

assessments on behalf of the Checkoff program. According to The Act, any programs funded by national Beef Checkoff dollars must be approved by the Beef Promotion Operating Committee (BPOC), comprised of “cattle producers and importers.” Non-assessment payers are not eligible to become CBB Board or BPOC members and would not make these important funding decisions.

We stand by those who pay into our long standing program and will continue to take our legal and fiduciary responsibilities in upholding the law with the same continued commitment we use every day — now and in the future.

Diversify income opportunities with multi-species grazing. Grazing sheep, goats, or cattle together can open up new market opportunities and help improve pasture stewardship. Sheep. Goats. Cattle. Multi-species grazing can provide many advantages to producers looking to mitigate risk, diversify their income and get more from their pastures, even when forage availability is limited.

“Raising different species together is fairly common, and I’ve seen the practice grow in recent years,” says Clay Elliott, Ph.D., and small ruminant nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition. “Multi-species grazing gives farmers and ranchers another avenue for income.”

Whether you currently raise sheep, goats, or cattle, adding another species to your operation could provide many benefits. Consider these factors when deciding if multi-species grazing is right for you:

• Sustainable pasture management - “Sheep, goats, and cattle are the perfect complementary species to graze together because they aren’t always competing for the same forages,” says Elliott. “Grazing any combination of these species can help you get more from your pastureland by turning ‘waste’ plants into meat, wool, or

milk.”

Goats are browsers, favoring tree limbs and leaves over the high quality, tender grass sheep and cattle prefer. Goats are also a great option for grazing land impacted by drought as they can forage on relatively little vegetation, giving you an additional income source without taking away the limited resources available for cattle or sheep.

Sheep can graze grass closer to the ground than cattle, so they can utilize forage cattle can’t. One watch-out with sheep is to avoid overgrazing, which could impact the long term productivity of your pastures. Create a pasture rotation plan and use water or supplemental nutrition sources to spread out grazing activity to help reduce the risk of overgrazing.

Efficient forage use isn’t the only way multi-species grazing supports sustainable pasture management. Sheep and goats can help keep brush and invasive plants at bay, allowing for more grass growth for cattle and, in some cases, eliminating plants that could be toxic to cattle.

• Copper supplementation - “One reason producers hesitate to implement multi-species grazing is goats and

cattle have a significantly higher copper requirement than sheep, which are very copper sensitive,” says Elliott. “That’s the major difference between these three species – their copper tolerance.”

One option to address the differing copper needs is to feed all species a sheep mineral that’s low in copper and supplement cows and goats with a bolus product once or twice a year to meet their copper needs. Soil testing can help determine how often cattle and goats need copper supplementation.

Another option is sequential grazing, or rotating species through pastures separately rather than co-grazing. This allows you to provide each species with a mineral tailored to its unique nutritional needs and avoid the added labor of administering a bolus product.

• Diversify income opportunities

- Multi-species grazing allows you to mitigate risk by opening up additional market opportunities and gaining more income per acre of pasture.

“A cow can only maintain herself and raise one calf every year,” says Elliott. “You could add 4-5 ewes and their babies on that same acre of ground, giving you another revenue source.”

The number of animals you can raise per acre depends on many factors, including pasture quality, sequential or co-grazing management, water access, and your market availability and goals.

Keep in mind reproduction rates differ by species. Sheep and goats reproduce more frequently and have more offspring than cattle. Consider how quickly your sheep or goat herd will grow and plan your stocking density accordingly.

• Input cost and management considerations - While there are many benefits to raising multiple species together, other expenses and management changes must be considered.

“Balance input costs and your projected return on investment to determine if multi-species grazing is the right choice for you,” says Elliott. “For example, fencing upgrades to keep smaller species in and help deter predators is one of the larger up front considerations in terms of labor and cost.”

Another consideration is veterinary care. Ensure your local veterinarian is comfortable caring for whichever species you intend to raise. Evaluate your handling facilities to ensure they can accommodate large and small animals and that veterinary care and other management activities can be done safely and efficiently.

• Partnership opportunities - When it comes to multi-species grazing, you don’t have to go it alone. Some cattle,

sheep, and goat producers have found success working together.

“I’ve seen very successful operations where a cattle producer brings in sheep or goats from a different ranch for summer grazing,” says Elliott. “The cattle rancher benefits from weed control and pasture management while the sheep or goat producer benefits from access to high quality pasture for their animals. It’s a win-win.”

With some thoughtful considerations, multi-species grazing can be a great option to help mitigate risk, diversify your income and get more from your pastureland, whether you’re currently raising sheep, goats, or cattle. Contact your local Purina nutritionist or visit purinamills.com for support.

About Purina Animal Nutrition. Purina is a national organization serving producers, animal owners, and their families through more than 4,700 local cooperatives, independent dealers, and other retailers throughout the United States. Driven to unlock the greatest potential in every animal, the company is an industry leading innovator offering a valued portfolio of complete feeds, supplements, premixes, ingredients, and specialty technologies for the livestock and lifestyle animal markets. Purina Animal Nutrition LLC is headquartered in Arden Hills, Minn., and a wholly owned subsidiary of Land O’Lakes, Inc. For more information, visit www.purinamills. com

Pasture Management Systems, Inc.

MILE OF FENCE PROGRAM

New Members by County in 2023 (as of 3-20-23)

Grand Total 311

New NCCA Members for 2023

In 2007, members of the Membership Committee passed a resolution to recognize all NEW members of the NCCA in The Carolina Cattle Connection at the NCCA Annual Conference in Hickory. A new member is defined as someone who has never been a member or someone who has rejoined after a brief break in membership. The new members are identified in this new members section by name and county of residence.

Below is a list of NCCA’s new members for the last month:

Out-of-State

Ryan Kirby – Boykins Hogs – Virginia

Annette Llanes

– Interior Mobile Vet – Arkansas

Tyler Thoreson – Georgia

Glenn B. Watkins – Virginia

Alamance County

Josh Summers – Union Ridge Farms

Alleghany County

Austin Phipps

Anson County

Robert F. Briley – Briley Farms

Buncombe County

Kaitlyn Ambrose

Deairdra Boquet

Ashley Byrd

Casey Dechant

Anna English – Lonesome Valley Investments

Marshall D. Harris

Kevin Kiser – Kiser Farm

Ethan Lunsford – Lunsfords Cattle Company

Paige Salazar

Morgan Sloan

Valorie Hope Williams

Tucker Worley

Cabarrus County

Ellie Burton – Gold Rush Cattle Company

Catawba County

Jacob Cline – Muddy Creek Cattle

Rylea Suddreth – Maliblue Farms

Chatham County

Jonathan Black

Steve Marsh

Clint Millsaps

Jan White

Davidson County

Reginald F. Lookabill – Lookabill Family Livestock

Davis County

John Weatherman – Weatherman Farms

Duplin County

Jaclyn Futreal

Franklin County

Lamberg & Patricia Adams – 5-Upward Farm

Patrick

Shawn Journigan – Journigan Farms

Brandon Murphy – Murphy Farms

Ray Murphy – Murphy Farms

Jeffery F. Wood – Wood Farm Partnership

Greene County

Greg Cannon – Cannon Cattle Company

Billy Williams – Billy Williams (BW) Farm

Guilford County

Colton Childers – Childers Concrete

Halifax County

Tony Francis – Delmar Farm

Haywood County

Hank & Rebecca Ross – Ross Dairy

Kayden Simpkins

Henderson County

Brittany Kordonowy

Linda Pryor – Hilltop Farm WNC

Kasey West

Iredell County

Codi Barker – Cowgirl Run

Johnston County

Proctor Hinnant, Jr. – Hinnant Family Farm

Kevin Olson – Sweetwater Bottom

Lincoln County

Mike Wilson – Wilson Brothers Farm

Macon County

Travis Jenkins – Broken T Farm

McDowell County

Shana Adcock

Nash County

Ronald Braswell III – Mighty Oak Cattle

Hallie Kiser

Onslow County

Perry J. Parker – Perry’s Black Angus Farm

Person County

Curtis Hammock – Starting Up

Taylor Malpass – R.L. Malpass Cattle Company

Pitt County

Billy Ray Lewis – Billy Ray Lewis Farms

Polk County Kim Kay – K.K. Cattle

Randolph County

Jamie Crumley – Harpley’s

Craig Daniels – Copperline Farms

Richmond County

Thomas Davenport – Sunday Money Farms

Rockingham County

James Washington – Out Law Ranch

Rowan County

Tom Corriher – Tom Corriher Farms

Glen Fisher – Cargill Feed & Nutrition

Stokes County

Jason Bovender – B & B Farms

Surry County

Calvin Mooney – Mooney Farms

Union County

Julius R. & John R. Price – Salem Hills Farm

Wake County

Bonnie Swift

Warren County

Kent G. Daeke – Daeke Farms & Forestry

Morgan Harris – Longbranch Farms

Richard J. Holtzmann, Jr. – Holtzmann Farm

John Siller

Makayla Strickland

Wilkes County

Joseph ‘Joey’ Charles Church

Understanding Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) and Improving Their Accuracy Through Genomic Testing

By JOHNNY R. ROGERS & FELIPE A.C.C. SILVA, N.C. State University

Introduction - Breeding cattle selection has a powerful impact on the profitability of cow/calf operations. This is because sire selection is tailored to achieve desired traits in the calf crop. Over the last 50 years, selecting desired traits became possible with the introduction of expected progeny differences (EPDs) by breed associations to estimate offspring performance. Nowadays, over 20 traits can be estimated when buying bulls or semen. Traits can be grouped under main categories such as carcass traits, reproductive traits, performance traits, behavioral traits, and conformational traits. Therefore, expected progeny differences provide a prediction of the ability of a given sire to transmit that genetic merit into their offspring. Breed associations utilize sire performance, pedigree, and offspring performance to calculate EPDs. Recently, genomic data has been included to calculate genomic enhanced EPDs.

Altogether, EPDs generate numeric values presented in the same unit that the trait was measured. For example, birth weight and weaning weight are reported in pounds. The numeric output allows producers to select specific traits and have an average estimate of what to expect in the offspring’s performance. However, the selection of EPDs varies according to producers’ goals and the female category (i.e., heifer versus mature cow). Thus, producers selling their calves at weaning will focus on a different set of EPDs compared to producers retaining ownership through the feedlot. In the same way, producers looking for a bull to service their heifers will evaluate different traits compared to a producer looking for a bull for his mature cows.

Understanding EPDs - Although EPDs have been used for over five decades, understanding and selecting specific traits can be a daunting process. But basically, producers will use the same process to compare bulls despite the EPD they are selecting, which will consist in subtracting the EPD from one bull from the other. For example,

Here, when we quickly compare the weight traits (BW, WW, and YW), we notice that both bulls are greater than the breed average. This means that their offspring is expected to perform, on average, better than the offspring of 50 percent of the bulls from this breed association.

We also observe that bull A has greater EPDs when comparing those traits to bull B. This means that the offspring sired by bull A is expected to be, on average, 0.7 lbs heavier than the offspring sired by bull B at birth. In addition, on average, it will be 6 lbs, heavier at weaning and 14 lbs at yearling.

The comparison is done by subtracting both EPDs, bull A EPD – bull B EPD.

BW = bull A – bull B = 2.1 – 1.4 = 0.7 lbs.

WW = bull A – bull B = 86 – 80 = 6 lbs.

YW = bull A – bull B = 150 – 136 = 14 lbs.

Because the offspring from bull A is expected to be heavier at birth, the calving ease direct (CED) is expected to be decreased. This means that bull A is expected to have 5 percent more assisted births compared to bull B, which could be an issue if planning to breed heifers.

Cattlemen have more genetic selection tools than ever before. This can make bull selection difficult, especially when dealing with multiple breeds. Percentile rank (% rank) allows producers to quickly visualize where the bull stands in the population within the breed. Lower percentile rank means bulls are among the breed’s best for that trait.

Consider the following bull’s % rank:

• CED – 1%: Means, on average, his offspring will have more unassisted births

• BW – 1%: lighter calves

• WW – 1%: heavier calves

• Milk – 1%: more maternal milk

• MRB – 1%: more marbling

• RE – 1%: more ribeye area

The same process would apply if a producer is interested in improving carcass traits.

Index to find the optimal balance of traits from conception to consumption. Once the appropriate index is chosen, it will become clear that cattle can reach the same index score with different EPDs. This gives producers the option to fine tune their selection and move their herd in the right direction.

Accuracy and Genomic Enhanced EPDs - The accuracy of EPDs gives us a level of confidence that estimated numeric

This means that bull A ranks in the top 70 percent for BW, top 3 percent for WW, and top 4 percent for YW. Because his offspring is supposed to be heavier at birth, he does not rank well for CED and BW and, therefore, may not be the best choice when breeding heifers.

In this scenario, the offspring sired by bull A is expected to have, on average, 12 lbs heavier carcass compared to bull B. Contrary, bull B is expected to have, on average, 0.64 greater marbling scores and 0.07 square inches greater ribeye area than bull A. Altogether, they have the same feedlot index value which is the expected dollar per head if the producer would retain ownership through the feedlot and sell cattle on a carcass weight basis.

Selection Index/$Values - Beef production is complex; thus, multiple traits may need improvement at the same time. This can be difficult to manage, and a tool was needed to show how cattle could contribute to the operation’s bottom

values will be observed on average on the calf crop. The accuracy increases as more data are generated (i.e., the bull sires more calves). However, the accuracy for young bulls is generally low because they lack progeny records. Fortunately, the inclusion of genomic data has led to increased accuracy in younger sires. The impact varies depending on the trait, but it can improve young bull accuracy to equal bulls with 20 progeny. Altogether, genomic data has a greater contribution to the EPDs of younger bulls, but that impact decreases as more progeny data becomes available. Therefore, genomic enhanced EPDs are very valuable when buying younger bulls.

line. A Selection Index applies weights to all economically relevant traits to assign merit to cattle and rank them based on their contribution to a given scenario. These tools can be used early in the selection process to identify bulls that meet the genetic objectives. For example, a Maternal Index would be a great choice for building an outstanding cowherd. Traits of emphasis might include CED, WW, HPG, and MW. A Terminal Index would focus on outstanding end product value with growth and carcass traits. Most producers would be in the middle of those two and would use an All Purpose

Take home message - Beef cattle genetic improvement is a long process; most of the genetic change will come from the bull selection. Producers must use all the selection tools at their disposal, and the most impactful tool to measure cattle genetic merit is Expected Progeny Differences. Producers have to bear in mind that the selection of traits will vary according to their goals. Selection Indices allow for improvement in multiple traits. Genomic testing can enhance the accuracy of EPDs, especially in younger sires. Genomic testing starts with the proper DNA sample collection and its use in parent verification. Accurate pedigrees are the foundation for all genetic evaluations. Please refer to the publication regarding genomic testing for more information on prices, samples needed, and instructions.

Five Jackpot Show Essentials to Keep Livestock on Feed & Water. Winter and spring are exciting times of the year for livestock exhibitors across the country. It’s time to break out the new show prospects and hit the road to jackpot shows. Don’t let those hours of hard work and days of preparation at home all be for nothing. The combination of hauling, changes in environment and climate, and stress can cause your animals to go off feed and water and therefore leave them looking a little rung out – something no one wants to deal with at a show.

Fortunately, BioZyme Inc., makers of Sure Champ and Vita Charge products, realized early on that 70 percent of the animal’s immune response starts in the digestive system. Livestock with a healthy gut will continue to eat and drink and perform, which is why Sure Champ and Vita Charge products are powered by AO-Biotics Amaferm, a prebiotic research proven to enhance digestibility.

Being proactive with your nutrition program is the best way to keep your animals healthy, eating, drinking, and performing. Sure Champ is a line of products that supports the health and well being of show livestock. Using Sure Champ in the barn daily and on the show road is a great way to help you and your animals #PreptoWin. Vita Charge offers rapid resilience through a line of fast acting, multi-specie livestock products for support before, during, and after stressful times. Most products can be used on all species, but always read and follow label directions. Let’s look at five products that are ideal for your livestock as you prepare for winter and spring jackpot shows.

• Sure Champ Spark is a pelleted, daily supplement for show livestock designed to support digestive health and restore appetite. It contains MOS, which helps normalize gut microflora and support the immune system. Other key ingredients include biotin and zinc to support hoof health, hair coat, and performance.

• Sure Champ Cattle is a pelleted, daily supplement with protein, vitamins, and minerals for show livestock designed to support performance. It stimulates a consistent appetite while ensuring show cattle receive adequate vitamins and minerals.

• Vita Charge Liquid Boost is a liquid for all livestock designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune systems. It also

contains MOS to help normalize gut microflora and support the immune system, as well as flavoring to help drive the intake of feed or water. We suggest introducing Vita Charge Liquid Boost to your livestock a few days prior to leaving home for a show so they are used to the flavor and they make a smooth transition to it at the show.

• Vita Charge Cattle Drench is a drench for cattle designed to support digestive health before, during, and after challenges and now comes in a convenient 32 ounce size for livestock shows. In addition to Amaferm and MOS, it contains enzymes to generate a more rapid digestive response.

• Vita Charge Gel is a gel for all livestock designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune systems. This fast-acting product supports appetite and hydration and contains both Amaferm and MOS. The Vita Charge Gel comes in two sizes – 60 mL and 300 mL.

Regardless of the species you show, make sure as you #PreptoWin, your animals don’t go off feed and water just in time for the show. Doing the work during the week will help you get the results you are looking for at the shows on the weekend. Keep them eating and drinking with products powered by Amaferm. A healthy gut makes a happy animal.

Sure Champ Ration Builder Offers Versatility. In the cattle industry, there are a lot of variables. Producers and show cattle exhibitors alike get great choices of genetics to select from, environments to live in, and feed companies to purchase from. However, when it comes to your cattle’s nutrition, one thing remains constant. Every person should desire the highest quality nutrition, including a balanced vitamin and mineral package at the best value.

Sure Champ Ration Builder is the ideal component for producers looking to make a complete feed to meet their production goals or for show cattle enthusiasts wanting to develop the ideal ration. Sure Champ Ration Builder is a pelleted base mix for cattle with 32 percent protein along with vitamins and minerals for diet fortification. It also contains the prebiotic AO-Biotic Amaferm. It can be mixed into show feed, creep feed, or finishing rations.

“Sure Champ Ration Builder is an ideal way to get Amaferm into your animals’ system while utilizing your hometown feed

mill,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Inc. Beef Technical Sales Manager. “The commodities that your local feed mill offer will be fairly similar in quality, and they can add Ration Builder in at a low inclusion rate to turn your ration into a higher quality, higher protein feed with the digestibility benefits Amaferm offers.”

Since the Sure Champ Ration Builder contains Amaferm, it will help producers and feeders get the most value out of the feedstuffs they are giving their animals. Combine that with the chelated zinc, copper, and manganese, and you create a highly fortified cattle feed using your own or locally sourced commodities, according to Cassady.

The inclusion rate of Sure Champ Ration Builder is 250-400 pounds per ton of grain and forage, depending on the stage of life your cattle are in. With the protein profile that Ration Builder offers, you have ample opportunity to adjust accordingly. You can use it in your show cattle early on to promote gain and feed it as cattle reach their endpoint.

“Today’s show cattle market is as competitive as ever, and consequently, the margin for error is razor thin. Prepping to win starts at home, and it’s more than working hair and clipping. The number one factor associated with winning is proper nutrition and health. If your animals are comprised of elite genetics, then it just makes sense to provide them with the highest quality nutrition,” Cassady said.

Learn more about these products and others at www.surechamp.com

Manure: How your Inputs could Save you on Your Outputs. Series based on 1980s Ads Featuring BioZyme Founder. Manure happens. It’s the final phase of the digestive process, and according to the third in a series of 1980 VitaFerm advertisements, “It’s not much fun to step in. But it can tell you plenty.”

As cattle producers and feeders, you probably think long and hard about what goes into the front end of your animals. However, how often do you think about their waste?

“Careful analysis of your cattle’s manure can tell you how they use...or don’t use...what they eat. Undigested protein, fiber, sugar and starch are nothing but a waste of money. Your money.”

Input costs are still a concern today, just as they were four decades ago. One way you can make sure you don’t waste your money is to include AO-Biotics Amaferm in your animal’s diet.

“What we formulate on paper is just step one in a nutritional program. The analysis on a feed tag is no more than a surefire concentration of the nutrients within a product. It’s up to producers to make sure it’s delivered

and consumed appropriately. Finally, whatever the animal consumes needs to be appropriately digested, absorbed, and utilized to be profitable for your bottom line. Obviously, Amaferm plays a key role in every step of a premium nutritional program,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D.

Cattle producers can include Amaferm in their herds’ diets in several ways. BioZyme, the makers of Amaferm, also manufacture several high quality lines of supplements that include the proprietary prebiotic. For the cow/calf producer, VitaFerm is a line of nutritional supplements for beef cattle that maximize energy and forage utilization for successful production. Gain Smart is a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for stocker cattle that promotes healthy, economical pounds by maximizing the energy and protein available in the diet. Amaferm can also be purchased in pellet or granular form and added to your own TMR.

“If feed digestibility isn’t maximized, it not only limits an animal’s genetic potential, but it increases feed costs per digestible nutrient. When feed prices are elevated, improvements in feed utilization provide the greatest ROI,” Cassady said.

Although cattle types and kinds might have changed over the last 40 years, some things surely haven’t. According to this advertisement with BioZyme founder Larry Ehlert’s hand on the tailbone of a cow, “Animals exposed to the daily stressors of heat, cold, disease, shipping, handling, flies, etc., don’t perform as efficiently as they are capable of performing. Amaferm helps provide optimum rumen fermentation, even under stress.”

It’s time to start paying attention to the other end of your cow. Is she defecating away feed and your hard earned dollars? Or is she maximizing her digestibility with a prebiotic like Amaferm? A little investment in Amaferm will help you save in the long term. Make sure you know what you are putting into your cattle is getting used efficiently. You don’t want to see it coming out the other end.

Ken Ford Joins Leadership Team at BioZyme Inc. Ken Ford is the Director of Commercial Sales & Outreach at BioZyme Inc., with headquarters in Saint Joseph, Missouri. As a former CEO of two companies, including Hagyard Pharmacy, he is a natural leader, and he brings those skills to the Sales and Marketing Teams.

“I am very excited to join the Leadership Team at BioZyme, an organization with a rich history filled with opportunities for the future. Not only do I share a strong value system

Continued on page 66

NEWS

John Deere introduces new G5 Universal displays, JDLink M modem, and StarFire 7000 Universal receiver. John Deere has introduced new G5 Universal displays and a new JDLink M modem and is also making the StarFire 7000 Universal receiver available, all as aftermarket options. These offerings make it easy for farmers to upgrade equipment they already own or to replace dated components so they can take advantage of current and future technology.

Compared to previous John Deere displays, the G5 Universal displays provide a 35 percent larger viewing area, three times faster processing speed, and a high definition screen. The G5 Universal displays come in two configurations –G5 with a 10.1 inch display and G5Plus with a 12.8 inch display. Farmers will appreciate the updated functionality and enhanced user experience the new displays provide. G5Plus includes AutoTrac, Documentation, and now Section Control in base, simplifying the purchase experience. With the G5 Advanced package, farmers can take their in-field productivity and performance to the next level with automation features that include AutoTrac Turn Automation, AutoPath, Machine Sync, and Infield Data Sharing. The G5 Advanced software license provides these valuable

capabilities while providing lower upfront cost, gets better over time, and you only pay for what your farm needs.

“The G5 Universal display provides a more usable area on the run pages and makes it easier for you to control your equipment and to take advantage of future technology like autonomy,” said Christopher Murray, marketing manager for John Deere. “With the G5 Advanced package, you can improve the ease and accuracy of every pass by choosing the package tailored to your machine.”

Introduced last year, the StarFire 7000 receiver features five years plus of repeatability, 73 percent faster pull-in times, and is 17 percent more accurate when using SF-RTK when compared to previous models using SF3 signal. In addition, signal stability and reliability were improved and provide the highest level of guidance and accuracy John Deere has ever offered. Now, as an aftermarket option, farmers can add a StarFire 7000 Universal receiver to their equipment for improved functionality or to replace outdated GPS receivers for better accuracy and repeatability.

The JDLink M modem being offered can be installed in as quick as 15 minutes on John Deere and other brands of equipment and vehicles, making it possible to easily document machine and

BioZyme News continued from page 64

that aligns with the company culture, but I am looking forward to the intentional decisions that are being made as we pave a bright pathway for the future of this growing, global company,” Ford said.

In his role, he will lead the domestic outreach, marketing, and sales teams for BioZyme and its sister company, Cogent Solutions Group, Lexington, Kentucky. He will work closely with the national sales managers for supplements and animal health products, as well as marketing, to ensure the goals are met for the company. He is based in Lexington, Kentucky.

“Simon Sinek says, ‘If you hire people just because they can do a job,

they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.’ Ken was hired to lead the Sales and Marketing Teams at BioZyme because he believes that care that comes full circle is a great way to grow a sustainable, giving, and impactful business,” said Lisa Norton, BioZyme President and CEO.

Ford, a South Africa native, attended the University of Johannesburg and relocated to the United States in 2001. He brings extensive knowledge in investments, finance, venture capital, human and veterinary animal specialty pharmaceuticals, and animal health

work data and to make data transfer from those machines easier.

“The JDLink M modem was designed with legacy equipment, mixed fleets, and support vehicles in mind,” said Ryan Stien, marketing manager for John Deere. “Our goal is to ensure every customer can benefit from the value connectivity provides. Whether it’s helping their dealer receive alerts on equipment, sharing agronomic data, or monitoring logistics – connectivity makes it easier. The modem, along with the G5 Universal displays and StarFire 7000 Universal receiver, provide customers with a pathway to the future of precision ag.”

John Deere announces MY24 updates for 7, 8, and 9 Series Tractors. John Deere has announced MY24 updates for its lineup of 7, 8, and 9 Series Tractors that will help prepare them for the future of precision agriculture. Key updates include the new StarFire 7000 integrated GPS position receiver and an all new G5Plus CommandCenter Display. Both will be included as base equipment.

“We updated our largest John Deere tractors with new technology to help our customers achieve the highest levels of precision ag efficiency and ease-ofuse today while ensuring their tractors are prepared to work autonomously in coming years,” said Ryan Jardon, marketing manager for John Deere.

The StarFire 7000 Receiver features five years of repeatability and 73 percent faster pull-in times and is 17 percent more accurate when using SF-RTK when compared to previous models using SF3 signal. In addition, signal stability and

reliability were improved and provide the highest level of guidance and accuracy ever offered by John Deere. SF-RTK gives farmers year-over-year repeatability without the need for base stations.

Inside the cab, farmers will find the all new G5Plus CommandCenter Display (and optional G5Plus Extended Monitor) that features a larger screen, increased processing power, and faster file transfer times compared to previous displays. G5Plus features a 35 percent larger viewing area and 1080p high definition video resolution. The 12.8 inch touchscreen display and higher video resolution provide farmers with clear, bright, and easy access to machine controls. AutoTrac guidance and Section Control are now included in base equipment.

“Farmers can add the optional G5 Advanced package to take advantage of John Deere applications that include AutoTrac Turn Automation, AutoPath, AutoTrac Implement Guidance, Machine Sync, and In-Field Data Sharing,” said Jardon. “The G5 Advanced software license provides these valuable capabilities while providing lower up front cost, gets better over time, and you only pay for what your farm needs. These applications help farmers cover more acres per day with less time and stress. The G5 Advanced package is available as a one or three year option from the factory. With G5Plus farmers can be confident in knowing they’re using the latest, most advanced features each year.”

Another feature John Deere is making available is a factory installed implement ethernet. This new connection

international distribution. He and his wife, Anna, have a daughter, Morgan. Ford enjoys traveling and can use his multilingual skills as an asset at BioZyme. He also enjoys a variety of outdoor activities, including tennis and golf, fishing, pheasant hunting, and shooting sporting claying. He likes grilling, teaching Sunday School, and coaching youth soccer.

To learn more about BioZyme and its family of products, visit www. biozymeinc.com

About BioZyme Inc. BioZyme Inc., founded in 1951, develops and manufactures natural, proprietary products focused on animal nutrition,

health, and microbiology. With a continued commitment to research, BioZyme offers a complete line of feed additives and high density, highly available vitamin, mineral, trace mineral , and protein supplements for a variety of animals, including cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs. BioZyme brands include AO-Biotics ® , VitaFerm®, Gain Smart®, Vita Charge®, Sure Champ®, Vitalize®, DuraFerm®, and Backyard Boost®. With headquarters in St. Joseph, Mo., the company reaches a global market of customers that stretches into countries across five continents. For more information about BioZyme, visit www.biozymeinc.com

enables future high bandwidth communication between tractors and implements.

John Deere is also offering an Autonomy Prep package for 8 and 9 Series Tractors that ensures these machines have the known components needed to operate autonomously in the future.

“This includes the right transmission and visibility package, implement ethernet, a 330 amp alternator and other additional hardware,” Jardon said. “More components will likely be needed, but the Autonomy Prep package outfits these tractors with important known autonomy components to reduce what may be needed in the future when autonomy becomes more widely available.”

A new right hand cornerpost display was added inside the cab of all 7, 8, and 9 Series Tractors. The easy-toread display features digital readouts and an illustration area to help ensure these tractors can take advantage of advanced features as they become available. A factory installed rear-window tint is also available for John Deere CommandView™ 4 cabs to help keep operators comfortable while providing better visibility to display screens on the brightest of days.

Other updates include the addition of 20 horsepower for all 9RT two track tractors. Farmers can now choose from the 9RT 490, 9RT 540, or 9RT 590.

For potato, sugar beet, and vegetable

growers, John Deere added wider trackspacing options for its lineup of 8RX four-track tractors. These include 132, 136, 144, or 152 inch wide track spacings. The wider spacings are compatible with 16.5, 18, 24, and 30 inch track widths and John Deere ExactRate fertilizer tanks.

John Deere new See & Spray Premium performance upgrade kit for sprayers. John Deere has introduced a new See & Spray Premium performance upgrade kit for John Deere self propelled sprayers, the next addition to the See & Spray lineup. The kit uses a vision system powered by artificial intelligence that can help farmers gain cost efficiency and combat herbicide resistance with precise application by only spraying the weeds and not the entire field.

With See & Spray Premium, farmers gain access to advanced See & Spray technology that targets weeds with non-residual herbicides in corn, cotton, soybeans, and fallow fields. In addition, they can still use their sprayer all season long to make broadcast applications at standard operating speeds.

“Farmers continue to face rising input costs,” said Jordan Lang, marketing manager for John Deere. “Once a See & Spray Premium performance upgrade kit is installed on their sprayer, farmers can cover more acres than before on a single tank – while using targeted spray –making fewer stops to fill and using less chemical. Only weeds are sprayed, so less chemical is used, making it possible to decrease input costs. When activated, See & Spray generates an as-applied map that shows exactly where product was applied in the field.”

See & Spray Premium is a single tank system that simplifies tendering for the operator. While See & Spray Premium is not dual product capable, it offers many of the same benefits of sprayers equipped with dual tank capable See & Spray Ultimate technology.

As the sprayer moves through the field, See & Spray Premium utilizes advanced stability provided by John Deere BoomTrac Pro 2.0. This technology stabilizes the sprayer boom as cameras mounted to the boom capture clear images of the field. Within milliseconds, a machine learning model uses multiple images captured by the cameras to differentiate weed from crop. Once a weed is detected, a command is sent to the John Deere ExactApply™ nozzle to spray it. In addition, See & Spray Premium can be used to generate a weed pressure map for the field that was sprayed in the John Deere Operations Center.

“See & Spray Premium provides farmers who are happy with their current

sprayer, or who recently traded into a sprayer, a way to take advantage of the latest John Deere technology that can help them reduce chemical use and lower their input costs,” Lang said. “See & Spray Premium makes it possible to use less herbicide and water to treat a field and greatly reduces the potential for product drift.”

Currently, See & Spray Premium is offered for model year 2018 and newer John Deere sprayers in the U.S. and requires the machine to have a factory installed ExactApply system or ExactApply Performance Upgrade Kit with 15 or 20 inch spacing and a 120 foot steel boom.

To learn more, visit JohnDeere.com or contact your local John Deere dealer.

About John Deere. Deere & Company is a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, turf, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our customers push the boundaries of what’s possible in ways that are more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our technology enabled products, including John Deere Autonomous 8R Tractor, See & Spray, and E-Power Backhoe, are just some of the ways we help meet the world’s increasing need for food, shelter, and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial services through John Deere Financial.

Farm Credit News

The Farm Credit Associations of NC Donate $100,000 to the Next Generation of Agriculture. AgCarolina Farm Credit and Carolina Farm Credit announce the fundraising results of the sixth annual Pull for Youth sporting clays events held to benefit North Carolina 4-H and FFA. Over $600,000 has been donated directly to North Carolina 4-H and FFA since 2017.

A total donation of $70,000 was split evenly between North Carolina 4-H and FFA from the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina. Funds were raised in conjunction with the three Pull for Youth sporting clays events held across the state in the fall of 2022. A gift of $30,000 in matching funds was also presented from CoBank for a total gift of $100,000.

“A very special thank you to the volunteers, participants, and sponsors that made the recent Pull for Youth sporting clays events another success,” said Evan Kleinhans and Vance Dalton, CEOs of AgCarolina Farm Credit and Carolina Farm Credit, respectively. “The Pull for Youth sporting clays shoots bring together many folks with an interest in ensuring agriculture remains the leading industry in our state. The Farm Credit

Associations of North Carolina, CoBank, and our Pull for Youth sponsors believe partnering together to provide funds to North Carolina 4-H and FFA will provide a bright future for youth in the agriculture industry.”

About AgCarolina Farm Credit. AgCarolina Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member-borrowers providing loans for land, equipment, livestock, and production, as well as rural home mortgages and rural living. AgCarolina Farm Credit has branches serving Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Chowan, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Currituck, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Greene, Halifax, Harnett, Hertford, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Onslow, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, Tyrrell, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson counties. It is a part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America.

Don’t put your cart before your horse...advertise that sale ahead of time! You’ll see positive results.

News

Their work was not finished there, though. Throughout the year, these products have received constant upgrades and improvements.

compare activity and provide historical GPS points to allow ranchers to recognize grazing patterns.

701x

Innovative Ranching Products Gaining Traction. 701x is excited to announce they exceeded all growth expectations in 2022. In just over a year, their products are now being used by ranchers across the continental United States in 29 states and counting!

They released three products under their cattle management system, 701x Autonomous Rancher, this past year and don’t anticipate slowing down any time soon.

In January of 2022, they released their cattle management software nationwide to producers. This platform, 701x Autonomous Rancher App, features a mobile and desktop version. Within the software, ranchers can input calving, animal, and health records eliminating the need for paper and pen recording.

Immediately following the software release, 701x released their smart xTpro™ tag nationwide in May. This

GPS tracking ear tag brought ranchers a never before seen way of managing their herds. Ranchers are now able to get GPS locations of their animals along with animal monitoring information like an individual animal’s footstep count and activity alerts 24/7, 365 days out of the year. Whether their herds are less than a mile away in the field or thousands of miles across the nation, all data is transferred directly to the app for users to view.

In the Fall, 701x had one more product up its sleeve. After strenuous testing and designing, in October, they released their third and final product for the year, the xTlite tag. This ear tag allows ranchers to use their smart devices for a quick and painless inventory process. The tag is equipped with Bluetooth and allows users to take head counts of all their nearby cattle in seconds, saving time and money.

701x has been developing and testing the tags and their software at their testing facility in the rural Badlands of North Dakota throughout the development process. Beta testing has also been conducted through a group of target users to evaluate the tag’s performance. Tags have been deployed at several ranches across the Midwest to test the connectivity and durability of the product in different weather and terrain conditions and to uncover any problems or bugs that may occur.

As a result of 701x’s testing facility and beta testers, their products now sport a multitude of features impossible to imagine back then. Here is a quick overview of what each of their products now has to offer:

Autonomous Rancher App:

• Digital Calving Book - Quick calf creation using your device in the pen or pasture. Enter birth dates, weights, dam/ sire data, and other fields important to you.

• Working Cattle Mode - Create and update records while working chute side, such as weight, temperature, treatments, pregnancy check information, and more!

• Unlimited Users - It is your ranch, so collaborate with whomever you want! Authorized users can make changes in real time to keep everyone on the same page.

• Offline Capability - Users can input logs or new calving records while offline, which can be uploaded when an internet connection is re-established.

• User Friendly Interface - Access your herd data anywhere, on any device, at any time through our easy-to-use mobile app or desktop site.

• Breed Association IntegrationImport your current herd data, record new performance data, and easily export records to your breed association(s).

• Stellar Customer Support - Come across a problem? No worries, attendants are simply a phone call away from helping you through whatever you come across.

xTpro™ - The smart GPS cattle tag. In addition to GPS location and activity tracking, xTpro tags do a lot more. Built within the tag are numerous alerts to notify you when your animals may be in need. Low activity alerts when your animal drops below their average activity level, high activity when they may be in distress, no-movement alerts, high speed alerts when animals are being transported, and freefall if the tag falls off. They also track footstep counts so users can

xTlite™ - The smart EID tag is the newest addition to the 701x System. Take head counts of nearby cattle in minutes, using Bluetooth technology, taking the guesswork and headaches out of manually counting cattle and running them through the chute. Receive relative GPS locations for cattle when xTlite tags are near animals with xTpro tags in. These tags also track cattle footstep counts, allowing ranchers to compare the activity levels of the animals. No-movement alerts are also built into this tag to ensure ranchers are notified when animals are in need. The xTlite is simple to use, small enough for a calf, and cost effective for the entire cowherd.

All 701x products are currently for sale in the lower 48 of the United States. Their software works with all devices and platforms. For additional information regarding any 701x product, such as pricing, visit www.701x.com

What’s on the Horizon? The 701x team constantly produces innovative ideas and additions to their management system daily. This year looks to bring new innovations like those of the previous year, all with the end goal of making ranchers’ lives simpler and easier, following the vision of “Empowering Ranchers to do More With Less.”

Max Cossette, V.P. of Business Development, says, “Ranchers around the U.S. have been adapting our software, 701x Autonomous Rancher, and have started using the xTlite and xTpro tags in their herd. At 701x we promote the efficiency of the operation to save labor costs and drive more profitability. Essentially ranchers are now able to work on the go, from the convenience of their phone, and be alerted when potential problems arise in their herd. Allowing them to do more with fewer inputs.”

701x Autonomous Rancher continues to build upon their cattle management system, adding products that suit various styles of operations, and they expect to be releasing additional products in 2023.

About 701x Inc. Since its inception in 2020, 701x has been hard at work designing innovations for the cattle industry. Their goal is to create a platform that can help automate the oversight of the cattle herd, allowing ranchers to do more with less. With their current management system consisting of two electronic ear tags and their Autonomous Rancher cattle management app, they are beginning to do just that. 701x is actively improving animal records, animal health, and cattle management thanks to the features of their technologies.

Beef Promotion and Research Program

PRIVATE TREATY SALES CHECKOFF INVESTMENT FORM

Information is required by (7 CRF 1260.201). Failure to report can result in a fine. Information is held confidential (7 CRF 1260.203).

Today’s Date: ________________

Seller’s Name: ____________________________

Buyer’s Name: ____________________________

Address: Address:

City: ________________ State: ____ Zip: City: ________________ State: ____ Zip: ______

Seller’s Signature: _________________________

Buyer’s Signature: _________________________

Both the seller & the buyer are responsible for making sure that the $1.50 per head assessment is collected and remitted to the Beef Promotion & Research Board.

Total Number of Cattle Sold: ___________________ x $1.50 Per Head = $

Date of Sale: __________________ Person remitting assessment form: Seller o Buyer o

* State of Origin of Cattle:

* If the cattle purch ased came from another state within the last 30 days, indicate from which state the cattle were purchased.

Send Report and Remittance to:

SOUTH CAROLINA BEEF COUNCIL

P.O. Box 11280

Columbia, SC 29211

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0581-0093. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 1.8 minutes per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disbility, sexual orientation, marital or family status, political beliefs, parental status, or protected genetic information. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14 th and Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Find a supplement that can multitask: Fly Control and Magnesium. Let’s fast forward in time to July. Imagine it is a comfortable, sunny summer day. Rancher A goes out to check his cows on pasture. Calves are looking good, cows are scattered out grazing, and the bulls he turned out last week are covering the cows as needed. Rancher B goes out to the pasture to find his cattle crowded up, trying to find shade, with his bulls under the lone tree on the far side of the pasture. Tails are swinging, and heads and ears are moving constantly to bat at the flies. Calves look a little stressed, and it appears he will need to bring a few in to treat for signs of pinkeye. Which Rancher would you prefer to be?

What if I told you there was just one difference in these operations? Rancher A was proactive and started supplementing with a supplement containing fly control before fly season started, and Rancher B now wishes he had.

Flies are not only a nuisance but are economically devastating. Flies spread disease, cause stress and result in a loss in productivity. While the house, stable, and face fly all contribute to poor performance, the horn fly specifically is one the most economically damaging pests of pasture cattle, costing cattle producers around $1 billion each year. An adult horn fly lives 2-4 weeks and takes 20-40 blood meals per day. This loss in blood is a loss in nutrients from the animal, resulting in poor weight gain, milk production, etc., that can impact productivity.

Flies and developing heifers - When we think about fly control, our cow herd may be the first group that comes to mind, rightfully so, as we expect our returns coming from the calves they wean and getting bred back to remain in the herd. We also need to keep in mind the importance of a fly control for our developing heifers. Replacement heifers are critical to the future profitability of a beef operation. Typically, a return on investment isn’t seen until maturity and they wean a series of calves. While growing, heifers are often faced with horn fly populations similar to the cow herd. As heifers develop, hormonal changes occur, including estrogen and progesterone levels increase. It has been shown that as estrogen levels rise, fly irritation also increases, making cattle in standing heat especially vulnerable.

Additionally, horn flies may lead to

mastitis and blind quarters in heifers. This may be caused by the flies feeding on the blood vessels of the teat, causing irritation and, eventually, scabs to develop, leading to staph aureus bacteria to incubate in the teat structure. The bacteria can damage the milk producing tissues, leading to blind quarters in the udder. As the heifer calves and lactates, this blind quarter causes a drop in milk production, which may be unfavorable to calf weaning weights.

Breaking the fly life cycle - Feed through fly control is both safe and effective. Cattle will consume the supplement containing the fly control. The active ingredient will pass through the animal’s digestive system and into the manure, where flies lay their eggs. Depending on the specific fly control used, it will either kill the larvae or prevent flies from developing into biting adult flies. It is important to remember that control is key, and there may still be flies even while doing everything you can to prevent them. The economic threshold for treatment is 100-200 flies per head.

When and how to start - Ideally, feed through fly control should begin 30 days before fly emergence. It is recommended to continue providing the fly control throughout the summer and into the fall until the fly population starts to die off.

Multitask with added Magnesium - Want a supplement that can multitask? Look for high magnesium supplements in addition to added fly control to prevent grass tetany, all while controlling flies.

The consistent intake of low moisture blocks makes it an excellent vehicle to deliver fly control and magnesium. Crystalyx offers several excellent options for fly control combined with high quality nutrition. ClariFly additives will kill all four flies, while Altosid IGR specifically targets the horn fly. ClariFly is also approved for use in horses. The addition of garlic has been shown to repel flies as well, but will not kill them. Look for a supplement that can multitask and take the stress out for both you and your cattle.

About Ridley Block Operations. Ridley Block Operations manufactures and markets block supplements, loose minerals, and dried molasses for cattle, equine, sheep, and goats. Products are sold under highly recognized proprietary brand names, including Crystalyx.

Blocks utilize a variety of liquid and

dry ingredients combined with unique manufacturing processes that produce self fed block supplements to the marketplace.

RBO is the largest manufacturer of block forms and recognized as the industry leader in block supplements.

Since 2000, RBO has added four additional block forms to the original low moisture block product line, including pressed, poured, compressed, and, most

recently, CLMB – a patented hybrid form combining compressed block and low moisture block. We are the only company able to provide our customers with all five block forms from a seven plant manufacturing system spanning North America.

Crystalyx Brand Supplements are manufactured by Ridley Block Operations, a division of Alltech Inc. Our headquarters are located in Mankato, Minnesota.

Develop your crisis management and public trust communications strategy at the 2023 Stakeholders Summit. Robert Mensies and Brent Smith of Public Trustworks, an agri-food public trust consultancy, are slated to lead a workshop at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 Stakeholders Summit, set for May 4-5 in Arlington, Va., and themed “Partners in Progress: Building a Sustainable Future for Animal Ag.”

Earning public trust is about doing the right thing, providing assurance and verification, and communicating these commitments. It also requires proper communication during crisis situations. In their 2023 Summit session, Mensies and Smith will assist attendees in developing and fine tuning their own public trust communications strategy. Whether an attendee requires an agile three page stand alone section in their existing marketing or communications strategy or an indepth stand alone strategy, this session will provide the direction and templated workbook that will help their organization be more strategic and proactive in their public trust communications efforts.

“Earning public trust is key to bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities and consumers, and it’s imperative we’re proactive about it by building our trust banks in advance of a crisis,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Mensies and Smith have the knowledge and expertise to lead Summit attendees in crafting their own public trust communications strategy so they can start bridging the gap now before a crisis strikes.”

Mensies has fifteen years of experience in agri-food marketing and communications in Canada, helping

to build public trust for provincial and national organizations within the value chain. He knows the good work agrifood workers do to provide healthy and affordable food for all, and relaying this to the public is his passion. In 2019, he co-authored the Public Trust Toolkit, a guide on public trust communications completed for the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. Mensies serves as Public Trustworks’ senior consultant and retains a role as 6P Marketing’s director of client strategy and agri-food business sector lead.

Smith’s extensive work history includes communications positions in marketing plans and brand strategy within the areas of agri-food and environmental sustainability in Canada. He has worked with some of the country’s most proactive agriculture and food organizations, including Viterra, Richardson International, Manitoba Pork, IDE Canada, Conviron, Ducks Unlimited, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops. Today, he serves as director of strategic consulting and lead brand strategist at Public Trustworks, helping to bring quality, cost effective strategic solutions to clients.

Learn how animal rights groups are exploiting animals and donors at 2023 Stakeholders Summit. Animal rights extremism is, unfortunately, nothing new to the animal agriculture and food communities, but the tactics and campaigns used by those seeking to take meat, poultry, dairy, eggs, and seafood off consumers’ plates continue to change and evolve.

Jack Hubbard, partner and owner of Washington, D.C. area public affairs firm Berman, will provide a keynote address at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 Stakeholders Summit on methods used by

extremist groups to exploit animals and donors to further their agendas and what attendees can do to set the record straight.

The animal rights movement today has become more diverse, sophisticated, well funded, and coordinated. A growing number of animal rights extremist groups are driving legislation, attacking food brands, pushing negative news stories, and utilizing other methods. As the dynamic of these groups changes and their fundraising continues to grow, so must the farm and food communities’ tactics, intensity, and focus. In this session, Hubbard will share the true intentions and strategies behind these extremist groups and how we can safeguard our future with messages proven to diminish their exploitation of animals and donors.

“In addition to efforts focused on farms and processing facilities, targeting investors tied to restaurant, retail, and foodservice brands is a growing trend we’re seeing from animal rights extremist groups among many other campaigns that we monitor,” said Abby Kornegay, manager, issues and engagement, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “These groups are ruthless in their pressure campaigns and will go to any length to reach the answer they’re after, which at the end of the day is ending animal agriculture. Jack Hubbard’s expertise in this area will provide valuable insight to the food and farming communities as they navigate pressure from ‘factory fundraisers.’”

Hubbard is an owner and partner at Berman and provides advice and counsel to CEOs and senior executives seeking to “change the debate” on key issues. He regularly delivers speeches to share insight on managing public opinion, legislative strategies, and crisis communications. Hubbard previously served as chief marketing officer and later chief operating officer at American Humane, where he helped drive unprecedented growth in revenue and program impact. He was later honored with the organization’s prestigious National Humanitarian Medal. He studied

2023 South Carolina Sale Barn Cattle Receipts

political science at Davidson College in North Carolina and has served on several boards, including the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs.

Thank you to our 2023 Summit sponsors: Farm Journal , MEAT + POULTRY, Meatingplace, National Pork Producers Council, Watt Global Media, American Feed Industry Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, Smithfield, United Soybean Board, Dairy MAX, Elanco, Farm Credit, Mountaire Farms, United Egg Producers, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Veal Association, Bayer Crop Science, Cal-Maine Foods, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., Kemin, National Chicken Council, Progressive Dairy, Protect the Harvest, Trans Ova Genetics, Vivayic, Agricultural Modeling and Training Systems, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, Eggland’s Best, Live Oak Bank, N.C. Farm Bureau, and Sustainable Environmental Consultants.

The Alliance also thanks the following members for their continued support of Summit and other Alliance programs: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Zoetis, Aviagen Group, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, C.O.nxt, Dairy Farmers of America, Diamond V, Genus PLC – PIC/ ABS, Hendrix Genetics, Hy-Line North America, LLC, Iowa Soybean Association, JBS, Kanas Soybean Commission, Merck Animal Health, Midwest Dairy, National Turkey Federation, Nutrien, Provimi North America, Inc., Seaboard Foods, and Tyson.

About the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation.

Alltech publishes white paper comparing selenium sources by form, source, and function. Backed by more than 40 years of scientific research, Alltech is dedicated to providing solutions and products that contribute to the success of the global animal health industry. This commitment continues with the publication of a new white paper, entitled “Organic selenium: A comparison of form, source, and function,” by Dr. Richard Murphy, director of research at Alltech. The new white paper focuses on the varying stabilities of the different selenium sources currently on the market. It follows up on Dr. Murphy’s 2021 white paper release entitled “Organic trace minerals: Enhancing mineral bioavailability through chelation,” which explored improved bioavailability with organic trace minerals (OTMs).

“Organic selenium has been found to be a more effective source (than inorganic selenium products), resulting in an increased number of live young per animal, the stimulation of immune function, overall improvements in animal health, and an enhanced shelf life for meat, milk and eggs,” said Dr. Murphy. “Peer reviewed research has clearly shown that dietary intervention with organic selenium results in significantly enhanced production and health benefits for all species.”

Adequate selenium levels are essential for basic processes like growth and reproduction, and selenium deficiencies are responsible for several specific degenerative diseases in livestock. There is a well established association between selenium deficiencies and a wide range of practical and costly problems, including both male and female infertility, a decline in animals’ overall thrift and well being, disease resistance, and disorders related to thyroid hormone metabolism. The inclusion of selenium in animal nutrition has also been linked to a number of health and product quality benefits, which are dependent on selenium being supplied in the right form and at the correct dosage.

“The form in which the selenium is presented will play a crucial role in its bioavailability and efficacy,” said Dr. Murphy. “Organic forms of selenium are the optimal nutritional source.”

The numerous selenium sources available on the market today vary greatly in terms of their stability and shelf life when included in premix and feed. A

knowledge of these differences allows end users to make informed decisions as to the suitability of individual products for their production systems and livestock.

“Organic selenium yeast sources have displayed high levels of verified stability in premix, compound feed and after pelleting, albeit with further source dependent differences noted between them,” Dr. Murphy observed.

In terms of understanding the toxicity differences among various selenium sources, the white paper examines the biochemistry behind selenium and its potential to act negatively at a cellular level. Various selenium forms have clearly defined toxic attributes — but there were relatively few, if any, negative connotations associated with the use of the organic selenium yeast product being studied in this paper. In contrast, inorganic and chemically synthesized selenium sources have clearly defined toxic attributes, which are notably similar with respect to their acute oral toxicities. Based on these results, not all selenium sources can be considered equal, as considerable care and attention are required when formulating and handling synthetic and inorganic sources.

A key attribute of an efficacious organic selenium source is its ability to not only improve animal health but also enhance overall performance and, in doing so, increase profitability at the farm level. Additionally, organic selenium products that are well established will have a large database of peer reviewed data supporting their bio-efficacy.

“Selenium yeast offered in the form of Sel-Plex is the most researched organic selenium source available and has been featured in more than 300 peer reviewed performance studies to date,” noted Dr. Murphy.

For more information, visit www. alltech.com

About Alltech. Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our diverse portfolio of products and services improves the health and performance of plants and animals, resulting in better nutrition for all and a decreased environmental impact.

We are a global leader in the agriculture industry. Our team produces specialty ingredients, premix supplements, feed, and biologicals backed

by science and an unparalleled platform of services.

Strengthened by more than 40 years of scientific research, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens. As a private, family owned company, we adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and focus on advanced innovation.

We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet. Our more than 5,000

talented team members worldwide share our purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™. Together, we can provide nutrition for all, revitalize local economies, and replenish the planet’s natural resources.

Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Ken., Alltech serves customers in more than 120 countries, has five bioscience centers, and operates more than 80 manufacturing facilities across the globe. For more information, visit www.alltech.com

Carolina

Cooking

Mediterranean Beef Pinwheels

Total Time - 1 hour, 5 minutes

1 beef flank steak (1½-2 pounds)

Beef Marinade

⅓ cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons dried oregano leaves

Filling

⅓ cup olive tapenade

1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

¼ cup crumbled low fat feta cheese

Vegetables

4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes

½ teaspoon salt

Place steak between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat mallet, pound the steak to ½ inch thickness. Place steak in a large food safe plastic bag or large baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Pour marinade over steak; turn to coat. Close the bag securely or cover the dish and marinate in the refrigerator 4 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a shallow baking pan with parchment paper. Remove the steak from the marinade. Reserve remaining marinade; cover and refrigerate. Place steak on a cutting board so the grain is running top to bottom. Spread tapenade on steak. Arrange spinach evenly on the tapenade and sprinkle with feta. Starting from the side closest to you, roll the steak tightly to form a log. Using 6 (8 inch long) pieces of kitchen string, tie the log in even intervals.

place. Place pieces, cut side up, on a baking pan. In a medium bowl, combine reserved marinade and tomatoes, and toss to coat. Arrange tomato mixture around pinwheels. Roast at 425°F for 25-35 minutes until instant read temperature inserted horizontally into center registers 165°F. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Cook’s Tip: Serve pinwheels with a cooked whole grain such as faro, bulgur, or quinoa. Chunks of zucchini and yellow squash can be used in place of tomatoes. Makes 6 servings.

Cut the log between the string into 6 equal pieces, leaving the string in Mediterranean Beef Pinwheels

NDEX OF DVERTISERS

ANGUS

Apr. 1 — Grassy Valley Angus 30th Annual Production Sale, Greeneville, Tenn.

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 8 — Southern Synergy 16th Annual Female Production Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring

Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Angus Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 22 — N.C. Angus Association

39th Annual Spring Fever Sale, Union Grove, N.C.

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Apr. 30 — Barnett Angus Ranches

Georgia Angus Female Sale, Washington, Ga.

May 6 — Whitestone Farm 30th Annual

Pasture Performance Tested Angus

Bull & Female Sale, Aldie, Va.

May 28 — High Ridge Farms Dispersal Sale, Albemarle, N.C.

Sep. 30 — Biltmore Angus Field Day & Fall Sale, Asheville, N.C.

Nov. 4 — Barnett Angus Ranches

4th Annual Bull Sale, Washington, Ga.

Nov. 4 — SimAngus Solution

15th Annual Sale, Burlington, N.C.

Nov. 18 — Southeast Bull Expo & Sale, Asheboro, N.C.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total

Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

Dec. 23 — 48th Annual Union County

Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

2024

Jan. 6 — 15th Annual EBS Select

Bull & Female Sale, Monroe, N.C.

VENTS

RED ANGUS

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

brahman

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Jun. 3 — Carolinas Brahman Breeders Association 43rd Annual Sale, Laurens, S.C.

brangus

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Charolais

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 20 — JMar Genetics New Beginning

Charolais Bull & Heifer Sale, via DVAuctions

Apr. 22 — Appalachian Classic Sale, Knoxville, Tenn.

Oct. 12 — JMar Genetics Quality Over

Quantity Charolais Bull & Heifer Sale, via DVAuctions

GELBVIEH

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring

Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total

Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

Dec. 23 — 48th Annual Union County

Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

HEREFORD

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Hereford

Female & Bull Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

May 6 — S.C. Hereford Association & Red Angus Association of the Carolinas

3rd Annual Sale, Pendleton, S.C.

May 12 — N.C. Hereford Association

Annual Banquet, Statesville, N.C.

May 13 — 55th Annual N.C. Hereford

Classic Sale, Union Grove, N.C.

May 29 — White Hawk Ranch Beefmaker

Female Sale, Buchanon, Ga.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total

Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

limousin

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

May 6 — S.C. Hereford Association & Red Angus Association of the Carolinas 3rd Annual Sale, Pendleton, S.C.

santa Gertrudis

May 13 — Santa Gertrudis Breeders of the Carolinas 50th Anniversary Sale, Monroe, N.C.

SIMMENTAL

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Simmental Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

May 28 — High Ridge Farms Dispersal Sale, Albemarle, N.C.

Sep. 1 — N.C. Simmental Association

Social Event, Union Grove, N.C.

Sep. 2 — N.C. Simmental Association

Fall Harvest Sale, Union Grove, N.C.

Oct. 21 — Fred Smith Company Ranch

Extra Effort Fall Sale, Clayton, N.C.

Dec. 23 — 48th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

Livestock market sales

Apr. 3 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 4 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Apr. 5 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 5 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 10 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 12 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 12 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 17 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 18 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales

Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Apr. 19 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 19 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 24 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 26 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 26 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

May 1 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

May 2 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales

Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

May 3 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

May 3 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

May 8 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

May 10 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

May 10 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

May 15 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

May 16 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales

Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

May 17 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

May 17 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

May 22 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

May 24 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

May 24 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

May 29 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

May 31 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

May 31 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

OTHER EVENTS

Apr. 6 — Beef Cattle Series, Louisburg, N.C.

Apr. 8 — WNC Spring Fling Junior Livestock Show, Fletcher, N.C.

Apr. 13-16 — Virginia Beef Expo, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 13 — Virginia Cattlemen’s Association & Beef Council Annual Meeting, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Q4Q Bull Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo VCA Female Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo VQA Commercial Female Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 15 — 2023 Wolfpack Roundup Sale, Raleigh, N.C.

Apr. 20 — Beef Cattle Series, Louisburg, N.C.

May 14-17 — International Grazing Congress, Covington, Ken.

Jun. 22 — Graded Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Aug. 3 — Graded Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Aug. 5-6 — S.C. Junior Beef Round-Up, Clemson, S.C.

Aug. 12-13 — N.C. Junior Beef Round-Up, Fletcher, N.C.

Sep. 28 — Graded Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Nov. 16 — Graded Feeder Calf Sale, Norwood, N.C.