The Carolina Cattle Connection - Volume 37, Issue No. 1 (JANUARY 2023)

arolinaCCCattle onnection

Spotlight on CHAROLAIS

American

American

American

American

Animal

Ashley’s

Beef

BioZyme News

Carolina Cooking — Chunky Beef Chili

page 76

page 36

Certified Angus Beef News ........ page 36

Defeating Drought with Data ..... page 43

Director’s Report — Welcome to the New Year, by Travis Mitchell ...................................................................... page 3

E.B.’s View from the Cow Pasture — Dyed in the Wool, True Red and White, by E.B. Harris ............................................................................................................................................................ page 25

Farm Credit News .......................... page 65

Get Jazzed in New Orleans Updates

page 71

Groundtruthing Climate-Smart Grasslands, by Jennifer Howard ...................................................................... page 40

Have You Herd — The Value of Integrating Beef Cattle into Cropping, by Molly Feezor .............................. page 26

Herd Management — A Road Map to Supplementing Your Cows This Winter, by Brayden Hawkins .............................................................................................................................................… page 28

J.F. Lancaster Passes ...................... page 35

Key Medical Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine to Become “Prescription Only” in 2023 .......................... page 27

N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation News — NCCF Awards 2022-2023 Scholarships & 2023-2024 Scholarship Applications ............................................................................................................... page 82

NAFA Releases 2023 Alfalfa Variety Ratings

page 69

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association News ....................................................................................................... page 70

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President’s Report — A Year in Review, by Don Schiefelbein ............................................................................................................ page 58

Nina Poore Remembered ............ page 23

North Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ............................................................................................. page 58

Pasture Management Systems, Inc. Mile of Fence Program Update ................................................................. page 74

Rabo AgriFinance News ............... page 52

Riomax News ................................. page 49

South Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices

page 76

The Chaplain’s Corral — Life is a Barrell Race, by Susie Thompson ...................................................................... page 27

The Simmental Trails, by Jennie Rucker .................................................................................................................... page 50

Trending in Food & Media ............ page 62

Vytelle News .................................. page 73

You Decide!, by Dr. Mike Walden ............................................................................................................................... page 24

N.C. Cattlemen’s Association

President BURON LANIER 2877 Piney Woods Road • Burgaw, NC 28425

Vice Presidents SCOTT WEST 489 Panacea Springs Road • Littleton, NC 27850

RYAN CLARK 5250 NC 772 Hwy. • Madison, NC 27025

BRANDON BOWMAN 2346 Ann Street • Claremont, NC 28610

Immediate Past President KARL GILLESPIE 860 Corbin Road • Franklin, NC 28734

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

The Carolina Cattle Connection

Vol. 37, No. 1 JANUARY 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 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

CHAROLAIS

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

A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 1 — Foundations, by John Dellinger … page 10

A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 2 — The Duke, by John Dellinger … page 12

A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 3 — Show Cattle, by John Dellinger … page 14

A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 4 —Performance Cattle, by John Dellinger … page 16

A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 5 — The Carolinas, by John Dellinger … page 18

Charolais Cattle and Castles in the United Kingdom, by John Dellinger … page 6

Honoring the Retirement of Wayne & Delores Templeton from the Cattle Industry, by Georgeann Webb … page 8 Roan Mountain Charolais … page 9

The Great White Charolais Cow, by John Dykers, M.D. … page 4

Director’s report

By TRAVIS MITCHELL, Executive Director, SCCA

Welcome to the New Year

On behalf of us here at the S.C. Cattlemen’s Association, we would like to wish you a happy New Year. I hope 2023 is off to a great start for you. As we look ahead to the new year, I would like to reflect on a successful ending of 2022.

The S.C. Cattlemen’s Association, in conjunction with the Clemson Extension Livestock & Forages team, held a three day series of regional meetings during the third week of November. We kicked off day one in Allendale with a tour of the Oswald’s feed yard. On day two, we were in Sumter at Blackcrest Farms, and on day three, we were in Laurens.

After each tour, we headed indoors for a presentation from Matthew Fischer, Clemson Extension Livestock & Forage Economist. Mr. Fischer presented on managing input costs on beef cattle operations. After the presentation, a Shealy’s BBQ meal was served. Our next speaker for the evening was Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Mr. Woodall updated those in attendance of the great work NCBA has been doing for the beef cattle industry over the last several years. Over 180 cattle producers from across the state of South Carolina were in attendance over this three day event. Each regional meeting was held at

a great location, and those in attendance were able to learn and benefit from the outstanding programs each night. I would like to thank each of our speakers, the Clemson Extension Livestock & Forages team, and the S.C. Cattlemen’s Association Board of Directors for helping to make these meetings a huge success. I would also like to thank each of our Associate Members for their financial support for these regional meetings and also their support throughout the year.

Mark your Calendars for February 3 as we get ready for the 2023 S.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting being held at the T. Ed Garrison Cattle Complex in Clemson. We have a great agenda planned and look forward to seeing each of you there. We will be holding our Awards banquet in conjunction with the Clemson Bull Test sale again this year, so plan to make a weekend of it and stay for the Clemson Bull Sale the next day.

The start of a new year brings a new year to recruit members to this great organization. The S.C. Cattlemen’s Association strives to work hard for every cattle producer in the state of South Carolina. I would like to say thank you to all of our loyal members, and I wish each of you a happy and prosperous New Year!

Spotlight on ChARolAiS e Special Section f

The Great White Charolais Cow

By JOHN DYKERS, M.D.

The great white Charolais cow is no longer a secret in the beef business. She has tremendous advantages to offer to the commercial producer, and I am seeing these gorgeous white ladies beginning to prosper in the pastures of the southeast.

The advantages of the great white Charolais cow will certainly vary with the geography and the conditions for each operation.

To appreciate the great white Charolais cow, we must look closely at many assumptions we make about beef production and the different markets for different types of beef and different consumers and different producers. New Hope Farm has vertically integrated our purebred cow/calf operations with our on-farm performance testing and processing at our own meat packing plant and marketing our own branded beef, CharLean. Our bulls with a birth weight over 100 pounds or horned bulls are very profitable for CharLean, but they are sold as breeders only to customers with mature cows looking to add growth. We can usually make the decision on whether an animal is CharLean or breeding stock by age ten months, based on performance and EPDs. We eat a lot of excellent EPDs if they are not validated by the animal’s performance. EPDs are derived from performance in the first place; birth weigh, adj 205 day weight, and adj 365 day weight, and brothers and sisters are not alike, they are only kinfolk! EPDs help us summarize the family history (pedigree) but they don’t tell us which genes are present in that particular individual!

Similarly, performance is subject to misinformation, especially in ET calves raised on very different recipient cows, drought or other adverse weather conditions, and downright misrepresentation. Breeder honesty is indispensable, and breeder integrity includes checking the herd every day and having an accurate birth date. Accurate birthweights are also important, and we have a cage and load bar digital scales mounted on the front of the farm truck to get a real birth weight and height. Estimated birthweights based on tape measure of leg or chest are worse than no

birth weight at all.

Marketing CharLean gives us a peek at the complexity of pleasing many customers. We started with four bred black Angus cows; after they calved we had them A.I.’ed to a Charolais and after we saw how those next four calves grew, we never looked back. We crossbred commercially for several years while we built our purebred herd and our meat packing plant, but we have been breeding only purebred Charolais for over 30 years. There are customers for fat steak, but they are dying off, and the future is in lean beef that is also juicy and tender.

Two major changes have influenced the biology/economics of producing beef...

First, we can bring the feed to the calf less expensively than we can take the calf to the feed. Classically, we have moved commercial cattle around the country chasing cheap feed. This makes sense, as feed is the biggest single cost of producing a pound of beef. But cattle don’t take kindly to being handled, crowded, sorted, regrouped, trucked, chilled, heated, and missing meals! They lose precious pounds in the process, and they get sick, and they die. And they take longer to reach slaughter weight!

The second major change is the realization that the primary factor in tenderness is age. The primary quality the consumer requires is tenderness. The age at slaughter has been falling steadily for decades and it will continue to do so. The faster we can grow that steak, the more competitive and profitable our business will be.

We also have to compete with chicken, pork, turkey, fish, bison, and emu/ostrich as protein sources. Our big advantage with cattle is that they can eat grass and even newspaper and turn it into the highest quality protein with all the necessary amino acids that even the best vegetarian can’t get.

(The fact that young cattle are less likely to actually have symptomatic Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy will temporarily add impetus to the move to harvest cattle at a younger age, particularly for the Japanese market. Beware, however, that it is likely the

prions that cause this disease are present in improperly fed young heifers and bulls, and we should not focus on youth as a control measure for BSE.)

The great white Charolais cow gives us a great start on growing. She is not a white Angus, and for most markets and pasture and feeding systems, she should not be. Most markets will not, for much longer, support heavy marbling. Marbling as a basis for grading USDA Choice is still used but has steadily been reduced in the amount required and has steadily been modified by age markers. Marbling is fat, fat is expensive to produce, and most fat is waste that the end consumer doesn’t want, and we can’t put it back into the cattle feed any longer. I asked the NCBA (when it was still the NCA!) Marketing Committee to ask the USDA to begin to explore ways to redefine Choice based on tenderness, and we should continue to push in this direction, but it may be easier to educate the consumer to look for Select than to change the bureaucracy.

The great white Charolais cow can have a calf, a real calf, with size and vigor and growth hormone. She can drop that calf in the pasture on her own, and I’ve watched those babies jump up and run. If I don’t put that ear tag in while the calf is still wet, I will be very thankful for my calf catch and my calf scale with a cage around it. Miss a whole day checking for newborns and it may be too late to tag and weigh without penning. (By then that birth weight is no longer accurate.)

There is no perfect cow, as there is no perfect bull for all herds and all circumstances.

But the four-year-old Charolais cow who has had two calves and bred back to have her third calf is as near to perfection as a commercial cowman with good grass is going to get. That cow should weigh 1,300-1,600 pounds, depending on available feed and stage of gestation. She should be able to birth a 110 pound calf and never bat an eye, wean that calf at seven months and 800 pounds, and have that calf grow to slaughter weight before it is a year old, probably by 11 months with modest marbling and almost no back fat, little kidney fat, 30 to 34 ribeye steaks, 24 to 30 New York Strips, 16 to 18 filet mignon, 40 pounds of boneless sirloin, 140 pounds of boneless round, 100 pounds of boneless chuck, and 200 pounds of hamburger.

She should keep doing that every year for the next five years easily and maybe for ten years. All she needs is good pasture, proper supplements, and a bull worthy of her capacity.

The problem we have had up until recently has been that nobody was willing to breed down a great white Charolais cow by breeding her to anything other than a great white Charolais bull! Finally, we are crossbreeding enough Angus, Hereford, Simmental, and Shorthorn based Charolais crosses that we are developing a commercial Charolais cow herd worthy of the name. Not a single

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mature cow we have ever sold has come back to market; when they got home from the sale, they were home to stay. One heifer calf at side came back as an open heifer a year later, “to pay the bills!”

Calving that first calf at age 24 months is not the only strategy to profitability. Larger framed animals get that way because they don’t sexually mature as early and the long bones keep growing. It is the hormonal changes associated with sexual maturity that cause the growth plates in the long bones to close. We breed our heifers at 15 months; they are cycling by then, but the entire A.I. and catch up breeding season is only six weeks. We calve spring (FebruaryMarch) and fall (September-October), so if she doesn’t catch the first six weeks, she gets one other six week exposure. If open after that, she goes to slaughter, not to the sale barn. But to chuck your investment in a replacement heifer because she is not pregnant when palpated at 18 months when she may easily get pregnant at 21 months, will be bigger by then and calve more easily and raise a better calf and have more of her growing nutritional requirements already met, would only be reasonable if you assume that the six months delay in her first pregnancy was going to signal difficulty getting pregnant for the rest of her reproductive career. If palpation or family history suggests this may be the case, take her to the slaughterhouse, not to the sale barn, no matter how great are her EPDs!

But if she does get bred, it is A.I. or clean up to a low birth weight bull, and that means she should be able to spit out a 70-80 pound calf unassisted. The second calf should be 80-90 pounds. So if she is bred to have her third calf, you know she already knows how to do the job. If she hasn’t been raising a good calf by then, she goes to slaughter, not to the sale barn.

A word about birth weights. We are appropriately concerned by the data that directly relates increased birth weight with statistical increases in calving difficulty and deaths. The problem is the same one we got into when measuring the height on bulls. Height is generally proportional to length. Length is where the money is: filets, ribeyes, and New York strips. But height is not consistently related to length, and there is no economic value in a long legged bovine! There is no money between the knee and

Spotlight on ChARolAiS

the ground! A bovine that is tall without also being long, only brings the ability to jump over a fence!

The same is true of birth weights in the opposite mathematical direction. We need birth heights along with birth weights to correlate with calving ease. A cow can give birth to a 300 pound snake but die trying to calve a 30 pound bowling ball! Cimarron routinely threw 110-120 pound calves. We had zero calving problems so long as he was here and alive and now even with his A.I., on mature cows. That 110 plus pounds was stretched out over a long calf and we NEVER even assisted a cow, and every calf hit the ground running. The great white Charolais cow can do that in a heartbeat. Don’t worry about a big birth weight EPD on a cow; it just means she can have a big calf. You are going to breed her to a low birth weight bull when she is young and not through growing and is inexperienced, but she is going to pay off for you big time from the 3rd to the 13th calf! We keep a low birth weight, high milk bull, especially to breed our heifers, and often those great heifers will add enough growth and volume that those first calves are keeper females and good breeding bulls, and the same is true for second calves.

Look at the money. A 60 pound calf that reaches 1,200 pound slaughter weight at age 18 months with nice marbling but 200 pounds of waste fat at 4,000 calories per pound has wasted 800,000 calories. Grain at 2,000 calories per pound means a waste of 400 pounds of grain or comparable other feed, and at $160/T that is $32. Maintenance for six months when compared to the animal ready for slaughter by 12 months; minimum 50¢ a day or $90; total cost of growing slowly, $122 and less tenderness. Top quality animals of other breeds will narrow that gap, and the folks breeding Angus, Hereford, and Simmental are smart and capable of selecting breeding stock to do just that, but this is where the great white Charolais cow shines a bright light toward the future profits of cattle people everywhere there is good grass. A big cow has to eat well to maintain herself, get pregnant, give birth, nurse a big calf, and get pregnant again. Look at the money. A 30 pound difference in birth weight, 100 pounds difference in weaning weight, and a post weaning rate of gain that brings

the costs to an end and puts money in the bank six months quicker. At six percent interest on a $1,000 animal is $30 more. Profit $152 a head.

Just assume a 600 pound calf off a British cow and a 700 pound calf off a Charolais and only 80¢ a pound at the market. For the same gross as 100 of the great white Charolais cows, you would have to have 117 of the British breed cows. That means 17 more of everything; semen or bulls, ear tags, vaccinations, registration papers, worm medication and worming, weighing, calving, and doing it all extra every season.

I’d much rather look after 100 great white Charolais cows than 117 of anything else! The 17 cows you don’t have to maintain, at $300 a head per year, is another $5,100 in your pocket untaxed. The old saying from Ben Franklin was, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” I say $1 saved is $3 earned when you figure the cost of earning it and the taxes incurred!

Disposition, feet, udder, capacity to get pregnant, carry a calf, birth the calf, mother the young one, and nurse the big one, and do it all over again.This is THE GREAT WHITE CHAROLAIS COW.

Spotlight on ChARolAiS e Special Section f

Charolais Cattle and Castles in the United Kingdom

By JOHN DELLINGER

Over the past several years, I’ve shared some of what I think is interesting about American Charolais cattle, especially as it relates to the Carolinas. This year, I thought I’d just share some notes and pictures about a trip we took this summer, with an eye toward talking about how Charolais cattle are a bit different in different environments and markets.

We also made it to see Stonehenge, the 5,000 year old landmark. Folks are still trying to figure out what it was built for. But it’s really old.

in the United Kingdom. The show has existed since 1837. The British National Charolais Show had the overall champion bull as Seawell Olympian, a four-year-old bull. The overall champion female was Tophill Roxanne, a two-year-old.

that traces back to Tattenhall Impeccable about 20 times. At our farm in North Carolina, we’re trying to incorporate more of the genetics of Impeccable into our herd.

And we had to visit Buckingham Palace, where the Royal family has lived since it was built in 1703.

This July, we joined about 25 other Americans at the World Charolais Congress. The Congress included Charolais folks from about 14 different countries, coming together to share ideas, see some cows, visit a few sites, and drink some beverages. The tour started near London, to the west into Wales, then progressing generally through the middle of England through to York on the east coast, then up toward Edinburgh in Scotland, and then back across Scotland to the Dumfries area. That’s where we crossed the Irish Sea on a ferry, landing in Belfast in Northern Ireland.

During our trip, we saw quite a few historic and beautiful landmarks. In London, among other sites, we saw Westminster Palace, built first in 1016, the seat of Parliament.

We saw Windsor Castle, which was the primary residence of Queen Elizabeth before her passing. It was built beginning in about 1070 by William the Conqueror, who led the Norman Invasion of England in 1066. He set up house rather effectively. Every English monarch since is one of his direct descendants.

We also visited many Charolais farms along the way. Cayler’s Charolais in Royston, north of London, had a nice group of cows. A few daughters of Rosanna Jupiter, an Irish import, stood out to me, and two of them are pictured. You can also see Jupiter. They are really thick but sound and feminine cows that might do well in the United States.

We visited Oakchurch Farm, near Wales. They have a herd of Charolais cattle based upon the genetics of a bull named Blelack Digger. The cow pictured is one of Digger’s daughters.

Of course, we saw cattle. One day, we visited the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, Yorkshire, in the North of England. This is the largest livestock show in England and the third largest

We learned a lot about Charolais genetics in the United Kingdom. Many of the cattle descend from Tattenhall Impeccable. He was probably the most important bull ever over there. For example, the bull pictured below, Glenericht Pogba, is actually out of a cow

As we made our way into Scotland, a highlight was visiting the Kersknowe herd. The Kersknowe cattle were very nice. Big by U.S. standards, but not too big. Lots of natural thickness and muscle and good udder quality. One of their stock bulls is Silver Rebel. He’s pictured. He is a bull that is noted for his high marbling breeding values — a trait that hasn’t been extensively valued in the United Kingdom because cattle aren’t graded there the way they are here. Marbling is not as highly sought after. That is likely changing. In addition, Silver Rebel is valued because he transmits a muscling gene called F94 myostatin to his calves. We’re trying to get some semen from

Spotlight on ChARolAiS

f

Rebel’s sire, Balthayock Musketeer, to use in North Carolina.

After several more stops and a lot of cattle, we finished the trip in Belfast, Northern Ireland, including a tour of the city, and a stop at the Titanic Museum, where the HMS Titanic was built.

All in all, it was a good trip, and it was really interesting to see the type of cattle that are being raised in the United Kingdom. We’ll see over the years if any of the genetics we found over there end up being important in the United States. We’d encourage everyone to do things like this when you get a chance.

Spotlight on ChARolAiS e Special Section f

Honoring the Retirement of Wayne and Delores Templeton from the Cattle Industry

By GEORGEANNE WEBB

This tribute is for Wayne and Delores Templeton to honor their retirement from cattle. We should always pay tribute and thanks to folks while they are still with us.

As most of you know, Wayne suffered a stroke over 13 years ago, and Delores has been trying to care for him and their cattle until age and health made her decide to give up cattle as it was just too much to do both. The cattle sold at Upstate Livestock a few months ago with a large group of buyers, including a lot of Charolais breeders.

law, Dr. Leroy Webb. He also showed a lot of the late Doug Gray’s bulls. Doug told me a hilarious story about him and Wayne in Houston to show Doug’s bull. The bull won grand champion, and the celebration is one for the history books, with Doug carrying Wayne on his shoulder to the hotel.

on, my husband, David, called Wayne. “Wayne, your bull is on TV.” They had a ton of laughs over the years. The picture of the Hereford bull on here is not the Bonanza bull. Casey and Sharon could not find a picture. That is Wayne’s dad, Sam Templeton, showing that bull.

Wayne and Delores have been in the cattle business for a real long time, and we Charolais breeders appreciate all they have done. Granddaughter, Casey Powell, will continue the tradition on their pasture with her herd of commercial and purebred Charolais.

Wayne was named herdsman of the year at the 5th National Show in Denver in 1974, and the Templeton family won the Abbeville County Outstanding Farm award in 2000.

Wayne is well known throughout the country, especially in the show ring. We attended the North American Livestock show in Louisville, Ken., several years ago when one of our heifers was being shown. We had numerous people from all breeds walk up to us and ask, “Do you know Wayne Templeton?”

Wayne broke and showed a lot of cattle, especially bulls, for my father-in-

Years ago, Wayne worked out west for a Hereford breeder, and his bull won grand champion. Bonanza used that bull in an episode where Pa Cartwright sent Little Joe to town to bring back to the Ponderosa. Every time the show came

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!

Spotlight on ChARolAiS e Special Section f

Roan Mountain Charolais

The Wilson family farm is in the high country of Western North Carolina, near Bakersville. As it exists today, it is a pasture based seedstock beef cattle operation owned by Steve and Cynthia Wilson. The place is home to the Roan Mountain Charolais herd that has been developed by Steve over the past nine years. Located in Mitchell County, the tract lies in a cool mountain hollow. Sales of breeding cattle to other producers have become the primary source of farm income.

Planned grazing of the dairy herd was begun by Ed Jr. in the 1970s - before grazing was cool! The pastures were managed more intensively by Steve in the years to follow. Steve grew up working on the farm and returned from N.C. State in 1981 to continue the dairy operation until dispersing the herd in 1996. The young Wilson family, consisting of five children, grew up on the farm, but others worked it, as Steve and Cynthia worked off the farm. The farm was rented to a cattleman (a Charolais breeder) and

Byrd to begin purchasing registered Charolais. The pastures were weedy but improved by phosphate fertilizer used on the trees. Steve started with three bred heifers purchased from John Allison at the Central Kentucky Sale in 2013. In years to come, cattle were purchased at sales at Virginia Tech, Knoxville, Tenn., and in South Carolina.

being placed in N.C. BCIP bull tests at Butner and Waynesville, where they performed well. An Affinity son of a 9003 cow topped the bull sale at Waynesville in 2020 at $4,400. Some heifers have been sold locally, but most are kept as replacements and to grow the herd.

Today’s 92 acre farm was purchased by Steve’s father, Ed Wilson Jr., in 1968, as part of a 247 acre tract and included a John Deere tractor, a ‘53 Willys Jeep, dairy facility, and a herd of Holstein cows. Ed Jr. had begun his own Grade A dairy just down the road on a joining tract of Wilson family acreage in the late 1950s. Upon purchase of the current farm, he drove his cows half a mile up the road and combined the operations. Together, the farms included about 100 acres of mountain pasture and 300 acres of woodland.

then to a Christmas tree producer. In 1998, an agreement was reached to sell a conservation mitigation easement to the state of North Carolina along 3,000 feet of stream that bisects the farm. The high tensile electric fence that protects that easement now forms the backbone of fence for the current cattle operation. By the year 2000, there were approximately 90,000 Christmas trees on 60 acres of the farm, but Steve’s plan all along was to return to the purebred cattle business.

As Christmas trees moved off the acreage, Steve was encouraged by Mark

At present, Steve runs the cattle operation on about 60 acres of hillside mixed grass pastures. The herd of 30 females is fall calved, and calves are creep fed until weaning onto spring grass. A commercial grain mix is purchased in bulk but used sparingly in grass growing months. He harvested about 300 rolls of hay locally for the herd in 2022 on other land owned by the family and neighbors. The artificial insemination technique learned as a teenager from his father is used extensively to breed the cattle and adds to the viability of the operation. The 2021 and 2022 service sires include LT Affinity, LT Authority, JMAR Benaiah 1E66, DC/JDJ Pegasus 3330D, EC Forefront 8066 PLD, and DC/CRJ Tank E108. Some bulls have been sold after

Steve and his wife Cynthia have five children who enjoy making it back to the farm for occasional weekends and holidays. The farm is held in a living trust of which the children are successor trustees. All indications are that the tract will remain a home for the family and be actively maintained as a working farm. Continuation of managed grazing practices has proven to increase production and promote the aesthetic appeal of the place. The old dairy cow sheds are serviceable for the Charolais herd, but some upgrades in the farmstead are needed as the livestock operation continues. Steve retired from the mining business in Spruce Pine in 2021 and is enjoying day to day farming and breeding the next generation of Charolais. Steve is best reached by email at stevewilson5977@gmail.com

Spotlight on ChARolAiS e Special Section f

A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 1 — Foundations

By JOHN DELLINGER

I was asked to write a short article about Charolais cattle, and I’m sure happy to talk about Charolais bloodlines. First, I should introduce myself. I’m John Dellinger. My farm, Faraway Cattle Company, is in Vale, North Carolina. We have a small herd of Charolais brood cows. Our breeding program is based on linebreeding to just a few animals. But I’m not going to talk much about my cows.

Charolais are a very old breed, but have only been in the United States for a fairly small part of their history. The breed originated in France, perhaps as early as the 8th Century. The first French registry was started in the mid-1800s. The first herd in North America was established by Jean Pugibet after World War I. He arranged for a shipment of two

bulls and ten heifers to Mexico in 1930. Two later shipments in 1931 and 1937 increased the total number to 37 - 8 bulls and 29 females. The first Charolais to come from Mexico are believed to be two bulls, Neptune and Ortolan, which were purchased from Pugibet by the King Ranch in Texas and imported in June 1936.

There were later imports of bulls. Notably, a bull named Wee was bred by Pugibet and imported into the United States. A large percentage of the Charolais cattle in the United States would trace back to Wee.

Because of an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease, there were no importations of French Charolais cattle into the United States from the 1940s until the 1960s. This really restricted the supply of Charolais cattle in the United States.

To expand the breed, American breeders established a five generation “breeding up” program. This program involved using purebred Charolais bulls for five consecutive generations to produce a 31/32 Charolais animal, which was considered the equivalent of a purebred. Unless an animal in the United States is identified as a full French animal, it very likely traces back to cattle that were “bred up” to purebred Charolais.In fact, the breeding up program is the source of almost all of the polled genetics in the breed, since Charolais in France were a naturally horned breed. The polled gene in Charolais cattle in the United States comes from polled cows, like Angus or Hereford cows, that were the foundation cows of the breeding-up program.

The American Charolais breed as it developed based on the early importations and the breeding-up program seemed to produce a type of animal that was very useful, if a bit less imposing than the French cattle. They were longer muscled, more moderate in frame, and were hardy, capable of getting by in pretty tough surroundings. Then, in the 1960s and 70s, French cattle began arriving again. Some of the French cattle that came then didn’t work out well due to structural and genetic problems, and due to a mismatch of the bulls with the cows which resulted in calving difficulties. However, the French cattle that did work out became very influential in adding a bit more muscle and power to the American cattle.

From here, I’m just going to mention a few bulls that have been extraordinarily influential in the current American Charolais breed. There are two French bulls that need to be mentioned. Avignon was imported in the 1960s. Nowadays,

almost all of the cattle in the breed who trace back to Wienk Charolais or Lindskov-Thiel Ranch genetics have the influence of Avignon through his son, Nutmeg’s Avignon FR31. Avignon produced thousands of useful sons and daughters that were born easy and grew fast before becoming productive breeding animals. The other French bull that I should mention is Belphegor, known as Bingo. The Bingo cattle were very influential in the Wienk cattle and the Rogers cattle from Mississippi. These cattle were good doing cattle, with exceptional carcass traits and excellent milk production.

The Sam line of cattle was very influential in the 60s through the 80s. They were an example of the earlier American style Charolais before the return of the French cattle. They sprung from the Litton Ranch in Missouri and were based on the progeny of FWT Bar 951, known as Sam. They were famous as a source of polled genetics. This bloodline has generally fallen away, but there are Sam cattle in many modern pedigrees.

By far, the most influential line of breeding in American Charolais is Paul. Paul 109 was born in 1959. He was the grandson of Señor of Sandrellan, who

Avignon

Sam M4, son of Sam 951

Belphegor (Bingo)

Spotlight on ChARolAiS

was a grandson of some of the original Mexican imports. Paul was a polled bull, and had calves born from the early 60s through 1999. One line of Paul breeding included a granddaughter who ended up being a grandmother of the bull BR Duke 261. BR Duke 261 subsequently produced sons that resulted in the Wyoming Wind line, the Duke 914 line, and the Mr. Perfect line. A granddaughter of Duke 261 became the grandmother of M6 Grid Maker. Between those bulls — Grid Maker, Wyoming Wind, Duke 914, and Mr. Perfect — almost all of the more popular cattle in the breed are Duke 261 descendants.

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Thiel genetics trace back to BCR Polled Unlimited many times. FZ Mac 236 also produced a grandson named WCR Sir Fab Mac 809. All of the Wienk genetics trace back to Mac 809 many times.

Paul 109 also produced a grandson named FZ Mac 236. That bull in turn produced a grandson named BCR Polled Unlimited. All of the Lindskov-

And there are many more examples of bulls that trace their lineage back to Paul 109. The take home lesson is simply that a great deal of what is good is in the modern Charolais breed.

There are, of course, a great many other bulls that deserve to be talked about. For example, the Michaelis Ranch cattle in Texas form a great part of the base of the breeding programs at Cobb Charolais, DeBruycker Charolais, and Eaton Ranch in Montana, three very important herds. And there are several other French bulls that contributed along the way to make the breed what it is today. We need to remember that the genetics we see today came from these founding bulls of the breed. Knowing more about them can help modern breeders make better decisions when buying herd bulls.

Please continue to follow along with this series of articles on the modern American history of Charolais cattle in this issue. Up next, I will focus on one very influential bull in the breed’s history.

Paul 109

Señor of Sandrellan

FZ Mac 828

BR Duke 261

BCR Polled Unlimited

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A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 2 — The Duke

By JOHN DELLINGER

My previous article was about the history of Charolais cattle in the United States. Now, I am going to expand on some of the things I’ve already talked about by focusing on one bull that is among the couple of most influential bulls in modern Charolais pedigrees. This bull’s heritage traces back to some of the very first cattle that came from France, through Mexico, to the United States in the 1930s. That base of genetics was then crossed with some French genetics that came to the United States in the late 1960s. And his progeny have proven to be very successful up until today.

In the mid-1980s, the Charolais breed, like most other beef breeds in the United States, was fully caught up in a craze in which the tallest framed animals were considered the best. Every year, the cattle got taller. At the same time, the cattle became frail and light muscled. The cows

didn’t produce enough milk, and were hard doing and difficult to maintain. Certainly, there was a need for a change. In late 1984, Wienk Charolais of Lake Preston, S.D., purchased a bull from Bauman Ranch of Carpenter, Wyo., with no fanfare. They didn’t know it then, but that bull would change the Charolais breed throughout the world over the next several decades.

BR Duke 261 was calved in 1983.

Wienk Charolais had their first calves by

him in the fall of 1985. Since then, he has had 3,339 calves registered in the United States, with calves being born every year through the present. He came on the scene for a lot of reasons. He was polled. His calves were smaller framed and BR Duke 261 is interesting genetically because of his ancestry and because of his descendants. If you study his pedigree, several interesting patterns emerge that tie into my previous article. I talked about the original shipment of cattle into the U.S. from Mexico in the thirties. I have sketched out how Duke 261 traces back twice in just a few generations to a bull called Mr. Coronet. Mr. Coronet was a grandson of cattle that were in the original importation. I also talked about the importance of the descendants of Señor of Sandrellan and Paul 109 in U.S. cattle. Señor of Sandrellan was also a descendant of the original importation cattle, and as you can see in my sketch, Duke 261 traces back to him and his grandson Paul as well.

I also talked about the importation of full French Charolais bulls in the 1960s and 70s. You can see in BR Duke 261’s pedigree that he traces back to a full French bull, Carnaval, who was imported in the late 60s. Carnaval would go on to be a very important sire and is still being used a bit today.

BR Duke 261’s Pedigree

BR Duke 261

Señor of Sandrellan

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Duke 261’s pedigree is interesting, but the real importance of Duke 261 in the modern Charolais breed in the United States is measured through his descendants. This is a diagram that shows how a good proportion of the Charolais breed in the U.S. today are reasonably closely related to each other at least because they can be easily traced to BR Duke 261.

This diagram shows the relationship of many of the most popular cattle of the breed through BR Duke 261. The bulls pictured to the right are a sample of the very important sires that trace back to BR Duke 261 at least once.

Spotlight on ChARolAiS

This is all very well known information, but what do you do with it? You could determine how closely related animals are based on the diagram. The fewer the links between animals, the closer related they are. For example, there are only three links between Duke 914 (VCR Sir Duke 914) and Grid Maker (M6 Grid Maker 104), so they would be something like second cousins. This kind of information might be helpful if you are trying to buy or breed cattle that are either more related or less related to each other.

Of course, this doesn’t take into account relationships through other ancestors, but it still might be helpful. If you were actually interested in using bloodlines that aren’t related to BR Duke 261, you could search for cattle that don’t show up here.

I hope this little article reminds breeders of the importance of studying pedigrees to make breeding decisions. However you structure your breeding program — whether you try to linebreed cattle or try to avoid linebreeding cattle — it is crucial that you study the pedigrees thoroughly and understand the family behind the bulls.

I hope you are enjoying this series of articles. My next installment will focus on the history of Charolais cattle in the show ring.

Popular Charolais Bulls

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A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 3

By JOHN DELLINGER

In this series, I have written a couple articles about the history of Charolais cattle in the United States. I wrote generally about influential bulls, and I wrote about the extra influence of a bull named BR Duke 261. Here, I thought I’d write a bit about the history of Charolais cattle in the show ring.

I guess it’s likely that cattle breeders have been showing cattle in competitions against other breeders for centuries. Modern breeds didn’t develop until around 1800-1850 or so. Showing cattle competitively became a “thing” especially after there were better defined breeds and registries keeping track of pedigrees. Until the time of performance testing and the calculation of Expected Progeny Differences, it’s likely that success in the show ring was the most important element that caused other cattlemen to be interested in a breeder’s genetics.

In the Charolais breed, there were shows in France since the 1800s at least. A show winner from about 1915 is pictured here.

and Charolais were exhibited at the large shows in Kansas City, Chicago, Houston, and Denver in the 60s. Perhaps the pivotal moment in the change of the type of cattle from the smaller framed “belt buckle” cattle was when a Charolais cross steer named Conoco was made grand champion steer at the 1969 International Show in Chicago. He is pictured below (and would make a durn fine steer today).

— Show Cattle

After that, the show circuit became the place to figure out who had “the best” Charolais cattle. Pretty quickly, cattle started getting bigger, mostly taller — that seems to be related to the idea that the cattle had to have the performance and size of Charolais cattle, but they needed to not be so thick to cause calving troubles. So folks naturally decided to try to stretch them out. This resulted in some useful cattle for a while — maybe a bit big, but not bad. HCR Expectation 269 was the 1978 national champion bull.

Over time, the cattle got even bigger. Roxy’s Jack Dempsey was very popular, and very big. A lot of cattle today in Canada still carry his genetics.

Thomas Joker was the 1992 national champion. He was probably too big and was the last really big bull to win big.

The Charolais breed came to the United States from France in the 1930s, and there have probably been shows of some sort since then. However, it was not until the late 1960s that Charolais cattle were allowed to show in many of the major livestock expositions in America. At that time, many of the established breeds — Shorthorn, Angus, and Hereford — were still quite small by modern standards. Cattlemen from those breeds did not welcome the much bigger French cattle being shown in close proximity to their cattle because they were not interested in spectators comparing the “beefiness” of the established breeds to the Charolais. But a few breeders eventually broke through

In the meantime, the descendants of a bull named FWT Bar 951 Sam bred by Litton Charolais in Chillicothe, Mo., were being aggressively shown and promoted all over the United States. The bull pictured below is Monarch’s Majesty — he was a grandson of Sam and was grand champion at the Houston show in 1969.

After that, it was sort of off to the races for taller Charolais cattle. Riverwood Genesis was the 1979 champion. He was a son of Riverwood Elevation, and that really started about a 20 year period when cattle related to him and his brothers dominated the breed.

About that time, breeding value estimates were being published, and the importance of the show cattle in the breed started to wane very quickly. The availability of breeding value estimates for traits of economic importance simply made the ranking of cattle in a show ring a less valuable measurement for breeders.

Monarch’s Majesty

The grand champion female at that show was bred by one of the early pioneer breeders in the United States, Michaelis Ranch, and she is pictured below.

Thomas Joker

Roxy’s Jack Dempsey

HCR Expectation 269

Prize winning French Charolais, circa 1915

Conoco

MGM Hijack Mae

Riverwood Genesis

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Cattle have become quite a bit more moderate in the Charolais show ring since then as well. The 2018 national champion was a cow named TR Dotty. She is pictured below from the South Dakota State Fair. Also, the 2018 champion bull named in Canada was Elder’s Honcho, who won Agribition.

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Spotlight on ChARolAiS

Since this article is for The Carolina Cattle Connection , I should mention a couple of our winners. There have been many over the years, but one of the most successful show bulls with a South Carolina connection from back in the days was RCC Royal Standout 2973. He was owned by Barton Charolais in Abbeville, S.C., and shown by Wayne Templeton when he managed that herd.

More recently, my own bull, Faraway Chico, was shown successfully over a decade ago. Our herd in Vale, N.C., is based on his descendants.

Finally, since we started with a French show bull, we’ll close with another one. I don’t know this guy, but he was a winner in France in the recent past.

It seems pretty clear that, in North America, the type of Charolais cattle that wins shows has been pretty variable

over the years, but comparing the French winners 100 years apart, it seems like they have a more strict ideal with regard to show bulls. No matter. Whether you show cattle or not, we should all try to breed cattle that please us, that are in demand by our customers, and that have the best chance of making money for those who care for them. If we can do that, I’m sure we’d mostly call that a good day.

The final installment in this series, for now, will center around cattle performance testing and evaluation.

Faraway Chico

RCC Royal Standout 2973

Elder’s Honcho

TR Dotty

Sang D’Or

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A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 4 — Performance Cattle

By JOHN DELLINGER

I hope you have enjoyed my series on Charolais cattle in the United States. I started the series generally discussing influential bulls in the breed. I continued with and article about the extra influence of a bull named BR Duke 261. I also wrote about the history of Charolais cattle in the show ring. In this article, I thought I’d write about how performance testing and evaluation of cattle for measures of performance have evolved, especially in the Charolais breed, and especially in the Carolinas.

ring appraisals. Central bull tests started in Texas in 1941. The “gift of Charolais,” as described by Thomas King, came then, showing breeders of all breeds that extra growth was possible, and giving other breeds a performance target to aim for. This was the beginning of modern performance testing in beef cattle.

Avignon 1106

When Charolais cattle were developed in France throughout the 1700s, and even earlier, they were generally selected for rapid growth of lean muscular animals. Mature size and muscularity were very important. Marbling was less important because the French markets didn’t treasure that trait, and the more maternal traits, like easy keeping and milk production and udder quality, were a bit less important. But the strict selection for fast, lean growth was paramount. As these cattle came to the United States in the 1930s and throughout the middle of the 1900s, they were quickly recognized as being something different from the more maternal, all purpose British cattle. The calves grew faster. The cattle were bigger and more muscular.

Charolais arrived in the U.S. at about the same time that scientific cattle breeding for performance was getting started. In the 1930s and 40s, scientists determined how to objectively measure growth genetics and developed estimates of the heritability of these traits. Individual farmers and ranchers were starting to develop breeding programs based on performance and not on show

One of the early efforts at promoting performance based beef cattle genetics was Performance Registry International (PRI). PRI set standards for cattle progeny evaluations. The program identified sires that were superior at producing progeny that were evaluated for growth and carcass traits as compared to standards. PRI existed for many years, and a decent number of early Charolais bulls were proven to be outstanding on the PRI program, earning the designation of “Certified Meat Sire,” with various categories describing the best ones. For example, Avignon 1106, a full French bull whose bloodlines still flow strong throughout the breed in the U.S., was a PRI Golden Certified Meat Sire.

period. Cattle that stood out as being particularly strong in these tests were often fairly large framed cattle that were lean in their type. Growth is, after all, positively correlated with mature size, and gaining in lean muscle is more efficient than gaining fat. A few bulls that sired a large number of high performance cattle in the 70s and 80s included GCR Supreme 141, Cardinals Reflection 286, CCC Eleuthera’s Nulook, and HBR Performer 181.

“reference sires” that were used in every group. By comparing to the common reference sires, the association could develop Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) for the test sires. Prominent bulls who were successfully evaluated on the SEP included Nutmeg’s Avignon FR31.

PRI came to an end in the 1970s, and beef cattle performance evaluation focused largely on bull tests. The Charolais breed did very well on these tests, including producing many bulls that gained in excess of five pounds of bodyweight per day over the entire test

But North Carolina and South Carolina Charolais breeders were not left behind when it came to producing high performing bull test winners. Grassy Forks Farm in Catawba, N.C., had one of the highest gaining bulls ever in North Carolina with a bull called Grassy Forks Junker. And in South Carolina, the 1986 Edisto Bull Test was won by THE HHP Monte Carlo 1ST, bred by Horace Porter of Lancaster, South Carolina. The Monte Carlo bull is still very important today.

While all this was going on, the American International Charolais Association was working through initial efforts to develop breeding values for Charolais cattle. Early on, the association had a Sire Evaluation Program (SEP), which involved directly comparing progeny of a test sire with progeny of

The Sire Evaluation Program continued through the 90s and was essentially replaced by the development of methods of computing Expected Progeny Differences using ratios of performance traits measured on individual farms, without the need for reference sires. This program continues today. Breeders can use EPD information to make mating decisions to improve a long list of traits. Recently, these EPDs were improved by including information on the DNA of the cattle themselves.

Throughout their existence, Charolais cattle have been well recognized as the true performance bred of cattle. Breeders have always worked hard to develop systems for identifying the best performing animals in order to continue to make progress in improving the breed.

GCR Supreme 141

Nutmegs Avignon FR31

THE HHP Monte Carlo 1ST

HBR Performer 181

CCC Eleuthera’s Nulook

Cardinals Reflection 852

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A Short History of Modern Charolais Cattle, Part 5 — The Carolinas

By JOHN DELLINGER

When I’ve written about Charolais cattle, I’ve written mostly about influential cattle. But they tell me that the seedstock cattle business is just as much about people. So here are some stories about a few of the pioneer Charolais breeders in North Carolina and South Carolina. This is not a complete list, and I’m sure I’m going to miss some important folks and probably overemphasize a few people. And there might be some mistakes. My apologies for any errors, and feel free to let me know.

Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher in the 19th Century. A friend suggested to me that Schopenhauer’s observations on writers could be adapted to describe cattle breeders, and it’d go something like this:

Cattle breeders may be classified as meteors, planets, and fixed stars.

- A meteor makes a striking effect for a moment — the spectator looks up and cries “There!”, and then it’s gone forever.

- Planets last a much longer time compared to meteors. And they outshine the fixed stars, and inexperienced observers may confuse them for fixed stars. But that is only because they are closer. Before too long, they give up their place, and their only light is reflected light, and their sphere of influence is confined only to a few of their contemporaries. The path of planets is one of change and movement, and within a few years, their tale is told.

- Fixed stars are the only ones that are constant. Their position is secure. They shine with their own light. Their effect today is the same as yesterday. Their appearance does not change based on the different point of view of the observer. They belong to the universe, not just a small community. They are so far away that it can be many years before their light is visible to others.

The folks I’m going to mention will include some “meteors,” some “planets,” and a few “fixed stars.” I’ll leave the classification to the reader, though, and just tell the story.

In 1950, Charolais cattle were being bred in only three states in America —

Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. There were a few bulls spread throughout the country earlier, with a few even in this general neighborhood. For example, Winston Guest, a relative of Winston Churchill and an heir to the U.S. Steel fortune, imported two bulls from Mexico to his farm in western Virginia in 1942. But by 1960, there were Charolais breeders in most of the country, including in the Carolinas.

I think the first sustained Charolais breeder in the Carolinas was John M. Jordan, Jr. in Saxapahaw, North Carolina. He was the son of Everett Jordan, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. His family made their money in the textile industry, and John started breeding Charolais bulls to commercial cows in the mid-’50s.

Jordan worked with French cattle and polled cattle successfully. In the days when French cattle were very valuable, he sold one female at auction for $40,000 and another for $60,000. He eventually developed what was thought to be the largest polled Charolais herd in the world, with locations in several states.

He formed Jordan Charolais Enterprises, which was an effort at vertical integration, in which his ranches would raise the beef, his plants would process it, and eventually, his Jordan’s Le Charolais

Charolais breeder in South Carolina was James McNamara in Greenville, South Carolina. He was a medical doctor. He had a Charolais herd from the late ‘50s until the early ‘70s. His cattle were identified with the “Isidore” suffix — for example, “Carl of Isidore.” The Isidore cattle were sold out to Bar U Ranch in Mississippi and Rabbit Hill in Florida around 1970. A few of his cattle became the basis for the “Muffett” family, which was very popular in the show ring for many years after that.

The Jordan and Isidore cattle went throughout the country and provided a strong base for others. In addition, Jordan and McNamara got together in November 1963 to help form the Virginia Carolinas Charolais Association. Other early breeders in the Carolinas who were involved in that association at the formation included Hoyte Causey of Chadbourne, N.C., Fred Mast of Valle Crucis, N.C., Scott Gardner of Warrenton, N.C., Paul Wallace of Wallace, S.C., Jack Sher of Inman, S.C., and John Ashmore of Greenville, South Carolina.

Besides being “first” or “early,” I think breeders can be interesting because of their “day jobs” or, obviously, because of the impact of the cattle through the years. Hanes Ranch was in Clemmons, N.C., and was owned by the Hanes family, now more famous for Michael Jordan’s underwear. The Hanes family had Charolais from about 1964 through fall 1968. Bowman Gray, Jr., the President and CEO of Reynolds Tobacco Co. bred Charolais at Brookberry Farm in

Winston-Salem, N.C., from 1967-1969.

Grier Beam, the CEO of Carolina Freight, bred Charolais at Sunbeam Farm in Cherryville, N.C., from about 1971 to 1978. Some important cattle, including the parents of both JF Polled Addition and the foundation cow for the Three Trees Vanessa cow families, trace back to Sunbeam. It is unlikely that most folks knew that this was an important breeding program then.

The Carolina Charolais Ranch was in Lillington, N.C., in the ‘60s. They eventually became part of the Jordan herd, but before that, they produced a female named CCR Nancy Bayard. That cow would eventually make her way to Spain Charolais in Missouri, where she would produce Spains Quality Poll 871. He would be the paternal grandsire of BR Duke 261, probably the most important bull in the breed in the United States.

Dr. Leroy Webb started his Charolais herd in Easley, S.C., in the late 1960s. In 1981, he was part of one of the biggest Charolais events ever in South Carolina when he joined along with a group of about ten other Charolais breeders to

Steakhouses and his chain of burger restaurants would serve it. In May 1971, he sold that venture and largely left the Charolais business. He sold a bull, JCR Polled Dessauny 999 (known as Super Dess), for $130,000 for ¼ interest. Super Dess had a yearling weight of 1,685 lbs, a world record at that time, and his auction price was also a world record at the time.

It appears that the first sustained

The Brookberry herd in Winston-Salem.

Super Dess when he sold for $130,000 for ¼ interest.

OHF Vannar, a descendant of a Sunbeam cow.

purchase a ¼ interest in Riverwood Elevation 44 for $350,000, making Elevation worth a total of $1.4 million. Two other Carolina breeders — Dr. John Giles of Morganton, N.C., and Ed Runion of Greer, S.C. — also joined into that group. Dr. Giles and Dr. Webb both used Elevation well. Dr. Giles left the Charolais business around 1990, but the Webb herd is still going strong in Easley.

The last folks I’m going to mention are Wayne Templeton and Gerald Barton.

Wayne has been in the Charolais business at least since the early ‘70s when he was herdsman for LH Bar Ranch in Newnan, Georgia. LH Bar was sort of a continuation of the Ayavalla Plantation breeding program in Florida, which was owned by the Phipps family from U.S. Steel. LH Bar used a bull called FCI B47, and they produced at least one National Champion bull, LH General Lee. General Lee would go on to be a foundation bull for Wesson Charolais in Missouri, a major herd from the ‘70s to the ‘90s.

Meanwhile, Gerald Barton, an attorney from New York City, struck up a friendship with another attorney, Perry Nichols, in the early ‘70s. Nichols had a Charolais herd in Florida. That ended up with Barton starting a Charolais herd on Nichols’ ranch. That, of course, ended up with unpaid bills and unmet expectations and litigation, but, in short, Gerald Barton became a cattle breeder. In the Fall of 1975, Barton bought FCI B47. Around that same time,

Barton hired Wayne Templeton to manage his herd in Abbeville, South Carolina. In the next few years, they built a nice herd of cattle, adding important bulls, Spains Polled Challenger and RCC Royal Standout 2973 to the mix. That herd dispersed in early 1982, and Mr. Barton went home to New York. But the genetics proved useful for years after that, and Wayne Templeton and his family have continued to breed Charolais cattle since then.

There are many others who probably should be mentioned. But you can see in the small sample that there are some “meteors,” some “planets,” and some “fixed stars” in the group. You can decide which ones are which, but I think it might be useful for cattle breeders to think about their own breeding programs and which category they want to be in.

LH General Lee as a calf, led by Wayne Templeton.

July 1981 Advertisement for Riverwood Elevation Syndicate.

LH General Lee as National Champion.

Ashley’s Beef Corner

TWinning the Race and the Physician’s Choice

By ASHLEY W. HERRING Director of Consumer Information N.C. Cattlemen’s Beef Council

Tune in for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300, funded by the Beef Checkoff, on February 18 at Daytona International Speedway, the day before the 65th annual Daytona 500. This is the third year in

a row we’ll be taking part in this event. The Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand and logo will appear throughout Daytona International Speedway as well as on the winner’s trophy and in victory lane. For race fans and beef fans not

attending the race, beef will be promoted on national radio ads and through additional promotional support provided through NCBA’s Beef Checkoff funded work.

In the past few years, the Beef Checkoff has reached doctors directly in their offices with educational materials on beef’s role in health. We provide hand outs for their patients as well. Every time, a post program survey shows that they are more likely to recommend beef after utilizing the materials.

We’ve shared that our pediatric outreach has had large success with the Beef in the Early Years campaign. Now, we have a toolkit for physicians that introduces the Strong Minds, Strong

Bodies campaign. I’m including pieces of that toolkit that physicians will receive so that you can see the materials and the messaging used. You might even mention these to your family physician to see if they are interested.

Our goals are to protect beef’s image as a wholesome, nutritious food and increase consumer and influencer understanding of beef’s role in a healthful diet. By reaching out to health and wellness influencers, like MDs, RDs, and other health and fitness professionals, and credentialed media influencers, the Beef Checkoff continues to deliver the message that the beef you love is good for you, too!

By DR. MATT POORE N.C. State University

Why Are Cow/Calf Producers Slow to Adopt Science Proven Technology?

I have worked with the beef industry all my career, and one thing is clear; only a very small proportion of producers quickly adopt management practices and technological advances that I might help develop. As I grow older, I think more and more about this as I want my life’s work to matter. To help us understand this phenomenon, let’s consider some of the things that get in the way of us changing our systems for the better.

Psychologists have categorized people according to their likelihood of adopting new technology and practices. “Innovators” are the earliest producers to try something new. They are usually young and eager to try new practices. They provide important early feedback on the benefits of a new practice, and other farmers watch what they do with some skepticism. The next category is the early adopter. They don’t jump in right

at first like the innovators, but after there is some local experience with a practice, they usually give it a try. Next, the early majority is a large category who wait to see the experiences of the early adopters. Next is the late majority, who are resistant to change and are skeptical about new practices but eventually catch on and start doing the new practice once it is clearly the thing to do. Finally, there are the laggards who are very resistant to new ideas and who almost never do anything new even after it is proven by research and in widespread local practice. Where do you fall in this categorization?

In some fields of agriculture, most new practices that improve efficiency or monetary returns are quickly adopted. Examples in animal agriculture include the poultry and swine industries. When a technological advance is made, management leadership in integrated companies makes decisions that impact a very large number of farmers. Many of these “executives” generally get where they are partly because they are innovators or early adopters. As a result, the rapid adoption of technology in these industries has dramatically improved production efficiency.

In the cow/calf business, production is in the hands of very many independent operators. In North Carolina, there are about 25,000 beef farmers, and there are over one million nationally. As a result, adoption is a product of the personality types listed earlier. In general, these farmers are quite conservative and slow to adopt. Innovators are viewed with skepticism because they often are young and well funded, and they sometimes adopt practices that turn out to not work.

Another consideration is that not all technological advances are as easy to adopt as others. Over my career, I have been involved in a number of educational efforts to enhance the adoption of specific scientific advancements. One of my early successes was with the use of byproduct feeds like soybean hulls. We evaluated many locally available byproducts and found especially good availability and production results with soybean hulls. I carried samples of soybean hulls to many county meetings and showed the results of the research. Over about ten years, soybean hulls became well accepted, and today soybean hulls enjoy popularity on the ingredient market.

At about the same time, I was also working with the development of novel endophyte tall fescue, which is now a fully proven technology that can replace toxic tall fescue and create a similar perpetual perennial pasture base. It is really an amazing development with the potential to dramatically help any producer who can grow tall fescue. Unlike soyhulls, however, we have had a

very low adoption rate of this technology. The tall fescue technology can dramatically benefit the welfare of cows as well as improve economic returns, so why would it not be adopted?

The reason is likely because soyhulls were a simple technology to adopt, while novel endophyte tall fescue is a difficult to adopt technology. To adopt soyhulls, farmers simply had to change what they were feeding. Adopting a new perennial forage, whether it is novel endophyte, a complex perennial mix, etc., is a much more difficult process. There are many steps along the way, including killing existing pasture, planting a smother crop (usually), planting the new perennial, and then managing carefully during the first two years after planting. Initial investment is high, and it will take years to see economic break even. Advisers have clearly listed the many important steps in the process, which should help, but might also scare some into not renovating. In situations like this, where the change is very difficult, it may take careful advising, economic incentives, and purposeful demonstration projects to show the practice in action.

All of these are important considerations, but it still doesn’t make sense that so many beef farmers in our area don’t perform basic management practices (like castration), which are easy to do, and which clearly pay back a lot more than they cost.

I believe that the real answer is related to the demographics of our farmers. Most beef cattle farmers in the southeast are part-time, and many don’t manage the system as a business enterprise. Many farmers are also retired and raise cattle mostly for pleasure. As a result, economic considerations are minimal, and the promise of improved return from a specific practice is not much of a motivator. If you have plenty of money, then the promise of a return of $20 per cow may be insignificant. Many technologies have benefits other than the obvious financial return, so it may be beneficial to better understand the less tangible benefits of a specific practice.

Finally, there are societal factors that may put pressure on farmers not to adopt specific technology. “Natural” cattle production systems often prohibit the use of some important technologies. Growth promoting implants are a good example. The prohibited use of implants implies that they are not a good thing, and this works down to cow/calf producers further suppressing their adoption of implants, even most cattle will never enter one of these branded programs.

In the future, it will be critical for the cow/calf industry to improve its adoption of proven technology. Anything that

improves production efficiency has the potential to reduce the climate impact of beef production. Also, some practices, like improved grazing management, have the potential to improve soil carbon and soil health, resulting in big climate benefits.

As we move into the new year, give some thought to where you are with adopting technologies that can really help you. We often become convinced we need to change, but “life gets in the way,” and we don’t get it done. The Status Quo is probably the biggest barrier to adoption that we have. For example, many of us feed a lot of hay and would like to reduce our feeding days. There are many ways to accomplish that, but in the end, it is oh-so-easy to fire up the tractor and put out more hay. Likewise, if you start strip grazing stockpiled fescue in the early winter and the cows break out into the fresh grass, it is oh-so-easy to reel up the temporary fence and let them have it. Being tenacious and sticking to a new

thing long enough for it to become routine is a key to changing the status quo.

In my opinion, there is no better life than caring for a cow herd, and I plan to continue the effort for the rest of my life.

At this point, for me, I am not in it for the money, but I do want the enterprise to cash flow. There are many things I want and need to do, like continuing to replace our toxic fescue base with non-toxic forages that will grow modern cattle without a lot of feed inputs. My personal challenge is to find the time to adopt the practices I am convinced we need. As you continue to develop your own strong and resilient production system, remember that if you are an innovator or early adopter, you have a key role to play in helping show the rest of the producer population a better way to do things. If you are in the majority, watch these folks, go to associated workshops and get excited about adopting new practices that will help your farm survive in a challenging time.

American Forage & Grassland Council Registration for AFGC 2023 is Now Open!

AFGC 2023 will be held on January 8-11 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The host hotel is the Marriott located a ½ block from the convention center. If you have not been to Winston-Salem, you will be pleasantly surprised by the hotel, convention center, and number of restaurants within walking distance.

The Program Committee has put together a great list of workshops on the following topics:

• Managing Pasture for Diversity and Production, coordinated by Scott Flynn, Corteva Agrisciences

• Alternative Grazing Species - Small Ruminant, coordinated by Johnny Rogers, N.C. State University

Nina Poore Remembered

By MATT POORE

Many of you knew my mom, Nina Poore. She was in the beef cattle business most of her life, but from about age 60-80, she and my dad lived here on the farm and were deeply engaged in the cattle community. Mom and Dad enjoyed traveling around the state, talking to county cattlemen’s groups, and promoting my dad’s books. My folks lived an ambitious life, and both left this world in peace. Thanks to all of you who enriched their lives. Chronicles of their many adventures can be found in my dad’s book Lessons Remembered . I especially recommend Outfoxing the Fox (available at Amazon.com ), which includes an interview with my mom about her adventures as a midwife in the mountains of Kentucky.

Ninalei Bader Poore peacefully passed away on November 13, 2022, surrounded by her family and her beloved cat, Tita. Her life spanned a transformative time for women, and in her 92 years, she devoted herself to the ever growing demands of education, career, family, community, and to thousands of people in need. The end result: a life shaped by love and punctuated by interludes of adventure, service, and drama worthy of a screenplay.

“Nina” was born in Honolulu,

Ha., on December 12, 1930, to parents Oliver and Thelma Springer Bader. During World War II, the bombing of Pearl Harbor took place while Nina was visiting her grandmother in Fresno, California. The war prevented her from returning home until 1945. Upon returning to Hawaii, she attended and then graduated from Punahou School in 1948. After attending the University of Hawaii, she completed her nursing training at the University of Virginia in 1952. She then joined the Frontier Nursing Service, where she completed training as a nurse midwife. Over the next two years, she traveled by horseback between mining camps and hollows in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, delivering more than 300 babies and providing care to women in need. In December 1955, she met and married Henry Wayne Poore. After Dr. Poore graduated from the UVA Medical School, they went to the University of Michigan for a residency and then moved to Virgilina, Va., to set up a medical practice in that rural community. In 1962, the family moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where Nina raised seven children and became a community leader.

After years of private practice, together Nina and Henry opened Flagstaff Urgent Care in 1990 — then a new type of health care facility for Flagstaff. From her earliest years, Nina was devoted to providing medical care to those in need on

a global scale. She participated in medical missions to Honduras, Mexico, Kenya, and the Navajo Nation. In 2011, Nina (then 81) and Henry founded the Poore Medical Clinic and later the Sid Davis Dental Clinic, which continue to serve the needs of the uninsured citizens of Flagstaff. Nina loved Flagstaff and was an ardent supporter of the arts, youth development, a wide variety of charities, and a multitude of community organizations. She was one of the founding members of “Citizens Against Substance Abuse,” a contribution for which she was recognized by Governor Rose Mofford in 1988 and with the Flagstaff Citizen of the Year award in 1990. Nina received many other awards for her devotion to the community of

• Pasture and Hay Establishment - A Roadmap to Success, coordinated by Lisa Baxter, University of Georgia

• Climate - Trends From the Last 50 Years and Prediction for the Next 50 Years What are Forate System Challenges, coordinated by Deidre Harmon, N.C. State University

• Cover Crops, Soil Health, & Grazing, coordinated by Jason Tower, Purdue University

• Managing Input Costs for Profitability and Sustainability coordinated by Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-ARS

To view the complete agenda and conference details, visit https://cvent.me/ e2zG7w

Flagstaff.

In addition to her community endeavors in Flagstaff, Nina was active in the management of the family’s beef cattle farms in North Carolina and Virginia. Every summer, she and Henry took the kids to work on the farm, where she instilled in her children (and later her grandchildren) the joys of hard work, fresh air, and simple pleasures. She and her husband explored America from Alaska’s Arctic Circle to their home on Ocracoke Island, N.C., where she loved to sit on the dock, swim in the ocean, and eat good food (she loved good food). Nina will always be remembered for her kindness, generosity, adventurous spirit, and dedication to the Flagstaff Community.

She frequently boasted that her greatest joy in life was being the mother of seven children; Beth, Matt, Amy, Mary Jo, Meg, Sara, and Sam, and the grandmother of 14 grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her grandson Blake Henry Herman and her husband, Dr. Henry Wayne Poore. Nina leaves an immense legacy of love, family, and service. In her remembrance, please make donations in her name to the non-profit Poore Medical Clinic and Sid Davis Memorial Dental Clinic.

You Decide!

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

You Decide: Is Economics About More Than Jobs and Inflation? Every time there is trouble looming for the economy, my schedule of presentations and interviews explodes. It happened during my more than 40 years on the N.C. State University faculty, and it still happens in my retirement as I continue to interact with groups and the media.

I’m seeing the same reactions today with worries about inflation and recession. Certainly, I understand people being concerned when the economy is gloomy, especially if their livelihoods and incomes are threatened. Some psychologists say humans are naturally wired to focus more on potentially bad outcomes than on good ones.

But for some, I think the focus on negatives like recession and inflation makes many think these are the only topics economics focuses on. They couldn’t be more wrong.

There are two broad categories of economics – macroeconomics and microeconomics. Macroeconomics is “big picture” economics, concentrating on the economy as a whole rather than on individual pieces. Macroeconomics looks at topics such as economic growth, productivity, interest rates, the stock market, and the financial system, as well as inflation and recession.

Macroeconomics captures our attention because its components impact everyone. Anyone who borrows or

invests money is influenced by economic growth, interest rates, the stock market, and the financial system. So too, are people who run a business or work for a business. They know that even if they are perfect at their job, they can be hurt if the macroeconomy deteriorates.

In contrast, microeconomics is “small picture” economics because it looks at the individual components of the macroeconomy. Why a specific job pays what it does, evaluating opening a new business, deciding whether to go to college, and planning for retirement are all examples of microeconomics.

Since microeconomics often is overshadowed by macroeconomics, let me delve into the “small picture” world by highlighting some of the concepts that make microeconomics valuable.

The first is incentives. One of the elementary principles of microeconomics is that decision makers — workers, managers, investors, parents, and children — respond to incentives. If incentives to do more of something are increased, decision makers will do more of it. Conversely, if incentives to do something are decreased, decision makers will do less of it.

We see incentives at work all around us. Lower prices of products and services we like cause us to buy more of them, while when faced with higher prices, we cut back. Businesses will increase wages to fill vacant positions. If the government wants us to do something, they will often cut taxes. A good example today is the tax cuts for buying an electric vehicle.

Incentives don’t have to be all monetary. Actions that are praised by our neighbors, colleagues, friends, and society at large will attract more followers, while behaviors that are scorned will have a deterrent effect. Over time, the praised and scorned actions can change as societal values and culture change.

A key concept of microeconomics is the idea we can’t have it all. It’s the nature of most people to want many things. I know I do. These things can be personal, or they can apply to our community or nation. But the commonality is at any point in time. We have limited resources to achieve our goals. This means we have to make choices. A big part of microeconomics is helping people evaluate their choices, so they make the selection that gives them the most satisfaction.

One way of expanding what we can have at any point in time is to borrow. Borrowing gives us more resources to use today. For example, what if you wanted to buy a new vehicle but you don’t have the cash to make the purchase?

Instead, you can borrow the cash, have the vehicle now and pay off the loan over time. This is a logical process — indeed, most people borrow to buy “big ticket” items like homes and vehicles — but it can create problems. What if you can’t make the loan payments and have your home or vehicle repossessed? This is a consideration when attempting to “expand your resources” through borrowing.

The last microeconomic concept I’ll discuss is competition. Competition is important because if several companies are vying for your business, not only will they have to deliver a quality product or service, but they will also need to offer a reasonable price. This keeps profits relatively low. Indeed, companies in highly competitive markets have profit rates — or profits as a percentage of revenues — in the low single digits.

If starting a business is relatively easy and without any legal barriers, then competition is robust, sellers respond to consumers’ needs, and prices reflect costs plus a modest profit rate.

Yet notice the two qualifiers to my last statement. Sometimes it’s difficult to replicate what existing companies are doing, or it is simply too expensive to try. Or, there may be cases where there are legal impediments to competition, often imposed by the government. In these situations, competition is limited, and prices are higher.

I’ve just skimmed the surface of the three microeconomic principles of incentives, tradeoffs, and competition. While macroeconomics often gets the headlines, microeconomics may be just as — or maybe more — important to our everyday lives. But, you decide!

You Decide: Will 2023 Be Naughty or Nice? The traditional holiday question to children, “Have you been naughty or nice,” is a perfect lead-in to the economic outlook in 2023. As 2022 ends and 2023 begins, we face two economic challenges: inflation and recession. The big questions are, will inflation return to normal in 2023, and will it take a recession to do so?

Actually, we’ve already seen some progress on inflation. Year-over-year inflation was over 9 percent in the summer, but recently it’s been under 8 percent. That doesn’t seem like much, but at least the rise in prices has been slowing.

But the decline in the price of gas at the pump has certainly brought smiles to our faces. After the national price per gallon jumped to over $5 in June, we’re now seeing gas prices in the low $3 range.

Interest rates are another matter. If you’re borrowing money for a home,

vehicle, or another big ticket item, you’re now paying more than twice as much as a year ago. For example, despite some slippage in November and December, 30 year fixed mortgage rates are still hovering near 6.5 percent. At the end of 2021, they were under 3 percent.

The bottom line is that most people are still struggling economically as we end one year and move on to another. Even if a person received a pay boost in 2022, it was likely less than the increase in prices they paid. If your income rises less than prices, then your standard of living has dropped.

2022 has been a rough year. Will it get any better in 2023?

Part of the reason for inflation has been problems with businesses getting enough supply of the products we want to purchase. The pandemic gave us a new term for this situation: supply chain problems. When we are trying to buy things, but there are not enough of those things to buy, then the prices of those things jump.

The good news is that supply chain problems have eased. One measure shows the intensity of supply problems improving 75 percent since 2021. As a result, sellers have more inventories, and delivery times

have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The improvement in the supply chain should help moderate inflation.

But will it be enough? The Federal Reserve doesn’t think so. The Federal Reserve — commonly called “the Fed” — is the nation’s central bank. It has the ability to create money, and it uses that power to nudge interest rates up and down. If the Fed wants to stimulate borrowing and spending, it lowers interest rates. It did this at the height of the pandemic, which, among other things, created massive home buying. But if the Fed wants to moderate borrowing and spending, it pushes interest rates higher.

In the Fed’s view, we are trying to spend more than the economy can provide. This puts upward pressure on prices, meaning the inflation rate jumps. Even though the supply chain is improving, the Fed still thinks consumer spending is running too hot.

But part of today’s problem is a result of the Fed. When the pandemic was raging, the Fed’s key interest rate was zero. This was designed to boost spending. The Fed has now raised its key rate to nearly 4 percent, and most economists think the rate will go higher. The Fed will watch the pace of the

economy to guide them on interest rate policy.

Of course, the Fed doesn’t want to create a recession where sales fall and unemployment rises. Unfortunately, one of the best predictors of a recession — a measure called the “inverted yield curve” — is giving its strongest forecast of an upcoming recession in forty years.

Thus, I — and many economists — are forecasting a recession for some period in 2023. The good news is that it will likely be relatively mild. The unemployment rate, currently under 4 percent, could rise to 5 or 6 percent. An unemployment rate in that range is historically low for a recession. Still, with a jobless rate of 5 or 6 percent, between 50,000 and 100,000 workers in North Carolina would be added to the unemployment rolls.

Although North Carolina’s economy has been growing faster than most states, North Carolina will feel a recession. Even North Carolina’s rapidly expanding cities and metropolitan areas will know a recession has arrived. In fact, if history is any guide, metro regions could suffer more. For example, in the so-called “subprime” recession of 2007-2009, the economies in metropolitan North Carolina

contracted by a larger percentage than the economies in rural regions.

If a recession does happen in 2023, look for businesses in sectors selling products or services that can be postponed to be hit harder. These are sectors like real estate, construction, manufacturing, retail, and leisure/hospitality. Businesses selling necessities like food, health care, education, and energy will be less negatively impacted.

When will the economy get better? When will we have inflation under control and the economy growing again? I’m hoping we will see these conditions toward the end of 2023. By then, I think we could see the inflation rate half of what it is today, thereby allowing the Fed to ease up on the brake and slightly pushing down on the gas pedal for the economy. That is, I think the Fed could be reducing interest rates and stimulating the economy a year from now. A year from now, we could see the 2023 recession end and a new economic expansion beginning.

So, I see challenges but then relief for us and the economy in 2023. I wish I could be more upbeat, but my intent is to be honest and clear. Is my forecast helpful? You decide.

E.B.'s ViEw from

thE Cow PasturE

By E.B. HARRIS

Dyed in the Wool, True Red and White

I have written about this farm once before in The Carolina Cattle Connection, but I will bring you back up to speed again. We lease the farm, which is about six miles from our family farm, probably only about three miles from Shane’s home, so he is fairly close to it. This farm is known as Tusculum and is owned by the King Family.

This farm has a cow pasture on it, and it has always had Hereford during my lifetime. Dating back to the early ‘70s, I would go there and haul Hereford cattle for Mr. King. Time went along, and just like with all families, things changed. The time came when they wanted to sell the

cows and lease us the farm. We came to terms, and they did not say we had to stay straight Hereford, but I could tell that the family liked Hereford cattle.

Mrs. King, in her later years, enjoyed sitting on the porch and looking at the Hereford cows. She has since passed. We still keep pretty much Hereford cattle on the farm and make a few corn, beans, and silage on the cropland on the farm.

Her daughters went to school with me. I was down there the other day, and one of her daughters, Lou Ellen, who was my classmate, was there. I would say she visits the farm almost every day. We stopped and chatted for a few minutes.

It’s always good to visit with her.

She went on to tell me that she had had a heart murmur since she was a tyke. Some things progress with time that need to be corrected. She said she is getting of age that the doctor thinks it’s time to do something about the heart murmur. She said the doctor explained the procedure of what and how they were going to do it. He said in this procedure, they would be using some cow tissue. After listening to him about what

was going to take place, she said to the doctor there was one thing she wanted to request - make sure it’s Hereford.

If you go to have an operation and there’s going to be some cattle tissue involved, I think you can request the breed you want to use. Maybe with all this new genomic testing, wouldn’t it be nice to identify a breed that would be beneficial in human medicine? What’s the next window we are going to open?

By MOLLY FEEZOR N.C. State University -- ANS 402 Beef Management

The Value of Integrating Beef Cattle into Cropping

Specialization is a common tactic used on operations due to presumptions of higher management efficiency and market pressures but is not the only option for farmers (CAFF 2019). Integrated CropLivestock Systems (ICLS) are production systems that raise livestock and crops together, benefiting soil health, operation labor needs, and environmental factors (CAFF 2019). Benefits of ICLS include avoiding nutrient deficiencies/imbalances, pollution problems, and waste management inefficiencies associated with specialization.

Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems are in the producer’s economic interest. Grazing reduces the cost of feed as well as the cost of fertilizer (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology) . Allowing beef cattle to graze cropland affects soil fertility as manure application increases soil microbial density and organic matter. Soil microbial density relates to the number of microbes present, which recycle nutrients, detoxify pollutants, and regulate gas (carbon, methane, etc.) storage/production/absorption/and release (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology). Beef cattle, when integrated with cotton, showed a positive increase in organic carbon in soils as well as soil microbial biomass, soil enzyme activity, and water aggregate stability (Hillmire 2011)

Integrated systems do, however, call for a well managed grazing and crop rotation system to prevent soil compaction and overgrazing. Alternatively, according to the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF), ICLS can lead to reduced compaction by heavy machinery while also decreasing the emissions of greenhouse gasses. The effect on soil by ICLS is important as a producer as soil is a foundational component on any operation due to its impact on water retention, water filtration, climate regulation, and biodiversity (Wall, Delgado, et al. 2020) . Studies in Texas found that integrating beef cattle during cropping off seasons leads to decreased water usage on fields and a reduced need for fertilizer. When observing beef cattle

with cotton in said studies, profitability increased to nine times that of monoculture on the same lands (Hillmire 2011). When comparing beef cattle and corn integrated plots, researchers found higher total nitrogen and carbon levels than on continuous corn plots (Hillmire 2011)

Many small farms choose to use cut-and-carry systems that allow crop residue to be harvested for livestock feed. In turn, livestock manure is distributed in fields as a fertilizer. This typically is with the goal of maintenance as opposed to maximizing yield or revenue, which is the goal of most larger scale operations that incorporate ICLS (Peterson, Deiss, et al., 2020). Two common scales of ICLS are within-farm integration (local) and among-farm integration (regional). Larger scale corporations and policymakers typically find the idea of among-farm integration appealing as it is a larger operation at an industrial scale that involves few stakeholders (Russelle et al., 2007). Figure 1 can be used to see more information as to making decisions for the implementation of ICLS. This table gives insight as to what considerations to make and the information required to make these decisions.

Creating intricate networks between plant, animal, and soil components allow for synergistic relationships that improve productivity and can boost process resilience, such as to climate disturbance or market change (Peterson, Deiss et al., 2020) . This process resilience can be exemplified by water systems. As animals graze cover crops, they are affecting soil water usage in the crop off-season, which increases the amount of water available for crop uptake in peak cropping seasons. This makes a large impact if the area experiences drought stress in following seasons (Peterson, Deiss et al., 2020)

This cycles nutrients between animals and crops, which keeps nutrients on the farm and, again, reduces expenses such as fertilizer (CAFF 2019) . CAFF also mentions the additional benefit of weed control which in turn leads to less need

for herbicides and the economic relief this can provide the producer.

Integrating beef cattle into a cropping system may be a more viable option in organic crop production. Many long term, organically farmed fields are exhibiting phosphorus deficiencies. Ruminants may be a solution to this issue as they can replenish phosphorus levels while providing other nutrients as well as previously mentioned benefits such as weed control (Russelle et al., 2007) . Grazing beef cattle on cropland can benefit fields in that it allows a more gradual application than when done by a farmer (Hillmire 2011)

In summary, Integrated CropLivestock Systems are a benefit to producers as they have proven to improve soil quality and reduce costs associated with feed, fertilizer, pest control, and weed control. ICLS provides a waste management plan and can make for more resilience in crop systems. Soil is a major component when discussing the benefits of these systems due to its numerous relations to crop success, including water retention and nutrient collection. ICLS is a system that may better benefit organic

farmers due to the trending phosphorus deficiencies in soils and the ability of ruminants to recycle nutrients back into the land. A multitude of networks can be created with ICLS based on the livestock used and the combination of soils, livestock, and crops. There are varying sizes of Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems, making these an option for all operations.

References

Hillmire, K. (2011) Integrated Crop/ Livestock Agriculture in the United States: A Review. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 35, 376-393. DOI: 10.1080/10440046.2011.562042

Integrated crop/livestock systems. Community Alliance with Family Farmers. (2020, November 12). Retrieved March 2, 2022, from caff. org/ecologicalfarming/integrated-croplivestock-systems/

Peterson, C.A., Bell, L.W., Carvalho, P.C. de F., & Gaudin, A.C.M. (2020). Resilience of an Integrated Crop–Livestock System to Climate Change: A Simulation Analysis of Cover Crop Grazing in Southern Brazil. Front. Sustain. Syst., 25. doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.604099

Figure 1 - Information required for decision making in Integrated Crop-Livestock Systems (Russelle et al., 2004)

Peterson, C.A., Deiss, L., & Gaudin, A.C.M. (2020). Commercial integrated crop-livestock systems achieve comparable crop yields to specialized production systems: A meta-analysis. PLoS One, 15(5) doi:http://dx.doi. org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231840

Russelle, M.P., Entz, M.H., Franzluebbers, A.J. (2007). Reconsidering Integrated Crop–Livestock Systems in North America. American Society of Agronomy 99(1). acsess.onlinelibrary. wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.2134/ agronj2006.0139?casa_token=cAvu2BiIkAAAAAA:ib3p0mPKqUJ2LBFMyOWpHmLZi_ vq43zEnvtxJETPjNtCQBTm0sgyxNu_RMKpFBNl2g7FreY5J_DOA.

Wall, David P., Delgado, A., et al.

(2020) “A Decision Support Model for Assessing the Water Regulation and Purification Potential of Agricultural Soils across Europe.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 1 January 1AD, www.frontiersin.org/ articles/10.3389/fsufs.2020.00115/full www.ukclimaterisk.org . UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2022, from www.ukclimaterisk.org/wp-content/ uploads/2021/06/CCRA3-TechnicalReport-Comments-Log-.xlsx

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 Brenna Carter are not necessarily those of N.C. State University or Dr. Carrie Pickworth.

Key Medical Antibiotics in Veterinary Medicine to Become “Prescription Only” in 2023

In June 2023, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) will implement their Guidance for Industry (GFI) #263, which instructs animal drug companies to voluntarily change labels so that antibiotics, which are medically important for human medicine and currently available over-the-counter for animals, will require a prescription from a licensed veterinarian for legal use.

GFI #263 builds upon the FDA’s previous GFI #213, which brought 96 percent of all medically important antibiotic drugs used in water and feed for animals under veterinary oversight and limited their use to treatment, control, and prevention of specific diseases. GFI #263 addresses the remaining 4 percent of the medically important antimicrobial drugs not covered by GFI #213 and includes other dosage forms such as injectable and topical products.

Antibiotics are a powerful tool for both animal and human health. They can be used to prevent and treat infections caused by bacteria. However, when antibiotics are not used properly and responsibly, bacteria can become resistant or unresponsive. Antibiotics can continue to be effective for prevention, control, and treatment of disease through good stewardship and responsible use. GFI #263 is consistent with FDA, CVM’s five year action plan for supporting antimicrobial stewardship in veterinary settings, as published in 2018.

What do these changes mean for cattle producers in the United States? After June 2023, producers will need a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) to obtain medically important antibiotics. All medically important antibiotics previously available over-the-counter will require a prescription from a veterinarian licensed in the state where the cattle reside.

Producers should identify a veterinarian as a partner in supporting the health of their cattle. By having a veterinarian who is familiar with you and your cattle, the veterinarian can be prepared to provide appropriate care in case of an illness or infection. Before illness occurs, set protocols for common conditions with your veterinarian so that you have access to the antibiotics needed to take swift action on your own and recognize when you need to involve your veterinarian. Illness and infections are never convenient. The best time to talk to your veterinarian is before animals are sick. Planning with your veterinarian ensures you can care for your cattle herd in a timely manner and when it matters most.

the chaplain’s corral

By SUSIE THOMPSON Chaplain, Cowboys for Christ

Life is a Barrel Race

Each and every day, there are new discoveries made in the world, and every so often in our own lives, we have some huge changes and new things that pop up too. It’s at those times that I take comfort in knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.

I have recently been thinking that life is so much like a barrel race.

First, there is the start line...being born. Then on the approach to the first barrel are our childhood years, the learning years where we are like a sponge, soaking everything up! Establishing a good foundation at this time is crucial to having the perfect pattern in life. This is where Godly parents are a must!

At the rate point of the first barrel, we are teenagers, and if we don’t slow down, stay focused on God’s plan, and line things up correctly, we will either knock that barrel down or blow right on by it. They call that ‘the money barrel’; get that one wrong and the rest of the pattern of life won’t be as good as it could have been. I often think of how many teenagers make bad decisions and end up in prison, sometimes spending a significant part of their life there because of a tragic mistake!

In between our first and second barrel are our early adult years. This is where our horse does a lead change preparing for a different direction. It’s at this stage of life, there are plenty of changes: marriage, career, children, financial responsibility, etc. There is a lot to cope with while we try to aim for the entry point of the second barrel, where we face the change of life...around 40 years old. So many barrels are knocked down during this time: divorce, raising teenagers, job loss, menopause, family crisis, bankruptcy. The list of fallen barrels is endless. But you know it doesn’t matter how many barrels fall to the ground or whether you just tip them over or smash them like a freight train; the only thing that matters is how you recover from them! Do you circle around and around the barrel, unable to move on from the trial you have endured, or do you bounce back and continue with God’s

plan and purpose for you? Tribulation can bring growth if we let it.

So now we are on our way to the third barrel, our senior years! Our children are grown, and we are enjoying grandchildren. Again, we might go through hard times with health issues, the loss of a partner, and the heartache of seeing our children going through terrible circumstances. But we can’t slow down, and time is running out to complete God’s mission for our life. There is no time for apathy.

At the third barrel, we are approximately 70 years old, our twilight years, where a lot of people spend time sitting in a nursing home waiting to go be with the Lord. But the race is not over! The fastest part of this clover leaf pattern is yet to come, the run to the finish line! So much wisdom, so much experience, and so much good advice is wasting away in nursing homes across the world. But there are still plenty of ways for the elderly to be very productive for the Lord. Opportunities and goals don’t just disappear due to your age.

Now we are crossing the finish line... and that’s between you and God, that is dependent on your relationship with Him. Eternity is available at the finish line for those who want it. Jesus has made it accessible through the cross.

We only get one barrel race of life. Let’s run the best pattern possible, with our focus always being on our Lord and Savior. Godspeed…

NOTICE

Letters to the editor are welcome and we appreciate your input.

HOWEVER, letters that are not signed will not be considered for publication.

Herd ManageMent

By BRAYDEN HAWKINS, Ridley Block Operations

A Road Map to Supplementing Your Cows This Winter

Collecting and testing forage samples properly is critical to supplementing your cow herd’s nutrition in the winter. Follow these steps to make sure you’re taking samples. In my opinion, one of the most underutilized tools in the cow/calf sector is testing your harvested forages. Having these forage samples is a critical component of putting together a cost effective winter feeding strategy, which can account for up to 30 percent of a cattle operation’s yearly costs. While taking forage samples is something everyone talks about doing, many times, the practice seems to fall between the cracks.

It is easy to make assumptions about

how your hay or harvested forage will perform this year based on experience, particularly if you put it up yourself or have been buying from the same person for years. But as we all know, growing conditions were very different this season than years prior. Between exceptional droughts in parts of the country, flooding in others, and record high fertilizer prices, it is safe to say this year’s hay crop is very different nutritionally than it has been before.

With margins remaining slim in the cattle business, eliminating the guesswork out of the most expensive cost for cow/ calf producers is more valuable now than ever. A $15 forage sample acts as a road map that points you in the right direction

and to maximizing the value of your hay and your supplements.

The first step to getting the most out of a forage sample is to collect it properly. Outlined below are a few rules I follow when I take samples:

1. Test in “lots,” which are described by the article “Sampling Feeds for Analyses” as being “harvested from the same field consisting of similar types of plants, cutting dates, maturity, variety, weed contamination, type of harvest equipment, curing methods, and storage conditions.”

2. In each hay lot, take samples from approximately 10 percent of the harvested forage to get an accurate average. It is best to test a few weeks prior to feeding the hay – not immediately after baling.

3. When testing round bales or big squares, a hay probe should be used to core 12-18 inches into the side of the bale to get the most consistent samples. If a hay probe is not available or you are testing stacks, stockpiled forages, etc., samples can be taken by hand. Simply take two or three handfuls from as far within the bale or stack as possible. However, be careful

not to strip the leaves off.

4. Once you have taken an appropriate number of samples out of each lot, carefully mix the samples together in a bucket or other mixing container.

5. Put the combined sample into a one gallon Ziploc bag and remove the air. I try to fill a one gallon bag at least halfway full.

6. Label the bag with the lot ID and sample date.

7. Work with your local county extension agent or feed dealer to find the best place to send your samples for testing and analysis.

Once you have had all of your hay lots sampled and tested, putting the results into a table similar to Table 1 will make it easy to identify the differences between the various lots.

Organizing the results also allows us to break our available forages into different levels of quality, which are determined by the criteria below.

• Low quality forage - Forages at or below 7% crude protein (CP), with a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) level at or above approximately 63 percent

• Medium quality forage - Forages between 7-11% CP, with an NDF level at or below approximately 63 percent

• High quality forage - Forages that do not require any supplemental CP to meet the needs of late gestation or lactating beef cows, typically above 11% CP

“As

~ Joey Carter

With these determinations in place, we can strategically feed certain hay lots to specific sets of cows and provide supplements that best match the forage quality of that hay lot. For example, with first calf heifers or fall calving cows at peak lactation, it may be best to utilize your highest quality hay, as these cattle typically have the highest nutritional needs. On the other hand, it would make sense to feed the lowest quality hay to mid-gestation spring calving cows without a calf at their side and to supplement that hay with a higher protein supplement to improve microbial function and forage digestibility. Neither hay nor supplements come in a one-size-fits-all package.

Taking forage samples requires some extra time and effort, but the results provide useful information. Without testing your forage, you are guessing at the quality of your hay, and, as a result, you are either overpaying for excess feed or aren’t providing your cows with the nutrition they need to perform – and both of these issues cut into your bottom line. By taking forage samples and by matching your hay to your cows and your supplements to your hay, you can plan for a winter feeding program that will maximize the profitability of your operation.

David Carter High

Beer Farm • Richburg, SC

T.C. Blackwelder • Concord, NC

Marvin Canipe • Morven, NC

C&H Farms • Ehrhardt, SC

Circle A Ranch • Lancaster, SC

Tim Coley • Marshville, NC

Lucas Covington • Germanton, NC

Mike Cress • Concord, NC

William Ebert • Sparta, NC

Josh Eudy • Marshville, NC

John Lewis • Chester, SC

Scottie London • Concord, NC

Dennis Long • Monroe, NC

Brett Lucas • Camden, SC

Ken Martin • Wadesboro, NC

Norris McConnell • Mount Ulla, NC

McDonald Farms • Richburg, SC

Russell Mosley • Waxhaw, NC

Aubrey Overcash • Mount Ulla, NC

Michael Patton • Oxford, NC

Randy Putnam • Vale, NC

Stan Redfern • Warwick, GA

Brice Richardson • Britton’s Neck, SC

John Rogers • Hartsville, SC

Devin Sikes • Peachland, NC

Dale Schronce • Iron Station, NC

Bill Thompson • Lawndale, NC

Edgar Trejo • Dobson, NC

Ben Tucker • Norwood, NC

Steve Vaughn • Locust, NC

David Wheeler • Gaffney, SC

David Wilson • Edgemoor, SC

John Winchester • Waxhaw, NC

Vinson York • Marshville, NC

Circle A Ranch • Devin Sikes

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

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 waherefordfarm@comcast.net

Check out the North Carolina Hereford Advantage at www.nchereford.com

JANUARY 2023

Myron McCoy

N.C. Hereford Association Secretary/Treasurer 252-637-4995 ncherefordassociation@gmail.com www.nchereford.com

News

Spring Inventory Deadline

Approaching. Don’t miss the Spring 2023 early bird inventory deadline of January 15. Inventories were generated the first week of December. As always, MyHerd users will have access to theirs on MyHerd. If you aren’t a MyHerd user, your inventory will be mailed to you.

Inventories submitted between January 16 – February 28 will be charged the standard inventory rates. Any inventories submitted after March 1 will incur a $2 per head surcharge on every female maintained on the inventory. Remember, MyHerd users can log in anytime to view and update the 2023 spring inventory.

How to Update your Herd Inventory on MyHerd - Follow these steps to update and submit your herd inventory using

MyHerd.org

1. Log into MyHerd and click on the “ToDo” task labeled “2022 Fall Herd Inventory Update needed.”

2. MyHerd populates a list of females expected to calve this spring. Review and update the cow herd inventory.

• If the populated list is correct, click the “Submit Inventory Billing” button.

• To make changes to any cows listed, follow the steps below:

• Click on the line of the female needing to be updated.

• Click the “Disposal” button for females that were previously sold or culled and give the proper disposal code and date.

• Click the “Reproductive Status” to mark females as “Next Season” if they’re bred to calve in the spring 2022 season,

“Non-Exposed” if they haven’t been exposed to breeding conditions (this code can only be used for first time heifers) or provide a proper calving ease score for females not expected to calve this season.

• Add new or additional females to the inventory; provide their registration numbers and add them a herd ID.

• Review each herd ID, and make corrections. Each female must have a unique herd ID, and it cannot be repeated within the herd.

3. When the cow inventory list is up-to-date, click the “Submit Inventory Billing” button.

4. Once the “Submit Inventory Billing” button is clicked, the inventory is submitted to the AHA, and the charges are billed.

About the American Hereford Association. AHA, with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the largest U.S. beef breed associations. The notfor-profit organization, along with its subsidiaries — Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC, Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI), and American Beef Records Association (ABRA) — provides programs

services for its members and their customers while promoting the Hereford breed and supporting education, youth, and research.

and

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!

ANGUS NEWS

Genetics Drive Conversation for Profitability of Commercial Cattlemen. Capturing Value panelists discuss opportunities to differentiate, niche down, and stand out. Cost of gain increases, black hided cattle market saturation, and tight supplies due to weather are all challenging the commercial cattlemen today. How do they stay profitable amidst the market? During the 2022 Angus Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, the AngusLinkSM team hosted the Capturing Value session. The session aimed to help commercial producers learn how to capture more value for their calves so they can continue to face challenges but remain profitable.

Troy Marshall, director of commercial industry relations for the American Angus Association, moderated a panel including Terrill Ostrum, livestock broker; Jordan Willis, cow/calf producer; Joe Goggins, Angus breeder and auctioneer; and Jed Connealy, Angus breeder and cattle marketer. Each panelist actively engages with cow/calf producers but also has a hand in other sectors of the industry.

Regardless of their positions, panelists talked optimistically about the future, especially when discussing ways to earn a premium or a few more dollars for their calves. There are plenty of programs and opportunities, said Ostrum.

Connealy agreed. “I think there is a pile of opportunity and the gap between good cattle and bad cattle gets wider all the time,” he said.

For those focused on raising good cattle, panelists shared ways those producers could earn more money and stay profitable. For many of them, genetics was key. Goggins said the number one thing to consider is buying good bulls with genetic value.

“Those invested in the feeding industry, we know the people who buy good bulls. We know the people who have watched their Ps and Qs as far as not only carcass but performance and fertility and everything,” said Goggins.

Connealy takes those superior genetics and quantifies them through AngusLink’s Genetic Merit Scorecard. Understanding exactly what kind of bulls those producers bought and how those cattle are geared, it’s easy to make a connection and know where cattle would

fit best, said Connealy.

“We work pretty closely with customers, so I don’t know who else would be better versed to do that [match cattle to buyers] rather than the genetic guy in the equation,” said Connealy.

Willis said commercial producers have opportunities to capture more value if they start thinking about marketing. He stressed that marketing is what sets them apart on sale day.

“I think as cow/calf producers, we must put our marketing caps on,” said Willis. “We work our tails off every day doing the daily jobs, but when it comes to marketing, I think we fall short.”

Cow/calf producers also need to find the right seedstock producer and build a relationship with them. Seedstock providers need to know what works and what we need in our operation, said Willis. Connealy adds that producers should get behind a program that already aligns with their goals to help build consistency in their operation. Ostrum said he purchases program cattle because of their consistency.

“The most predictable cattle I buy on an annual basis are cattle who have tied to a program year after year after year and are taking some advice and some counsel from the seedstock producer,” said Ostrum.

Flipping the script, seedstock producers can communicate with their customers to build relationships and help them be successful. One step can be helping their customers interpret the important data needed for bull buyers to make better decisions based on their environment and situation, said Ostrum. For Goggins, he said people buy from people they like, know, and trust.

“We all work in the agricultural business, but we are also in the people business,” said Goggins.

Through genetics and marketing programs, the panel shared several tactics and thought processes commercial cattlemen can use to grow their operation. At the end of the day, getting better might just mean doing something new.

“Let’s get out of that paradigm and dare to do something no matter what part of the world you’re in,” said Ostrum. “Look at those different opportunities and dare to do something different.”

Consumer Perspectives Panel

explores new avenues for Certified Angus Beef to meet consumer expectations. Industry experts discuss ways to grow consumer trust and beef demand. It’s no secret that today’s consumer expects more than ever before. A panel of beef industry experts agreed: cattlemen are already doing plenty of things right. The challenge, they said, is connecting consumers with ranchers so they are both reassured.

During the 2022 Angus Convention, beef industry experts discussed ways producers can meet rising expectations. The consumer perspectives panel, sponsored by Zoetis, was moderated by Nicole Erceg, Certified Angus Beef director of communications, and included Danette Amstein, Midan Marketing; Abram Babcock, Adams Land and Cattle; Jonathan Perry, Deer Valley Farms and chairman of the Certified Angus Beef board of directors; and Jessica Willingham, Sysco Foods.

“It’s our job as producers to make certain that we keep that one key thing we have always had — consumer confidence,” Perry said. “We cannot afford to lose that.”

When it comes to maintaining that confidence, marketing is everything, Amstein said, stressing the importance of providing relatable and easily understood information.

“I would caution us on the production side — we like to use big words to describe what we do,” Amstein said. “As consumers have gotten further and further away from the farm and from understanding where their food comes from, that’s why we need the Certified Angus Beef brand. That’s why we need others in marketing to help be the conduit, the translator, if you will, to the consumer.”

The panel highlighted how farmers and ranchers have been prioritizing stainability for a long time and now have the opportunity to share that commitment with consumers. Panelists with experience raising cattle — Perry and Babcock — agreed that if ranchers aren’t sustainable, they aren’t profitable. Continued on the next page

“We boil sustainability down to, it’s all about continuous improvement,” Babcock said. “It’s all about every day, how do we wake up and get better.”

Amstein said although sustainability might make beef producers think of things like preserving water quality and grasslands, consumers are primarily focused on animal welfare. Programs like Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) help consumers feel comfortable about the beef on their dinner table.

“We [cattlemen] know we’re taking care of the animal for all the right reasons,” Amstein said. “But for the consumer, they want to make sure the mama cow is cared for and the calf is cared for.”

Willingham said it’s through collaboration across the industry, from cattlemen to those in marketing and sales, that consumers will feel reassured. With combined efforts focused on transparency and openly sharing production practices,

trust can flourish.

“I think sometimes it’s intimidating and sometimes you worry what other people are going to think,” Willingham said. “I think we’ve just got to partner up — we can’t do it alone and we’ve all got to tell the story.”

The panel agreed those in production agriculture have a great story to tell but might not know what to say or how to say it. They encouraged cattlemen to take small steps toward being rewarded for things they’re already doing. Opportunities like getting BQA certified or capturing metrics to illustrate efficiency and progress all describe the hard work already being done.

“From generation to generation, we’ve proven we can make the land produce more. We can make cattle produce more,” Perry said. “We spend our time and our efforts producing it, raising it, making it great and our last thought is communication and marketing. That

happens to a lot of us. We’ve got to get out and tell our story.”

American Angus Auxiliary rounds out 70 year celebration. Organization welcomes new leadership, celebrates history and camaraderie at Angus Convention. For 70 years, the American Angus Auxiliary has offered Angus enthusiasts the opportunity to work together to provide educational, promotional, and social programs and activities. Each year, Auxiliary members gather at Angus Convention to educate members, discuss future efforts, and raise funds for Angus generations to come. The Auxiliary held its Annual Meeting, Miss American Angus competition, and Auxiliary Breakfast in conjunction with the 2022 Angus Convention.

“Angus Convention is a great way for the Auxiliary directors, committee chairs, past presidents, and membership to gather annually to look back at our year of progress,” said Deanna Hofing,

American Angus Auxiliary 2021-2022 president. “It allows us to connect with our members, establish new friendships, and socialize with the Angus industry.”

During the Auxiliary Annual Meeting, members elected new directors and officers and voted on changes to bylaws, said Hofing.

A complete list of the 2022-2023 officers and directors follows.

President – Julie Conover, Mo.

President Elect – Karla Knapp, Iowa

Secretary/Treasurer – Tonya Rae Theis, Kan.

Advisor – Deanna Hofing, Ind.

Region 1 – Cindy Worthington, Calif.

Region 2 – Megan Ahern, Texas

Region 3 – Stacy Erdmann, N.D.

Region 4 – Christy Perdue, N.C.

In the Miss American Angus competition, five young ladies underwent a written quiz and an interview and presented a speech to a panel of judges. This year’s contestants included Allison Davis,

Tennessee; Alexis Koelling, Missouri; Lizzie Schafer, Illinois; Kelsey Theis, Kansas; and Hailey Jentz, Wisconsin. The 2022 Miss American Angus, Mary Wood, concluded her reign by crowning Kelsey Theis as her successor.

Through the past year of the 70 th anniversary, the Auxiliary honored their work and the dedication of women before them to strengthen their organization and its devotion to Angus youth. In final celebration, this year’s Auxiliary highlight was the auctioning of a CJ Brown painting, which included depictions of 29 notable Angus cow families and all 68 past presidents. The original painting sold for $8,000, along with five custom artist proofs which totaled $5,100.

“Our 70th year was a fantastic time to celebrate the Auxiliary’s achievements. I am thankful, grateful, and humbled by having the opportunity to be the 70th anniversary president,” Hofing said. “This year was the first time we participated in the National Junior Angus Show tailgate party, the first time we were able to provide $20,000 in scholarships, and the first year of the Miss American Angus

advocacy program.”

Looking forward, the Auxiliary plans to continue providing juniors ample learning and leadership opportunities in the future.

“The Auxiliary has a bright future with the ladies who are now leading and will lead in future years,” Hofing said. “As times and culture changes, the Auxiliary will have to change as well to stay relevant and forward thinking for the juniors.”

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

North Carolina Angus Association

ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS

Backed by the world’s largest and most reliable genetic evaluation program.

Registered Angus genetics deliver better calving ease, more growth, and superior marbling.

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

J.F. Lancaster Passes

Jesse Frank “J.F.” Lancaster, Jr., age 80, passed away on December 16. Born in McDuffie County, Ga., on September 20, 1942, he was the son of the late Jesse Frank Lancaster, Sr. and Annie Thomas Lancaster. He was also preceded in death by his sisters, Beth Soldati and Brenda Turner.

A lifelong farmer, J.F. retired with over 30 years from the City of Rocky Mount Fire Department. He was a member of the N.C. Angus Association, N.C. Cattlemen’s Association, BMW Motorcycle Club, and the Winnebago Club. A dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and friend, J.F. will be dearly missed and never forgotten by all who knew him.

J.F. is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carolyn Worrell Lancaster; his sons, Jeff Lancaster and wife Kathy and Gary Lancaster and wife, Denise; his grandchildren, Austin Lancaster and wife Jordan; Elizabeth Waters and husband Cody; Amber Shellman and husband Derek; Jess Lancaster and wife Taylor, and Aaron Lancaster and wife Grayson; his great grandchildren Brody, Kara Lynn, Jesse, Sloan, and Sawyer; his brother, Danny Ray Lancaster; and several nieces and nephews.

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

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

Carolina Cattle Connection

Certified Angus Beef news

Taste Drives Demand and Profit. Why marbling matters for beef demand, and how it all depends on production management at the ranch. Quality starts long before feedyard rations reach the bunk, and it weighs heavily on the bottom line. Brian Bertelsen, vice president of field operations for U.S. Premium Beef LLC (USPB), discussed marbling’s impact on grid marketing at the Certified Angus Beef (CAB) annual Feeding Quality Forum.

“Quality is not a recent trend, but instead a long term trend,” Bertelsen said. With a Choice-Select spread of $12/cwt in 2020 and $18.50/cwt in 2021 (the highest in ten years), the numbers speak for themselves. Prime percentages keep growing, averaging ten percent in recent years, but rewards on the grid are actually larger. Our industry is supplying a higher quality product with better eating satisfaction, and consumer demand drives that higher premium in the wake of increased supply. Historically, most Prime is purchased by restaurants. When supplies increase, it allows for wider retail availability.

Bertelsen elaborated that due to decreasing percentage of Select in the industry from 37 percent to 14 percent in just six years, the industry has pushed retailers to purchase less Select and instead buy higher quality meat. “Select may be cheaper for the grocery store, but consumers notice that taste difference,” he said.

What does that demand all come down to? Marbling.

“You can use EPDs (expected progeny differences) to build genetic potential — but then you have to manage the animal to express that,” Bertelsen said.

Specifically, producers must carefully

manage body condition scores, herd health, docility, calving season, and colostrum. To tweak it even further, bull calves should be castrated early and, once weaned, fed grain based growing rations.

While the calories in corn enhance marbling, the key management component is targeting an optimal end weight or body fatness, he said. That’s where partnering with a seasoned cattle feeder becomes critical. Summarizing individual animals marketed on the USPB grid, sorted by Yield Grade, showed that as Yield Grade increases, so does carcass weight, marbling, and total dollars per head on the grid.

Bertelsen noted that marbling continues to influence the grid and adds to the bottom line.

In the 2021 packer survey conducted by CAB, premiums from cattle qualifying for CAB reached $182 million, or more than $3 million per week paid to producers. The top reason cattle don’t qualify for the brand has always been insufficient marbling.

In search of those premiums, cattlemen may wonder if it’s possible to meet the specification on marbling by feeding cattle longer. Bertelsen said it definitely helps.

“Cattle with the most genetic potential are the ones we ‘ought to feed longer,” Bertelsen said. “If an additional three weeks on feed is the line between achieving a higher quality grade, those extra days will increase total value because we’re adding marbling, carcass weight, and total dollars per head.”

Marbling has the biggest effect on the price per pound of a carcass on a grid, but ribeye size and backfat are the best indicators for muscling and leanness. For cow/calf producers, it’s a balance

between carcass quality and maternal traits, Bertelsen said.

And that balance comes down to personal preference, genetics, and the market.

“How long we feed them depends on the potential for the animal and market conditions, or premiums on the grid,” Bertelsen said. “If cattle producers are willing to change their mindset, there can be significant increases in total income through feeding to the proper endpoint and marketing on a value based grid.”

Taking the time to fine tune marbling potential affects the cattleman’s bottom

line and consumer demand, he concluded.

Who is Certified Angus Beef? At Certified Angus Beef, we know people want to put great meals on the table. Our employees work across the beef supply chain to ensure chefs and home cooks find and prepare the best Angus beef. Led by our culinary, beef, and marketing experts, our team provides consultation, marketing materials, training, market insights, and tools that help businesses like grocery stores and restaurants thrive. Our team is also dedicated to sharing the story of family farmers and ranchers who supply the brand.

Carolina Cooking

Chunky Beef Chili

Total Cooking Time - 2 hours, 30 minutes

1½ pounds beefstew meat, cut into 1-1½ inch pieces 2 tablespoons vegetable oil Salt

1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium jalapeño pepper, minced 2 cans (14½ ounces each) chili seasoned diced tomatoes

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a stockpot over medium heat until hot. Brown ½ of the beef; remove from stockpot. Repeat with remaining beef. Remove beef from the stockpot. Season with salt, as desired. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion, and jalapeño pepper to the stockpot. Cook and stir 5-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Return beef and juices to the stockpot. Add tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer 1½-2 hours or until beef is fork tender.

Cook’s Tip: Canned Mexican or Southwest style diced tomatoes may be substituted for chili seasoned tomatoes.

on the pressure cooker; program 22 minutes on the pressure cooker timer. Use the quick release feature to release pressure; carefully remove the lid. (This recipe variation was tested in an electric pressure cooker at high altitude. Cooking at an altitude of fewer than 3,000 feet may require slightly less cooking time. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.)

Makes 4 servings.

Alternate Cooking Method - The recipe can be made in a 6 quart electric pressure cooker. Browning stew meat if desired. Place stew meat, onion, jalapeno pepper, and tomatoes in a pressure cooker. Close and lock the pressure cooker lid. Use beef, stew, or high pressure setting Chunky Beef Chili

Summarizing individual animals marketed on the USPB grid, sorted by Yield Grade, showed that as Yield Grade increases, so does carcass weight, marbling, and total dollars per head on the grid.

The Carolina Cattle Connection

The Carolina Cattle Connection

Groundtruthing Climate-Smart Grasslands

By JENNIFER HOWARD N.C. State University

In the eastern United States’ Tall Fescue Belt, grasslands cover 50 million acres, including roughly 1.5 million acres in North Carolina. These grasslands support almost 40 percent of the U.S. cow/calf operations and represent a significant opportunity to accumulate and store carbon deeper in the soil profile than cropland. But grazed grassland acreage is dwindling, displaced by development, row crops, and hay production.

In addition to supporting livestock products, perennial grasslands provide a range of ecological services, including year round soil coverage and reduced (or eliminated) annual tillage. But because eastern U.S. livestock farms are smaller than those of the Midwest, climate-smart pasture management and the associated carbon markets have been slow to catch traction.

Extension faculty from N.C. State University’s Department of Crop and Soil Sciences has joined a network of 28 public and private partners to assist producers in implementing climate-smart grassland management strategies and to valuate the practices’ on-farm impact.

these strategies? N.C. State University Forage Extension Specialist Miguel Castillo says it comes down to the bottom line.

“A knowledge gap between environmental baselines and management impacts prevents many farmers from adopting climate-smart practices. Understandably, many land and livestock managers are risk averse to alter their management practices or engage in uncertain markets.”

Without predictable economic outcomes, margins are too tight to justify experimentation.

“This project is not research,” Castillo said. “We are working with land and livestock managers to use proven tools to promote conservation, reduce GHGs and improve nutrient distribution — all without compromising the grazing season nor the productivity of the system.”

Pasture Practices That Pay - The nine state project led by the University of Tennessee will incentivize 245 collaborating farmers with a total of $12.2 million in payments to implement, monitor, and share pasture management practices proven to increase soil organic carbon storage; improve soil and water quality; mitigate GHG emissions and reduce off-farm inputs.

Identified practices include the use of perennial native grasses, improved grazing management, alternative nitrogen fertilizer sources, soil amendments, silvopasture, and perennial grass buffers.

Collaborating farmers can choose any number of the six practices to implement while maintaining control areas and will be reimbursed for expenses on a per-acre or per-unit basis.

Filling the Gap - Climate-smart pasture management holds known positive soil and environmental potential, so why aren’t more farms already using

Recruiting Underserved Producers

- Compared to the Great Plains area, Tall Fescue Belt cattle and small ruminant producers have not received the same attention from carbon market developers. Smaller farm sizes and inherent contract logistics make these producers a complex yet untapped pool of contributors to GHG mitigation and carbon sequestration.

The project poses particular benefits to small and medium sized as well as socially disadvantaged operators. Beef cattle producers have the lowest average farm income among all major commodities and the greatest representation of socially disadvantaged

N.C. State University forage and grassland intern Diego Contreras speaks to producers during a multi-county extension event.

Miguel Castillo speaks to land and livestock managers during a silvopasture field day in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

producers, including female, Native American, and Black farmers.

To engage these communities, Extension specialists and agents will seek farm collaborators emphasizing beginning, veteran, limited resource, and underrepresented farmers. Economically distressed counties will also be prioritized.

In North Carolina, 27 collaborating farms will be selected from across the state’s three agricultural regions. The farm selection process will be led by county agents in the summer of 2023. Farmers interested in participating should communicate with their local county livestock forage extension agent.

Spreading Effects - The project’s goal is to use the pilot farms as a springboard for wider practice adoption. The lessons learned from both data and producer experiences will underpin a vast educational outreach on climate-smart grassland management.

A team of statewide extension specialists and agents will provide the initial training and ongoing hands-on support to participant farmers regarding practice implementation and monitoring standards. Local agents will further act as area educators, conducting field days and regional events as well as producing informational print, video, and social media materials to engage a broader audience.

While the project’s hard data is expected to be influential, the project leaders understand that farmers trust farmers. To amplify the project’s impact, collaborating farmers will be positioned

as peer educators following the Master Gardener and Master Naturalist models. These early adopting farmers will become practical knowledge sources for fellow producers and will host on-farm professional training events as well as field days for farmers and landowners.

But it’s not only collaborating farms that can benefit. Other area farmers who voluntarily adopt the targeted management practices will have an opportunity to engage with a climatesmart supply chain through industry partner Tyson Foods.

The crescendo of producer engagement could expand the project’s impact from 47,000 initial acres to nearly half a million.

Creating a Community of Practice - With so many perspectives in the production chain represented, the project partners want to enable a free flow of communication to improve understanding and outcomes. They envision a community of practice where all partners and collaborators interact in quarterly open forum virtual meetings and a concluding in-person meeting in the fifth year.

“These interactions are the foundation blocks for an active apprenticeship community where challenges and potential solutions could be better identified and implemented,” Castillo said. “It’s a unique opportunity to develop an end-to-end community with high potential to deliver prominent outcomes.”

Measurement for Grassland Managers and Markets - Because large

scale soil GHG emission monitoring is costly and logistically complex, the group plans to measure soil GHG (CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 0) emissions and the carbon sequestration effects of fertility management practices on sites with established practices. Controlled micrometeorological flux towers and soil chambers will collect precise data to create reliable models.

smart commodities.

An interactive web platform called GrassRoots will allow producers to estimate differences in their farm’s carbon storage capacity, expected net returns, and a minimum carbon credit price for return on their practice investment.

Because climate markets are in their infancy, the group is developing multiple strategies to help producers take advantage of potential market evolutions, including verified supply chains, ecosystem service offsets, and a producer credit cooperative.

A tall fescue pasture on a producer’s farm in Statesville, North Carolina.

For broader interpretation, the group will use soil samples from collaborating farms to calibrate and validate the predictive COMET-Farm carbon accounting tool, which doesn’t currently include Tall Fescue Belt data. The methodology was designed to align with global corporate GHG protocol standards for future relevance.

Even modest N 2 O reductions are expected to significantly impact agricultural climate mitigation. But on-farm, reduced CO 2 emissions may provide more immediate benefits in fuel savings, soil health improvements, and potential carbon market payments.

“The scale and focus of this project are unprecedented, especially in the Tall Fescue Belt,” Castillo said. “For the first time, we have a network of people and locations that will document the effect of on-farm grazing practices and the potential to affect GHG emissions and carbon sequestration. These data will set a clearer baseline and understanding for future initiatives.”

Expanding Carbon Market Access - Project partners believe that documenting the on-farm impacts of traditional versus innovative management practices will reduce uncertainty and risk for both producers and carbon credit buyers, which has stymied grassland carbon market development.

Verification is a key component for market confidence. The established links between management practices and outcomes from this project will merely require practice verification rather than intensive monitoring protocols. Remote sensing and spot checks offer simple monitoring options for markets.

Empowering Producers - Project data will also be used to quantify and report carbon and GHG impacts so that producers can select profitable practices that render a steady supply of climate-

North Carolina Pasture Impact - In 2021, North Carolina was home to 893,000 head of cattle and small ruminants. Income from these sources equaled over $521 million in 2020, roughly 5 percent of North Carolina’s agricultural receipts, concentrated on smaller farms.

A falling plate meter measures forage biomass.

In addition to providing forages to sustain pasture based livestock systems that ultimately provide meat, milk, and fiber, Castillo says that grasslands provide other vital ecosystem services like soil conservation, carbon sequestration, regulating water filtration, and even as means to break pest cycles when used in rotation with row crops.

“Although these services sometimes go unnoticed and undervalued, they are vital to promoting the resiliency and productivity of the pasture based livestock systems of North Carolina and the entire Tall Fescue Belt.”

Photos courtesy of N.C. State University

get

napping! Deadline is 5th of month prior to issue!

A mixed herd at the N.C. State University Small Ruminant Unit.

Defeating Drought with Data

It doesn’t matter if you are ranching on 20 acres or 20,000 acres. Drought negatively impacts producers from coast to coast. While we can’t make it rain, we can use data and technology to reduce drought’s effect on the bottom line.

During a recent Cattlemen’s Webinar Series event, Jimmy Chapman with RanchSense, John Fargher with AgriWebb, and Matthew Jones with Regrow discussed tools and technology that can help producers make important decisions during times of drought.

As a rancher, Jimmy Chapman realized he was spending a lot of time driving around the ranch to survey water and check gates. He envisioned a technological solution that was user friendly and to the point that ranchers could use to automate systems. When he discovered this tool didn’t already exist, Chapman decided to create one himself. After two years of development, RanchSense was born to help ranchers and landowners more effectively manage their land by sending up-to-date ranch conditions directly to their devices.

RanchSense uses satellite technology to monitor water levels in tanks, removing the

need to drive for hours checking visually. And, because solutions are 100 percent solar powered, the technology can be used anywhere with no geographic restraints. A pressure transducer sits at the bottom of the tank to measure water, and data is delivered to the producer’s cell phone.

Access to this type of information helps producers reallocate precious time to other priorities, find leaks, attract wildlife, and provide peace of mind when away from the ranch. Understanding water usage and regular monitoring also help manage water efficiently during times of drought.

“We’re on a mission to free up landowners’ time so they can better steward the land, care for their animals, and provide for the people they love,” said Chapman.

John Fargher grew up on a 400,000 acre cattle ranch in Australia and understands the importance of making real time decisions, especially in dry conditions. He co-founded AgriWebb, which offers a software solution that makes ranch management easier and helps producers meet livestock business goals.

Based on an individual ranch’s map, AgriWebb’s holistic management platform provides data such as animal

and pasture records allowing producers to stand in a pasture and make immediate decisions. According to Fargher, the data helps ranchers track animal performance, enabling keep/cull decisions to be made earlier, thereby optimizing resources and putting them into animals that will give the best outcome. In addition, the pasture management tools provide real-time mapped forage rates and water point management information, providing the information needed to make the best decisions about when to move animals across pastures and maximize pasture utilization.

Currently, there are 15,000 producers utilizing the technology, with 19 million animals and 133 million acres on the platform. Users have increased productivity by 9-10 percent by making good decisions regarding culling and grazing management based on the available data.

“The more tools, insights, and data we have at our disposal sets us up for success as an industry,” said Fargher. “Having the right information helps producers make critical decisions during drought and can help them bounce back after drought.”

While knowing what’s happening on the ranch today is important, planning for

the future sometimes means looking to the past. Regrow uses satellite imagery from as far back as 30 years to bring historic data producers can use to make decisions today. Matthew Jones with Regrow believes that historical perspective can be leveraged to help with current and future drought situations.

Jones recommends looking at historical data from previous multi-year droughts to understand best management options for producers. Regrow monitors nearly 400 million acres of land annually across 45 countries with a goal of keeping ranchers ranching.

The data can help maximize vegetation cover, diversity, and production; reduce the need for supplemental feed; minimize bare ground and overgrazing effects; maintain soil health; increase soil organic carbon; and minimize greenhouse gas emissions.

“We want the next generation to be successful,” said Jones. “By taking historical data we can make better decisions today, which leads to healthier land and water for tomorrow.”

As information becomes more readily accessible, historic and current data can be tools in the technology toolbox to defeat drought today and in the future.

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

Alliance releases reports from 2022 animal rights conferences. Animal ag community encouraged to be aware of key activist trends, including “undercover videos,” marketing campaigns targeting human emotion, and legislative pressure. The Animal Agriculture Alliance has concluded its release of reports from five prominent animal rights extremist conferences held over the course of 2022. The conferences included the Humane Society of the United States’ Taking Action for Animals (TAFA) Conference held July 16-17, The Rancher Advocacy Program’s (RAP) Summit held July 30, Animal Place’s Farmed Animal Conference E-Summit (FACES) held September 16-18, Animal Legal Defense Fund’s (ALDF) Animal Law Symposium held September 24, and ALDF and the Center for Animal Law Studies’ Animal Law Conference held November 4-6.

The key claims and takeaways from

these events included the following: animal rights activists aim to advance the interest of animals through the legal system by utilizing “undercover videos” as evidence in court; activists believe the marketing of plant based products and promotion of animal rights needs to speak to the emotions of the consumer rather than the intellectual messaging that currently compares alternatives to meat, milk, poultry, and eggs; and activists are pressuring elected officials to include animal rights in their political campaigns in order to bring their cause to the legislature.

“Animal rights extremist organizations are becoming increasingly more persistent in attacking the animal agriculture community through various channels, including pressuring our restaurant, retail, and foodservice customers, targeting the public with misleading emotional campaigns and

using the legal system,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance president and CEO. “Releasing reports from major activist conferences allows our members and the broader animal agriculture community to be well informed of emerging tactics so that they can take steps to safeguard their livelihoods from potential extremist threats.”

At several of the conferences, animal rights activists were encouraged to involve themselves more politically to bring attention to the movement. Connie Spence, founder of the Agriculture Fairness Alliance, stated at the RAP Summit, “Why are we not telling our own to literally run for a position? We are so intelligent at the breadth of detail we have to give when it comes to our full story about veganism.” Jane Velez-Mitchell, founder of UnchainedTV, countered Spence’s suggestion by claiming that a more aggressive approach would be the only way to get through to legislators. She added, “How do we appeal to them? One is money and one is fear.” Assemblyman Dan Benson of New Jersey’s 14th District echoed Spence’s statement to attendees at ALDF’s Animal Law Conference by asserting, “You have got to run for office.

You’ve got to work on campaigns...it is another way groups can really get the ear of staff.” He also encouraged attendees to be present during both the legislative and budgeting sessions of the legislature. While only the former session can pass laws, Benson reminds attendees to “never forget, funding drives a lot of the policy,” insinuating that activists should push for the funding of projects that would further the interests of the animal rights movement.

Several sessions from the conferences focused on consumer outreach and the strategic marketing of the animal rights movement. Miyoko Schinner, founder and CEO of Miyoko’s Creamery, spoke at ALDF’s Animal Law on using more emotional tactics to promote plant-based foods, stating stated, “I have been a vegan for almost 40 years, and my whole life has been around activism through food, and that’s really how I’ve tried to touch people — trying to reach their hearts through their stomachs.” Monica Chen, executive director of the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition, explained to FACES attendees that this tactic can also be brought to the classroom. She stated,

“When we do our lessons, we target the audience’s emotions by creating a story about the suffering and destruction that factory farming causes, and students are now primed for us to help them connect the story of factory farming to the story of who they are.” By targeting children, Chen adds that these lessons taught early in childhood development help to “foster the social disapproval around the consumption of animal products while normalizing plant based foods.”

Extremist groups continue to rely on “undercover videos” to bring attention to their cause, as discussed in various conference sessions. At HSUS’ TAFA Conference, Sharon Nunez, president of Animal Equality, stated, “[Undercover] investigations are a foundational aspect of our work as we bring light to the darkness of factory farming.” She added that in the eyes of the animal rights community, there is “nothing more powerful” or as revered as an “undercover investigator.”

Mimi Brody, director of federal affairs for the Humane Society Legislative Fund, echoed this thought, rallying attendees to “break through and garner attention on Capitol Hill. A compelling undercover investigation and resulting media coverage can make all the difference.”

Caitlin Foley, staff attorney for Animal Legal Defense Fund, told attendees at ALDF’s Animal Law Symposium, “Our job as animal lawyers and advocates is to use the industry’s misdeeds as an opportunity to talk about what they’re doing and sensitize the public to what this industry really is all about.” She encouraged supporters to utilize social media to reach consumers with these videos and use them as tools to convince viewers to eliminate meat, milk, poultry,

and eggs from their diets. She added, “Media attention to animal welfare has negative effects on the demand for meat, so increasing media attention to animal welfare issues triggers consumers to actually purchase less meat, rather than reallocate expenditures to competing products.”

All 2022 animal rights activism conference reports, which include personal accounts of speaker presentations and general observations, are available to Alliance members in the Resource Center on the Alliance website. The Alliance website also includes reports from previous years’ animal rights conferences. Media wishing to obtain copies of the full report or for all other inquiries, please contact Emily Solis, manager of communications and content, at esolis@animalagalliance.org

Tyne Morgan returns as moderator for Animal Agriculture Alliance 2023 Stakeholders Summit. Tyne Morgan, host of the U.S. Farm Report, will reprise her role as moderator at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 Stakeholders Summit, scheduled for May 4-5 in Arlington, Virginia.

After spending numerous hours on the road as AgDay and U.S. Farm Report National Reporter, in 2014, Morgan was named the first female host of U.S. Farm Report. As host and executive producer of the show, Morgan continues to take a deep dive into the news and issues farmers are facing today while also sharing stories from across rural America. She has won several awards for her reporting and storytelling, including The Doan Award. Morgan grew up in Missouri and has deep agricultural roots, getting started in public speaking through her involvement in the National FFA Organization. After getting her first agricultural broadcasting job in high school, Morgan went on to study agricultural journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Morgan has served as the moderator for each in-person Summit held since 2017.

“Tyne is a critical partner in our progress as we bring together the entire animal agriculture and food community to build a sustainable future at our annual Summit,” said Hannah ThompsonWeeman, President and CEO of Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Her personal passion for animal agriculture shines through as she does a masterful job leading the conversation and ensuring we’re homing in on the topics of most interest and value to our audience.”

The Summit is a one-of-a-kind conference attended by a diverse group of decision makers, including representatives from farms, ranches,

allied industries, food processors, restaurants, grocery stores, legislatures, universities, government agencies, and media. The 2022 Summit marked the return of an in-person event since 2019 and attracted over 385 registered attendees. Select session recordings are available for public viewing on the Alliance’s YouTube channel.

The 2023 event is themed “Partners in Progress: Building a Sustainable Future for Animal Ag.” How can we create a sustainable future for animal agriculture? By building it together. And the 2023 Stakeholders Summit is your opportunity to help take the incredible progress we’ve already made to new heights. It’s your best chance to partner with stakeholders throughout the food chain and across commodities. To share ideas and form connections that will elevate the farm and food communities in ways that lift everyone. To collaborate toward vital progress and to learn how you can do your part to help protect, sustain, and advance our entire community. So, wherever you are in the food chain, join us in making a real difference. Join us as “Partners in Progress.”

Registration for the Summit will

open in early 2023, and a tentative schedule will be shared at that time. Check out the Summit website for the most up-to-date information. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA23 for periodic updates about the event on social media. For general questions about the Summit, please email summit@animalagalliance. org or call 703-562-5160.

Get involved - Show your support for the Alliance’s outreach efforts by becoming an official Summit sponsor today! For more information on 2023 sponsorship opportunities, contact Hannah Thompson-Weeman at hthompson@animalagalliance.org

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.

Ranching in a Drought: It’s a Game of Cat and Mouse. Drought forced Tim Douglas to think differently. He’s glad he did. “Two years ago was bad. Last year was bad. This year (2022) is worse, and the calves are still doing very well. The cows are doing good, too.”

Drought and heavy weaning calves. Drought and contented cows. Those things go together about like a cat at a mouse convention. Things can go south in short order. Especially if you’re the mouse.

In a devastating drought, a rainless sky is the cat, and farmers and ranchers are the mice. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Just ask Tim Douglas.

Record Drought - He’s the fifth generation to manage a 120-year-old family farm and ranch in northern Utah, near Howell. And he’s smack in the middle of a drought that the area hasn’t seen in perhaps ever. “The last couple of years have been record droughts,” he says.

“I can promise you this grass here, there is no new growth. We didn’t have anything this year, so dead grass from two years ago is all they’ve eaten this year.”

Given that, you’d expect light weaning calves and lots of cows headed to the sale barn. However, for Douglas, the opposite happened.

“Three years ago, we were shipping calves on a 45 day wean through Superior,” he says. “They were shipping out the middle of December at 650, 660 pounds.” He shipped his 2022 calves on the first of November, weaned off the cows, and they weighed 675 pounds.

Plus, he shipped more calves than he did three years ago from the same number of cows. “I used to run about 5 to 7 percent death loss from birth until shipping them in the fall. These last two years, I’ve been running 1 percent. The sickness, the scours, the late season pneumonia, we don’t have any of that anymore,” he says.

Calving season starts in February, which is cold in northern Utah. “They’ll hit the ground and bounce right up and start sucking right away,” he says. “The cold doesn’t seem to bother them a bit.”

Something Else in the Mix - If connecting the dots between drought hammered pastures and a higher performing calf crop seems a stretch, there must be something else in the

mix. Some kind of foo-foo dust that has magical qualities.

There is, and there’s nothing magical about it. Nor is it foo-foo dust. It’s Riomax mineral and vitamin tubs in front of the cows year-round.

“Low quality feed, the cows seem to be happy and content as can be on this dry grass,” he says. During the cold winter months from January into the first half of April, he feeds hay along with winter grass. “Before the Riomax, we just fed straight alfalfa. Now I’m blending a lot of straw, about 20 pounds of straw and 10 pounds of alfalfa.”

The alfalfa and wheat are homegrown, but to figure costs correctly, Douglas takes the value that he could have sold the alfalfa for. At $300-a-ton alfalfa, he cut his feed cost significantly.

His cows, however, stay at a 5-6 body condition score year around. “I try to keep them in that 5, 6 body condition going into winter,” he says. “Even with a calf at their side, I don’t change the ration any. Their body weights, they’ve been maintaining.”

What’s more, he hasn’t had to cull any cows because of the drought. “The pastures seem to be lasting longer,” he says. Going into 2022, he was convinced he would have to sell some cows. But the pastures held up. “That’s because the cows were getting a little more out of the stuff than what she used to do.”

100% Calf Crop & Cow Contentedness - Some years back, Douglas tried Riomax tubs for a year and got a 100 percent calf crop that spring. But the upfront cost scared him. So, he backed off, but the cows weren’t content and kept searching for that unobtainable greener grass on the other side of the fence.

“The cows didn’t look well feeding them straight alfalfa, they were never content. Finally, that’s when we came back to Riomax. Had to look at it more as an investment.”

Indeed, he says you need to look at your ranch goals differently when considering adding Riomax to the mix. “The way I did the math last year, and I figured it at $200-per-ton feeder hay. I put up my own hay, but that’s hay I could have sold. It made me about $150,000 last year feeding the Riomax versus not using it,” he says.

“Worst case scenario, you’re at

breakeven on it and your cows are in better shape than normal. They’re more content. The cows don’t get out anymore the way they used to.” Time is money. And fixing fences or treating sick calves takes time.

And his neighbors are noticing. “It seems to be taking off. Neighbors, they start looking at it,” he says. So, he and a neighboring rancher, Nick Richards, went together on a load of the orange tubs. Then two more neighbors wanted in.

Douglas is now a LITE dealer for Riomax. “We’ll order it all together in semi-loads and then distribute it from my place,” he says. Ordering it in quantities for both him and his neighbors allows them to take the volume discount, he says.

To say Douglas is happy that he overcame his sticker shock and added Riomax to his operation is an understatement. “The buyer from Superior, he claims every year the calves get a little better,” Douglas says. “But this year, he said they were some of the nicest calves he’d shipped in this entire area.”

Not bad for running cows on pastures that haven’t grown a green blade of grass.

About Riomax. Riomax started in a one car garage and today works with countless ranchers all across the United States and Canada. Their mission? To bring profitability back into agriculture. Learn more about their nutritional products for cattle, horses, sheep, and soil at www.riomax.net/products.

Extra Effort Sale. The Fred Smith Company Ranch hosted its 6 th Annual Extra Effort Sale on a beautiful October 15 at the ranch in Clayton, North

By JENNIE RUCKER Executive Secretary N.C. Simmental Association

Carolina. There was 33 age advantaged bulls sold, and the buyers could turn these older bulls out with confidence since they were ready to go to work. These

bulls are all forage developed and raised, and genomically tested. The top selling age advantaged bull was a Gibbs 3133A Mountaineer son that sold for $9,000 to Max Futrell. The second top selling bull was a son of FSCR B062 United, and this bull sold for $7,500. Another top selling bull was Lot 28, sired by IR Opportunity D950. This bull brought $7,200. Then a Gibbs 100 HY Deacon son sold for $6,250, and a TJ Commissioner 421G son sold for $6,000. These age advantaged bulls grossed $161,850 to average $4,905.

The yearling bulls sold almost as well, with the top bull bringing $5,800. This bull is sired by Hook’s Galileo 210G. Another Galileo son sold for $5,600. Then a Hook’s Freedom 45F son sold for $5,200, with the rest of the bulls selling strong. The yearling bulls grossed $113,950 to average $3,676.

The Fred Smith Company Ranch also sold some high quality bred females, many of which had already calved. Many cattlemen took advantage of this opportunity to add some really good genetics to their herd. As always, the Smith family put on a great event with good food, excellent cattle, and great

Fred Smith introduced his hard working farm crew.

Simspecialist Gary Burns and his wife Sarah were on hand at the Extra Effort Sale at the Fred Smith Company Ranch.

Some of the age advantage bulls offered at the Fred Smith Company Ranch.

fellowship.

Genetic Opportunity Sale. High Ridge Farms in Albemarle, N.C., hosted their Genetic Opportunity Sale at the farm on October 23. Owner Bruce Cuddy had taken a 70 year old poultry barn and turned it into a party/sale barn (all in three weeks). Since Bruce is also a turkey farmer that is now Salmonella free, it would have taken too much money to update that old barn to specifications, so now it is used for his cattle enterprise. Bruce introduced his many important farm helpers and gave them full credit for all their hard work. He also introduced his family and Jeremy Ruble, the sale manager. Bruce had a delicious spread of barbecued chicken with plenty of sides and was very welcoming to all attending the sale.

This was actually a herd reduction since he was selling most of his top donor cows and some really choice females along with the annual bulls. There were many top Angus females and SimAngus females. I will only be reporting on the Simmental genetics in this sale.

The top selling SimAngus females both sold for $4,600. One was a four year old cow sired by W/C Relentless

32C, and the other was just a bred heifer sired by Double Bar D Annuity 635F. Then another four year old cow, Ruby’s Rhythm 8F49, sold for $4,500. Ruby’s Rhythm is a daughter of CDI CEO 281D. Lots 38 & 38A sold very strong, bringing $3,500 and $3,100, respectively. The cow is CTF Kate F47, a daughter of Hook’s Broadway 11B, and her 2021 daughter, HRF Party Girl J5, is sired by Ruby’s Outer Limits, one of the most impressive bulls that Bruce says he has ever owned.

SimAngus Solution Sale at their farm in Burlington, N.C., on November 5. It was another beautiful day with a good crowd of people wanting to buy from a long time reputable breeder. Will Thompson was the auctioneer, and of course, the third generation consisting of little Jonathan Massey and Melissa’s boys were ready to help if anyone had questions. Little Jonathan knows as much about these cattle and isn’t afraid to tell you about them!

ago, FSCR Fast Forward G154. Another Fast Forward son sold for $4,700. Then a son of Gibbs 7124E Stonewall sold for $4,500. The bulls grossed $74,700 to average $3,248.

In the bull sale, the top selling SimAngus bull was Lot 55, HRF Code Blue J13, another Ruby’s Outer Limit progeny. This bull sold for $5,800. Then two other sons of Ruby’s Outer Limits sold for $4,400 each. A bull sired by W/C Lock Down 206Z sold for $4,100. The bulls and females were in demand on sale day, and everyone appreciated the hospitality shown by Bruce Cuddy and his family.

SimAngus Solution Sale. Johnny Massey, along with Jonathan and Melissa Massey, hosted their 14th Annual

Marcus Harward was on hand to give the invocation for the sale but also to tell buyers how they can get optimum profits on their calves through MAC sales. The Masseys are working with Marcus and Allied Genetics to help their customers get the most out of these genetics.

The yearling females were also in huge demand that day. The top selling lot was Lot 29, a daughter of TJ Nebraska 258G, selling for $3,000 to Fred Smith of Clayton. Another top selling heifer was a daughter of Gibbs 7124E Stonewall, bringing $2,600. The third top selling heifer was sold for $2,200. This heifer is also a TJ Nebraska daughter. The heifers grossed $37,850 to average $1,802. Another successful sale for the Massey family.

The top selling bull this year was one with a good bit of chrome on his face and legs. This bull sold for $5,700 and is sired by Southern Fortune Teller. Lot 20 was the second top seller at $5,500. This bull is a son of a bull they bought from the Fred Smith Company Ranch a few years

Will Thompson takes a bid.

Many of the heifers at the Extra Effort Sale already had nice calves at side!

Bruce Cuddy welcomes everyone to his sale.

The outside view of the old turkey barn that did quite well for a sale facility at High Ridge Farms.

Sale manager Jeremie Ruble talked about the sale cattle.

Johnny Massey and all the Massey family are very helpful and willing to answer any questions.

Marcus Harward told producers about opportunities through the MACS sales.

The crowd at the SimAngus Solution Sale was comfortable in the big barn.

Buyers are always smiling at the SimAngus Solution Sale.

Some of the bulls offered at the SimAngus Solution Sale.

Rabo AgriFinance NEWS

Global Animal Protein 2023 Outlook. Animal protein companies must pivot in 2023 to secure future – Rabobank.

• “Inflection point” as animal protein companies face strategic challenges of sustainability, animal health, and market volatility

• Global production to rise again in 2023 but growth to slow

• Anticipated strong demand for salmon while poultry set to benefit from its value-for-money proposition against darkening economic outlook

Animal protein companies face an “inflection point” with a need to respond to structural changes in the market even with production levels and prices likely to remain elevated next year, according to Rabobank.

Producers and processors of meat, poultry, and seafood approach 2023 after a year marked by rising input prices, supply chain disruption, and geopolitical issues. Yet, at a structural level, they also face the need to adapt to sustainability challenges and disease threats to animal health if they are to remain competitive in the market over the longer term.

In its Global Animal Protein Outlook 2023 report, Rabobank predicts prices will be supported in 2023 by high feed costs and elevated energy prices.

Animal protein production levels are expected to increase, with Rabobank’s analysts forecasting year-on-year growth in major markets of five million tons –or one percent – to a total of 430 million

tonnes next year, driven by demand for poultry, fish, and seafood offsetting the weaker performance of beef and pork. However, the production growth rate will be lower than 2022’s two percent.

Salmon is set to continue to enjoy strong demand, with weak supply growth supporting prices, Rabobank predicts. Chicken will benefit from its value proposition against the tough economic backdrop, with the bank forecasting global economic growth of just two percent in 2023. By contrast, consumers are likely to cut back on more expensive cuts of meats, such as fillet steaks.

Structural and cyclical headwindsTo prosper in the future, animal protein companies must pivot to become more sustainable businesses. Rabobank expects producers and processors to intensify their emissions commitments next year. However, this will require greater investment in areas such as smart data to make their operations and supply chains more sustainable. The most successful businesses are also moving on to a more proactive footing to manage disease risks, such as African Swine Fever and Avian Influenza. This includes sensors that can recognize unusual animal movements and predictive technology to limit herd loss.

Meanwhile, companies are responding to high costs by shrinking packet sizes and reducing ranges, Rabobank says. They must also factor in consumer behavior in a recessionary environment, such as the move towards convenience products, like fish fingers and hot dogs, and trading down.

Justin Sherrard, Global Strategist for Animal Protein at Rabobank, said: “It has been a year like no other for the animal protein industry. Companies have grappled with rising input prices, supply chain disruption, and geopolitical strife,

many of which are unresolved as we head into 2023. These factors have increased costs across the market, but while prices rise quickly, they tend to fall more slowly.

“We, therefore, expect prices to remain high next year, even as the market enjoys steady production growth on the back of a growing supply of aquaculture and poultry. This masks reductions in the supply of beef due to contraction in the U.S. after years of drought and the weakening pork market in Europe.

“There is then the greater challenge of how animal protein companies approach the next decade of growth, not simply the next year. Structural changes in the market, such as increasing awareness of carbon footprints and a proactive approach to managing disease, offer opportunities for the most forward thinking companies to invest and prosper.

In other words, it is now decision time.”

Rabobank’s Global Animal Protein Outlook is the sector’s leading report offering analysis of the prospects for a range of protein categories, including meat, poultry, and aquaculture.

About Rabo AgriFinance. As a leading financial services provider for agricultural producers and agribusinesses in the United States, Rabo AgriFinance adds value using industry expertise, client focused solutions, and by creating long term business relationships. Rabo AgriFinance offers a comprehensive portfolio of services that gives producers the right products to prepare for and take advantage of market opportunities. This comprehensive suite of services includes loans, insurance, input finance, and effective risk management products. Rabo AgriFinance is a subsidiary of Rabobank, a premier bank to the global agriculture industry and one of the world’s largest and strongest banks. Rabobank is an equal opportunity provider. To learn more, go to www.RaboAg.com

BRAHMAN NEWS

ABBA 5 Year DNA Plan. At the ABBA Board of Directors Meeting in Shreveport, La., the ABBA Board approved the 5 Year DNA Plan below. We encourage all members to carefully read through the plan. In addition, the ABBA and DNA Committee will be running educational seminars in a variety of formats, including in-person, virtual, and Facebook live, in order to disseminate information and help educate the membership about the plan, its benefits, and available DNA technologies in general.

5 Year Implementation of DNA Plan

- Due to pressure at the labs from other breed associations, at least six weeks should be allowed for the return of any DNA results.

• Year 1: 2023

- Beginning January 1, 2023: The Upgrade Year.

• As of January 1, 2023, all inactive (deceased) animals without available genetic material will be grandfathered when determining parent verification. Zoetis/Neogen will need to provide proof to the ABBA office that the DNA profile was unable to be upgraded from STR to SNP.

- Parent Verification: Multi-sire groups must still be parent verified.

- ABBA Members will have 2023 to upgrade from STR to SNP on animals already on file. ABBA will provide discounted rates for the period of one year to encourage members to transition. This will give the ABBA time to promote this from now until January.

- For the upgrade year, ABBA will charge a discounted rate of $10 for SNP and a discounted rate of $30 for HD50K/100K. The ABBA will use a $7,500 subsidy to offset the costs. After the subsidy has been expended, SNP and HD50K/100K will be available to our members at a discounted rate that will be determined at a later date by the DNA committee. This subsidy will apply to any new SNP/HD50K/100K profiles.

- The Association strongly recommends that you begin to upgrade all cows you think may be future donors to an SNP profile. It is highly recommended that this is in the form of a genotype (HD50K, GGP Indicus, GGP Bovine 100K).

• Year 2: 2024

- All protocols mentioned above stay constant for the 2024 calf crop.

- All parent verification must be done via SNP technology. It is highly recommended that this is in the form of a genotype (HD50K, GGP Indicus, GGP Bovine 100K).

- All ET calves born in 2024 must have a genotype on file prior to registration through the ABBA.

• Year 3: 2025

- All protocols mentioned above stay constant for the 2025 calf crop.

- All A.I. Sires, Walking Sires, and Donor Dams that produce a calf in 2025 must have a genotype on file prior to the calves being registered through the ABBA.

- All A.I./ET calves born in 2025 that participate in an ABBA sponsored event (ABBA approved show, sale, E.A.R/Bull programs) must be parent verified and have a genotype on file prior to being registered through the ABBA.

• Year 4: 2026

- All protocols mentioned above stay constant for the 2026 calf crop.

- No A.I./ET calves will be registered unless the genotype of sire/dam is on file.

• Year 5: 2027

- All protocols mentioned above stay constant for the 2027 calf crop.

- All A.I./ET calves born in 2027 must be parent verified and have a genotype on file prior to being registered

through the ABBA.

• January 1, 2028: Implementation of Whole Herd Enrollment (WHE) - All cattle enrolled in Whole Herd Enrollment (WHE) must be parent verified and have a genotype on file prior to being registered through the ABBA.

Visit https://brahman.org/abbadna-faqs/ for an FAQ that addresses commonly asked questions regarding the plan and DNA technologies. Here, you may find valuable information regarding the value of DNA as well as differences in DNA technologies. We encourage you all to read through the FAQ to learn more about the plan, and as always, reach out if you have any additional questions.

If you have any questions or concerns in regard to the DNA plan, please contact the ABBA office at 979-485-5528. We’d be happy to assist you.

Nominations Open for 2023 ABBA National F-1 Female and Bull Sale! Make sure to mark your calendars for the 2023 ABBA National F-1 Female & Bull Sale, which will be held at Brazos Valley Livestock in Bryan, Tex., on April 1. This is an event that you will not want to miss out on!

The 2023 ABBA National F-1 Female & Bull Sale will be managed and hosted by the

American Brahman Breeders Association! We are currently putting together an elite offering of cattle that comes with the backing of the ABBA F-1 Certification Program.

The deadline for consignment nominations is February 10. You can download the consignment packet and sponsor form at https://files. constantcontact.com/6af23d5f001/ b8e6bed3-fd4e-463f-999a-08da812f4a85. pdf?rdr=true. If you would like to receive a form by mail, please contact the ABBA office, and we will get one sent out to you!

If you have any questions or would like to get involved in any way, please contact the ABBA Office at 979-485-5528 or abba@brahman.org. We look forward to seeing everyone next year in Bryan, Texas!

About the American Brahman Breeders Association. The American Brahman Breeders Association is the world registry for Brahman cattle, the #1 beef breed for efficiency, hybrid vigor, and environmental adaptability. ABBA provides an array of member services, educational opportunities, and a wide array of programs to assist the profitability of its members. For more information about the American Brahman breed or the many opportunities offered by the ABBA, visit www.brahman.org

Alltech ONE Conference embarks on a world tour in 2023. The Alltech ONE World Tour will mobilize the renowned annual conference to customers around the globe. Alltech is transforming its annual Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) in 2023 into a series of international events that will invite collaboration on the greatest challenges facing the agri-food industry. Instead of welcoming the world to Alltech’s home in Lexington, Kentucky, as it has for the past 38 years, the Alltech ONE World Tour will bring the ideas and inspiration of the ONE Conference to communities throughout the world.

Stops are planned in Brazil, Canada, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, the Middle East, the Philippines, Singapore, Spain, the United States, and Vietnam, providing the opportunity for more people than ever to experience the power of ONE and to hear from experts on trending topics in the agriculture industry. Additional stops are expected to be announced in 2023.

“As our customers and partners continue to face many challenges and uncertainties, we determined that 2023 would be dedicated to meeting them in their market,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO. “This special edition of the ONE will endeavor to deliver global expertise to locally relevant issues. In the midst of economic and political uncertainties that fuel regionalization, this ONE reflects the responsibility we have as a global company to be a connector of people and ideas, ever advancing our purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty.”

While Alltech looks forward to bringing the international conference home to Kentucky in 2024, the 2023 ONE World Tour is a unique opportunity to discuss the future of agriculture with stakeholders all over the world, offering both a global and local perspective for attendees. It will unite change makers and thought leaders in unique forums to discuss the future, examining regional and local market trends in agriculture, business, health, and nutrition.

Alltech will release more details about its international tour stops and event dates in the coming weeks. Visit one.alltech.com for more information and to subscribe to notifications on tour updates.

Alltech continues to support mentorship program for women in agri-food. Applications are now open for

the 2023 Women in Food & Agriculture Mentorship Program. Alltech is proud to continue to partner in the Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Program. Applications are now open for new mentors of any gender and for female mentees from across the global food and agriculture sector. Now in its third year, the free-to-join program matches applicants based on their preferences, which can include gender of mentor, areas of expertise, language, and industry sector, and offers opportunities for women in food and agriculture to develop meaningful industry connections.

“Over the past few years, all of us have come to more deeply value the power of human connection,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “A commitment to the growth and development of another person unleashes energy, inspires ideas, and empowers both individuals to have a greater impact. We view our involvement in the Women in Food & Agriculture mentorship program as an investment not only in the lives of women but in the future of agriculture as the industry most integral to the nourishment and vitality of our planet.”

Findings from the annual WFA survey and ongoing feedback from all levels of the food and agriculture sector consistently suggest that a hurdle to greater success for women in the global agri-food industry is a lack of mentorship opportunities. To tackle this issue, WFA launched its Mentorship Program. In partnership with Alltech in 2022, the initiative grew with 320 industry representatives matched across two cohorts. Now in 2023, the program will be open for applicants year round with two matching sessions taking place to help even more women in food and agriculture progress their careers. The initiative has supported a variety of people around the world, from CEOs of agribusinesses to small scale farmers, from academics to ag-tech professionals, with sector representatives paired with mentors that complement their professional objectives.

“We are very pleased to again have Alltech supporting the 2023 WFA Mentorship Program,” said Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, global chair of WFA. “Mentorship is vital in supporting women across food and agriculture in developing their careers. We’ve had very positive feedback from both mentors and mentees. Many of our mentors joined the initiative

as a selfless act of support for equality in our sector but realized they got as much out of the experience as the mentees. This is such an exciting opportunity to learn about yourself, develop your skills, and support an important initiative that is working to improve diversity, equality, and inclusion in the food and agriculture industry.”

For those interested in taking part in the 2023 Mentorship Program, WFA is looking for mentors of any gender who have at least one year of experience in the food and ag sector. During matching, WFA will ensure all mentors have more work experience than mentees, so this should not be a barrier to mentors applying. Potential mentees should be women working in the food and ag industry who would benefit from help, guidance, and support from a senior sector representative.

Applications are open now for the Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Program, supported by Alltech. For more information and to apply to be a mentor or mentee, visit https://wfainitiative.com/mentorship-program/ 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.

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 alltech.com.

NCBA PresideNt’s rePort

By DON SCHIEFELBEIN National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

A Year in Review

As I reflect on the past year, I can sum up our work in two words: trials and triumphs.

As we started the year, I know many of you were concerned about the situation in the cattle markets. I am pleased to report that NCBA has worked with the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to secure $1 billion in funds to boost processing capacity. This money will go to supporting small- to mid-sized processors to add competition to the marketplace and return leverage to producers.

We also saw the Biden administration unveil yet another proposed Waters of the United States (WOTUS) definition. I know many of us remember the years of uncertainty following the Obama administration’s 2015 WOTUS rule, and the latest rule is only a continuation of everything wrong with the 2015 rule. Within a few short weeks of the rule being unveiled, NCBA led a grassroots campaign to flood the EPA offices with letters and emails in opposition to the rule. You — NCBA members — led the charge to tell the EPA to stay off our farms and ranches, and I am so pleased to see you lending your voice to this cause. Your involvement is a triumph in my book!

This past year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) attempted to regulate greenhouse gas emissions for the first time in the agency’s 88 year history. The SEC is a Wall Street regulator, not an agency that knows anything about the cattle industry. Their proposed rule would only make our lives more difficult, and once again, you stepped up to tell the SEC how detrimental this rule would be to our industry.

In the fall, we made agriculture front and center at the U.S. Supreme Court. Our nation’s Supreme Court justices — the highest judges in the country — read NCBA’s amicus briefs arguing for a limited WOTUS definition that protected common farm and ranch water features

from EPA regulation.

NCBA also supported our partners at the National Pork Producer’s Council to fight back against California’s Proposition 12, which bans the sale of pork in California that was raised in gestation crates. NCBA recognized the threat posed by these politically motivated rules on our production practices, and we fought back in court.

NCBA also notched a win in federal court when a judge in the 9 th circuit granted us intervenor status in a case challenging the delisting of the gray wolf. As wolf attacks on our livestock have increased, we know the gray wolf is a recovered species, and the Trump administration was correct to remove it from the Endangered Species List. As an intervenor, NCBA will be defending the interests of cattle producers as this case moves through the legal process. This year, NCBA also led a coalition effort to appeal the Northern District of California’s vacatur of the Trump Administration’s ESA rules.

Just last month, the President of the United States signed a National Security Memorandum recognizing that food security is national security. This confirms what you and I have known all along — farmers and ranchers are essential to our success as a country. However, this memorandum takes an important step by bringing defense, law enforcement, intelligence, and national security officials into the conversation with industry to develop ways to protect our food system from the multitude of threats that exist in the world. As foreign animal diseases spread through other countries, cybersecurity attacks hit processors and retailers, and worker shortages lead to delays, finding ways to protect our industry from these threats has never been a higher priority.

These are just a few of the many triumphs we have achieved together. As a member of NCBA, you are the foundation of our success. Yet, for all the triumphs, our industry faced its fair share of trials.

High input costs made feed, fuel, and fertilizer more expensive. Attacks against our industry from anti-agriculture activists have only increased. A few months ago, the City of Los Angeles signed on to a plant based treaty, and Google unveiled a new search feature that would steer consumers away from beef, painting beef as bad for the environment. Almost every day, reporters accuse us of “greenwashing” our industry.

In light of these challenges, NCBA has gone on the offensive. We have shared the science that proves the cattle industry is sustainable. We have told foreign governments that the U.S. has the most efficient cattle industry in the world, and we employ the best conservation and animal welfare practices. We have gone to a variety of climate meetings,

conferences, and gatherings where you would not expect to see agriculture represented, all to protect our industry.

If you’re reading this column, you are already active in defending our way of life, but for every one producer standing with us, there are 26 who have yet to join us. We need to stand united. That is why it is critical to reach out to your fellow producer. Please share the updates on what NCBA is doing. Bring them a copy of National Cattlemen so they can learn firsthand about our work. I guarantee we agree on far more issues than we disagree on.

This year, NCBA has gone toe-totoe with multinational companies, federal regulators, Congress, and deep pocketed animal rights groups. We punch above our weight, but we need you to have our backs.

N.C.

SLAUGHTER CLASSES

Avg. Wt. Price

Cows - % Lean Breaker 1,446 $69.02 Boner 1,258 $71.23 Lean 1,050 $60.73

Bulls - Yield Grade 1-2 1,491 $94.19

FEEDER CLASSES

FEEDER BULLS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 424 $146.18 $619.80 450-500 474 $140.60 $666.44 500-550 523 $137.74 $720.38 550-600 572 $135.15 $773.06 600-650 622 $127.76 $794.67 650-700 670 $121.15 $811.71

FEEDER HEIFERS (Medium and Large 1-2)

Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 425 $132.62 $563.64 450-500 473 $131.95 $624.12 500-550 524 $129.81 $680.20 550-600 569 $127.67 $726.44 600-650 622 $122.44 $761.58 650-700 671 $119.32 $800.64

Source: N.C. Dept. of Agriculture - USDA Market News Service, Raleigh, N.C. - 919-707-3156

The Carolina Cattle Connection

A MessAge froM the Ceo

By COLIN WOODALL National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

‘Ol Election Day Ain’t What It Used to Be

Remember the days of old when election day would come around, and we would all go out to vote and then wait for the results to come out that night so we could get back to our lives on Wednesday knowing who won? It has been a while since that has happened, and I am afraid it will be the nature of U.S. elections for many years to come. It was almost five days before we knew that the Democrats would maintain control of the Senate. We still did not know the full picture of their control due to the runoff in the Georgia Senate race until early December.

On the House of Representatives side, we were well into the second week after the election before we knew that the Republicans were going to take control. In fact, the Republicans themselves got fed up and started their leadership elections before the 218th seat was decided. With all the claims about voting fraud and irregularities over the past two years, I remain amazed that so many states and local jurisdictions cannot get their votes counted in a week’s time. There were several states that met their duty to the voters by getting all votes counted on election night, and I can only hope that the struggling states will finally wake up and make the needed improvements. Claims of voting fraud have been around long before the 2020 election claims made them such a hot topic. It is going to be hard to convince the American electorate that something fishy is not going on when it takes so long to count ballots. Until that happens, the new normal for us is that election day is simply the beginning of count, recount, and runoff season.

One of the takeaways from this election is that polling is officially dead. The polls have gotten the results wrong for several elections in a row, but the predictions for a “Red Wave” were so woefully wrong that you must wonder who they were talking to. Polling was once a huge part of the political game as it provided significant insight into voter trends and potential election results.

Today, however, the same cannot be said, and one reason is that many polls still rely on calling Americans on their landline phones. There are many who no longer have a landline, and if they do, caller ID makes it easy to ignore a call from someone they do not know. How many of you actually pick up your phone when the caller is not one you recognize? Your voice matters, but if you are not answering these polling calls, who is? Polling needs to evolve if it is going to remain an important tool for campaigns and elections and to satisfy our simple curiosity.

The second takeaway is that we know how to operate in a Democrat controlled Senate. We have friends on both sides of the aisle that are willing to step up and help with our issues. We also have Senators on both sides of the aisle that present challenges to us. The U.S. Senate is structured so that it only takes one Senator to shut things down. Think about the number of times over the past two years when Senator Manchin played spoiler to Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s plans. That is true power, and it can be extremely helpful when the Senator in question is on your side. With another Farm Bill coming up for consideration in the 118th Congress, we expect that Senator Debbie Stabenow from Michigan will want to keep her position as Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. She will be joined by Senator John Boozman from Arkansas as the Ranking Republican Member. This is a team we have worked with in the past, so we know we can continue our work with them.

The third takeaway is that on the House side, Representative Kevin McCarthy from California has the votes to be the next Speaker of the House. McCarthy has a long track record of being supportive of NCBA and our issues. His position as speaker will allow us even more opportunities to address our policy priorities while working to keep bad ideas at bay. This also means that

Representative G.T. Thompson from Pennsylvania is poised to take control of the House Agriculture Committee. Like the new speaker, Thompson is a huge supporter of cattle producers and one with whom we have a close relationship.

Finally, NCBA’s Political Action Committee, or PAC, remains a significant player in each election cycle. While the

polls may have gotten the results wrong, 90 percent of the candidates supported by NCBA-PAC won their races. As a PAC supporter myself, I am very proud of that accomplishment. Now, it is on to 2024, and with former President Trump being the first out of the gate, it will undoubtedly be an interesting race for the White House.

Beef CheCkoff News

The Power of Influence. Beef’s versatility, taste, and nutritional profile make for a great story to tell. However, to reach consumers in an ever-changing digital world, outside influencers are needed to share information. NCBA, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, continues to work with food, culinary and agricultural influencers to engage with consumers across the country about beef’s positive message.

But what exactly is an influencer, and how do they promote beef? An influencer is anyone with significant influence on an audience. They affect change on buying behavior or way of thinking based on their status, position, or fanbase. According to Digital Marketing Institute, half of consumers are heavily influenced by reviews and recommendations from family, friends, and influencers. Additionally, a large majority of consumers trust the opinions that they see on social media.

Working with influencers allows NCBA to amplify marketing messages and interact with consumer audiences through credible third parties. NCBA partners with chefs, recipe creators, and members of the beef industry to tell the beef story in a knowledgeable and authentic manner in their own voice but armed with relevant information.

The Food, Culinary, and Agricultural Influencer program worked with 34 influencers in 2022 to create 227 posts sharing beef recipes, meals, and stories from the ranch. The program reached more than 17 million consumers, with 950,000 engagements, including likes, comments, clicks, and shares. In addition to the social component, four in-person events provided opportunities for influencers to engage directly with producers and armed them with accurate information about beef to share with their

networks.

Throughout the year, beef education is shared with the influencer network, including trending market research, beef cuts, and preparation methods, and how beef is raised and grown. Instilling the good qualities and benefits of beef in these content creators results in additional promotion of beef beyond the paid partnership. The 12 food and culinary members of the Beef Expert Network shared more than 300 beef centric posts that were not paid content. This content reached approximately 600,000 consumers with approximately 40,000 engagements.

Short form (Instagram) and long form (YouTube) videos continue to be popular content for influencers to share. Social media platforms often prioritize video content, extending the opportunity for organic reach. Additionally, beef industry/ranching content continues to perform particularly well with paid amplification. Consumers want to see ranching information directly from the ranch as a complement to more formal industry channels.

Influencer engagement will continue to be an important part of the marketing mix in the future. To connect with this content, follow Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.

About the Beef Checkoff. The Beef Checkoff Program was established as part of the 1985 Farm Bill. The Checkoff assesses $1 per head on the sale of live domestic and imported cattle, in addition to a comparable assessment on imported beef and beef products. States may retain up to 50¢ of the dollar and forward the other 50¢ per head to the Cattlemen’s

Beef Promotion and Research Board, which administers the national checkoff program, subject to USDA approval.

Farm Credit News

AgCarolina Farm Credit Awards

Over $35,000 in Grant Funds. AgCarolina Farm Credit announces $35,659 in grants have been extended to 13 organizations through its corporate giving program. The grants will aid recipients in carrying out programs specifically benefiting farmers and rural residents in eastern North Carolina.

Grants up to $5,000 per organization were awarded at a reception held at Rose Hill Conference Center in Nashville, N.C., in one of the four focus areas of Education, Environment, Technology, or Quality of Rural Life to the following organizations:

• Ayden Middle School TSA

• Ayden-Grifton High School FFA

• Johnston County 4-H

• Lenoir County Livestock Association

• Nash County Farmers Market

• Pasquotank County 4-H

• Perquimans County Schools Foundation, Inc.

• Ripe for Revival

• South Lenoir High School FFA

• Southern Nash High School FFA

• Veterans Employment Base Camp & Organic Garden

• Washington High School FFA

• West Millbrook Middle School FFA

AgCarolina Sr. VP – Marketing & Communications Skipper Jones states, “The AgCarolina corporate giving fund has awarded over $535,000 in grant funds to benefit the rural and agricultural communities of our eastern North Carolina service area since 2005. AgCarolina is committed to partnering with organizations to enhance the quality of life and opportunities for rural residents of eastern North Carolina.”

The application period for 2023 grants opens as of March 1. For more information, please visit agcarolina.com/ News/Community/Grant-Program.aspx

About AgCarolina Farm Credit. AgCarolina Farm Credit is a farmer

owned financial cooperative with headquarters in Raleigh and provides credit to farmers in central and eastern North Carolina. AgCarolina Farm Credit has over $1.5 billion in loans and commitments outstanding to nearly

3,000 North Carolina farmers. Loans are made to finance land, homes, farm buildings, operating expenses, livestock, and equipment, as well as other purposes. Find a branch near you, visit www. agcarolina.com or call 800-951-3276.

I got a great buy in the Classifieds in The Carolina Cattle Connection!

Check out the expert A.I, superior genetics, fine purebreds and terrific farm supplies offered!

Angus

Shorthorn

SimAngus

Angus

Gelbvieh

SimAngus

Angus

SimAngus

Charolais

Hereford

Charolais

Crossbred/All

Hereford

SimAngus

Hereford

Simmental

grand champion heifer, shown by Jacob Carnes.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Audrey-Kate Bolt.

grand champion bull, shown by Brandon Weber.

grand champion heifer, shown by Hannah Wooten.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Cody Clary.

Other Breeds reserve champion heifer, shown by Cori-Grace Rhodes.

Gelbvieh grand champion heifer, shown by Hannah Wooten.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Cody Clary.

Hereford grand champion heifer, shown by Amberlyn Christenbury.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Amberlyn Christenbury.

grand champion bull, shown by Amberlyn Christenbury.

reserve champion bull, shown by Ted Bourne III.

Red Angus grand champion heifer, shown by Marcie Harward.

Red Angus reserve champion heifer, shown by Cody Clary.

Santa Gertrudis grand champion heifer, shown by Amanda Lee.

Santa Gertrudis reserve champion heifer, shown by Nathan Barlowe.

Shorthorn grand champion heifer, shown by Ellie Harmon.

Shorthorn reserve champion heifer, shown by Tori Templeton.

grand champion bull, shown by Tori Templeton.

grand champion & supreme champion heifer, shown by John Davis III.

reserve champion heifer, shown by John Davis III.

grand champion bull, shown by Robbie Sand.

reserve champion bull, shown by Wayne Garber.

grand champion heifer, shown by Brandon Weber.

Simmental reserve champion heifer, shown by Shelby Candler.

Zebu Breeds/Crosses grand champion heifer, shown by Jackie Phillips.

NAFA Releases 2023

Alfalfa

Variety Ratings

The National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) released the 2023 edition of its popular Alfalfa Variety Ratings - Winter Survival, Fall Dormancy & Pest Resistant Ratings for Alfalfa Varieties - a useful tool for hay and livestock farmers, extension specialists, agribusiness personnel or anyone involved in the production of alfalfa.

NAFA’s Alfalfa Variety Ratings is a publication unlike any other in providing an extensive listing of alfalfa varieties and their corresponding ratings for fall dormancy, winter survival, bacterial wilt, aphanomyces, leafhopper, and a host of other pests. The publication also includes other ratings, such as grazing tolerance and standability, to provide you with the information you need to make educated decisions about the alfalfa varieties that will perform best in a given environment. All varieties listed in the Alfalfa Variety Ratings publication can be purchased in the United States for the 2023 production year.

Simmental grand champion bull, shown by Lillian Wilkins.

Zebu Breeds/Crosses reserve champion heifer, shown by Jade Young.

The 2023 edition of NAFA’s Alfalfa Variety Ratings features 161 alfalfa varieties from 15 marketers and has been verified with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies (AOSCA) and the National Alfalfa Variety Review Board (NAVRB).

If you’d prefer an electronic option, try NAFA’s searchable, online Alfalfa Variety Ratings database, where you can make the process of narrowing alfalfa varietal choices even easier. Available at alfalfa.org/varietyratings.php, NAFA’s searchable database allows you to search for varieties using up to 23 different parameters like variety name, marketer, fall dormancy, winter survival, disease resistance, and insect resistance. NAFA has made finding the perfect variety as effortless as possible.

NAFA’s Alfalfa Variety Ratings publication is available at alfalfa.org

NAFA’s Alfalfa Variety Ratings is a must have for anyone involved in the production of alfalfa – be sure to get yours today!

Simmental reserve champion bull, shown by Wayne Garber.

Miniature

Zebu grand champion heifer, shown by Gretchen Kelly.

NCBA News

NCBA Thanks Biden Administration for Actions to Avoid Rail Disruptions. NCBA recently recognized the Biden Administration for taking quick action to avoid rail disruptions.

“On behalf of America’s cattle producers, we thank President Biden and Secretary Vilsack for their action to prevent a disruption in critical rail service across the country. We are also pleased to see bipartisan leaders in Congress working together to address this issue and protect our supply chains,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “We urge Congress to quickly pass the tentative agreement, which enforces the Presidential Emergency Board’s recommendations from September and ensures reliable rail service moving forward.”

Cattle producers rely on rail service to transport essential feed, fuel, and fertilizer.

NCBA Praises Senate Introduction of Protect Farmers from the SEC Act. NCBA recently announced support for the Senate version of the Protect Farmers from the SEC Act, a companion bill to legislation that was previously introduced in the House of Representatives by Representative Frank Lucas (R-Okla.).

“The Securities and Exchange Commission’s overly broad rulemaking has the potential to increase burdens on cattle producers by requiring data that is impossible to provide,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “NCBA is proud to support the Protect Farmers from the SEC Act because it ensures that federal regulators do not overstep

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For more information, contact: PAT COMYN, DVM P.O. Box 555 Madison, Va. 22727 540-829-3625 (cell) • 540-948-5238 (office/fax) pcomyn@verizon.net Visit us online at www.vhhms.com.

their jurisdiction and it protects cattle producers from additional government red tape. We thank Senators Boozman and Braun for their focus on this issue.”

The Protect Farmers from the SEC Act excludes agriculture from reporting scope 3, or supply chain, greenhouse gas emissions under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s proposed climate disclosure rule. While the rule is aimed at large publicly traded companies, agricultural operations could be subjected to additional reporting as part of the supply chain for public restaurants and retailers.

NCBA Pleased with Changes in Cattle Contract Library Final Rule. NCBA recently welcomed the release of a final rule from the USDA to stand up the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. This program was authorized following NCBA’s engagement with Congress on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022.

“We are pleased that USDA listened to feedback from stakeholders like NCBA while crafting the final rule on the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. We are hopeful that this pilot program will strike an appropriate balance between offering cattle producers additional insight into the market while also protecting their proprietary business information,” said NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer. “A Cattle Contract Library is just one of many tools NCBA has advocated for to help producers make informed business decisions and capture the most value possible for their cattle.”

NCBA has long advocated for market transparency tools and worked closely with congressional leaders like Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) to secure congressional authorization to launch this pilot program. NCBA staff have worked closely with USDA to provide feedback throughout the testing phase of the program, and we look forward to continued engagement and evaluation as the pilot program launches.

Nominations Accepted for 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award Program. Annual Award Recognizes Stewardship Efforts of Cattle Producers. Applications are being accepted until March 10, 2023, for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award. Established in 1991, the Environmental Stewardship Award Program annually recognizes outstanding stewardship practices and conservation achievements of cattle producers across the nation.

“Cattle producers, as individuals and as an industry, are actively working to protect and improve the environment because they know environmental

stewardship and good business go hand-in-hand,” said NCBA President Don Schiefelbein. “A common trait among all ESAP winners is the desire to leave the land in better condition for future generations and inspire the next generation of land stewards.”

Any individual, group, or organization is eligible to nominate one individual or business raising or feeding cattle. Individuals and families may not nominate themselves, although nominees may be involved in the preparation of the application. Past nominees are encouraged to resubmit applications; however, previous winners may not reapply.

Along with a typed application, one nomination letter and three letters of recommendation highlighting the nominee’s leadership in conservation are required. Nominees do not have to be members of NCBA but should support the objectives of their state and national organization.

Award winners are selected by a committee of representatives from universities, conservation organizations, as well as federal and state agencies. For guidance, the judges consider the management of water, wildlife, vegetation, air, and soil, along with leadership abilities and the sustainability of the business.

Seven regional winners will be recognized at the 2024 Cattle Industry Convention in Orlando, Fla., in February 2024. The national winner will be announced at the Celebration of America’s Land Stewards Event in Washington, D.C., in spring 2024. Travel and registration are provided by ESAP for winners.

The Environmental Stewardship Award Program is an initiative of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Cattlemen’s Foundation. It is funded by Corteva Agriscience, McDonald’s, and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with a partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information and to download the nomination packet, visit www.environmentalstewardship.org

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

UPDATES!

Find Education, Entertainment, and Inspiration in the Big Easy. “Get Jazzed” for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. The Big Easy is ready to host the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show on February 1-3. New Orleans, famous for its world class cuisine, jazz music, and lively nightlife, is a perfect venue to bring the cattle industry together for education, entertainment, and engagement.

The annual convention will kick off on February 1, with Buzz Brainard, host of Music Row Happy Hour, returning as emcee. The Opening General Session will include a casual conversation between “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan and NCBA President and Minnesota cattle producer Don Schiefelbein. The two will discuss ranch life, today’s challenges, and share the industry’s story in an authentic way. Sheridan is an Academy Award nominated writer, actor, and rancher, as well as a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.

“My passion for the ranching lifestyle has inspired me to write stories that are rich in history, led by complex characters, and focus on family dynamics,” said Sheridan. “I’m looking forward to joining you at the cattle industry’s largest event.”

A Texas native himself, Sheridan excels in the Western horse performance industry as an avid supporter and competitor in reining and cutting. He also owns and operates two Texas ranches including the legendary 6666 or Four Sixes Ranch, a 2015 Environmental Stewardship Award Program regional winner, and Bosque Ranch. Sheridan recently launched Four Sixes Ranch Brand Beef which retails beef sourced from 6666 and a network of ranches. While the Dutton family continues their personal and business struggles in Season 5 of “Yellowstone,” Sheridan has brought prequels “1883” and “1923” to life.

CattleFax’s outlook session will highlight demand and supplies for beef, cattle, and competing proteins. Analysts will present a price and profitability outlook for 2023 and beyond for all classes of cattle and beef, explore export and import markets, and provide a grain outlook. Meteorologist Matt Makens will also give a 2023 weather forecast

highlighting weather pattern changes for the United States and around the world.

Plan to attend the high profile session on Friday morning and hear from government dignitaries as they provide an update on the beef business climate in the United States and around the globe, moderated by NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane.

The Closing General Session will celebrate the Beef Checkoff funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program and BQA award winners. It will feature keynote speaker Chris Koch, who doesn’t let limitations or obstacles stand in his way. Despite being born without arms and legs, Koch grew up like any other small town kid — playing road hockey, causing mischief at school, and helping on his family farm. Today, Koch is a motivational speaker who inspires his audiences to continually challenge themselves and build the life they always wanted.

While the general sessions are packed with engaging speakers and information every producer can use, entertainment will also be around every corner. Franki Moscato will perform at the Opening General Session and during the Friday night event. The country trio Chapel Hart will combine their Mississippi roots and Louisiana spice in a special performance during Closing General Session. The convention will wrap up Friday evening with “Party Gras” featuring the country music group Midland and special guest Neal McCoy.

If that isn’t enough, the 30 th Annual Cattlemen’s College will feature live animal handling demonstrations and 18 educational sessions with industry leaders tackling innovative topics. The Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet and Environmental Stewardship Award Program reception will recognize leaders for their achievements. There will be more than eight acres of trade show exhibits to explore.

In addition, producers will be hard at work guiding both NCBA policy and Beef Checkoff programs. Annual meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax, and National Cattlemen’s Foundation will also take place.

“Get Jazzed” for the convention by registering today at convention.ncba.

org. A variety of registration and housing options are available.

March Through NCBA Trade Show in the Crescent City. Experience Eight Acres of Exhibitors, Displays, and Education. The NCBA Trade Show offers cattle producers opportunities to network, learn, shop, dine and connect with friends, both old and new. It is a solutions center featuring more than 350 exhibitors that can help producers with animal health products, equipment, irrigation technology, software, trailers, and so much more. In addition to finding the right product or service to solve any problem, there are a variety of educational opportunities within the show.

New in 2023, Cattle Chats will feature 20 minute beef industry educational sessions, with special spotlight sessions focusing on sustainability. Attendees can also stop in the Learning Lounge to enjoy informal, face-toface talks in an intimate setting right on the trade show floor. Industry leaders will tackle topics such as ranch succession, effective probiotics, deworming protocols, animal welfare, and tax trends.

The popular Stockmanship & Stewardship Demonstration Arena returns with stockmanship experts Dr. Ron Gill and Curt Pate, providing low stress cattle handling demonstrations, Beef Quality Assurance educational sessions, industry updates, and facility design sessions. Interactive discussions will show how producers can shape consumer perceptions of beef and how the principles presented have significant economic and “quality of life” benefits when applied in a cattle enterprise.

The Chutes and Scales Showdown offers a side-by-side comparison of equipment where producers can watch cattle run through chutes, then get handson experience. This is an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the top manufacturers in the industry, learn about new technology on both manual and hydraulic chutes, and find the right piece of equipment to fit your ranch needs.

The trade show experience continues each afternoon with food and fun. Wednesday’s welcome reception will celebrate 125 years of NCBA, Thursday’s Sippin’ in the Big Easy reception will feature Louisiana inspired whiskey and foods, and Friday’s Pups & Suds Yappy Hour will help attendees wind down with some furry friends.

Recognized by Trade Show Executive magazine as one of the top 100 trade shows in the United States, the NCBA Trade Show is the largest of its kind for the cattle industry. A variety of registration options are available, including trade show only and single day tickets, which include show access, lunch, receptions, and educational activities.

Vytelle Doubles Bovine In-Vitro Fertilization Laboratory Capacity within a Year of Series A Funding. Vytelle outpaced their plan to double laboratory capacity to meet the demand for hormone free in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Part of the five year plan, initiated at the conclusion of their Series A Funding, promised to double the laboratory capacity to produce bovine embryos through IVF. The announcement of the Franklin, Tenn., location marks the fifth laboratory opening since their Series A Funding in 2021.

Vytelle’s integrated technology platform combines Vytelle ADVANCE, a breakthrough IVF technology, with Vytelle SENSE, an animal performance data capture system, and Vytelle INSIGHT, an artificial intelligence based genetic analytics engine. The platform provides progressive cattle producers the technology to make reliable data driven mating decisions that improve the predictability of genetic progress replicating the right genetics faster.

“Vytelle is the fastest growing bovine IVF company in the world,” stated Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle. She continued, “Producers are accelerating genetic progress – replicating their elite animals with hormone free IVF. This

last lab places Vytelle within reach of 50 percent of the U.S. breeding stock, making hormone free technology more accessible to our customers.”

The Franklin, Tenn., laboratory is accessible to beef and dairy seedstock producers through on-farm ovum pick ups and satellite locations. The previously announced laboratories driving the growth in capacity this year are Albany, N.Y.; Fort Worth, Tex.; and Gainesville, Fla., in the United States, in addition to Hamilton, New Zealand.

Producers are able to access Vytelle’s reliable bovine hormone free IVF process by bringing donors to any of the more than 30+ satellite locations across the United States or by scheduling an onfarm ovum pick up. Visit www.vytelle. com to learn more.

About Vytelle. Vytelle is a precision livestock company reshaping how cattle producers worldwide optimize their herds. Through Vytelle’s integrated technology platform, generations of genetic gains can be made in just a few years. This allows producers to sustainably deliver more protein with fewer inputs, helping to ensure meat and milk are viable, competitive food choices for future generations.

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:

Alexander County

Bryan Pope – Diamond P Farms

Cleveland County

Josh Randle – Randle Brothers

Jerry Yarbro – Yarbro Farm

Duplin County

John Spino – Funny Farm

Johnston County

Parker Anderson – Anderson Family Farms

Joe Smith – Smith Family Farm

Macon County Chris Tejkl

Pasquotank County

Ben Haines – Triple H Cattle

Daniel Haines – Triple H Cattle

Randolph County

Brian Ward – Ward Farms

Robeson County

Donnie McRae – McRae Farms

Yadkin County

Timothy Dinkins

– Harmon Creek Farms of NC

Carolina Cattle Connection

Amaferm - A Wise Investment, Not an Extra Cost. Profitability in beef production is dependent upon output revenue exceeding input costs. Elevated calf prices have pushed gross returns, yet profit margins have shrunk due to the rising cost of production. A general rule of thumb is that at least 60 percent of your operational expenses are associated with feed in a normal year. Considering price hikes due to widespread drought, inflation, and limited supply, this guideline could severely underestimate annual expenses as this year ends. It’s a challenge to find affordable ways to maximize the genetic potential of your herd through conventional feeding methods. While cutting costs is one option, just remember what we feed our animals dictates the output they give us. Treat nutrition as an investment in the genetics you have selected rather than a cost to the bottom line.

A cost is defined as an amount that must be paid to obtain something, while an investment is expending funds with the expectation of achieving a profit. Often,

producers look at output potential as an investment through genetics because many have spent generations building their existing herds. Alternatively, they also view premium nutrition, the tool it takes to reach that capacity, as a stingy, financially draining cost. If you were to buy a new truck, you would protect that investment with the best insurance policy you could afford, not the cheapest in the marketplace. Your animals are no different! Giving your premium genetics the opportunity to thrive with superior nutrition will pay dividends to your bottom line, just like maintaining that new pickup.

Investment opportunities in cattle feeding come from many technologies, such as ionophores, probiotics, prebiotics, and so on. Each has its own mode of action related to a desired outcome, and not all are universal in their applications. Amaferm is a prebiotic resulting from the proprietary fermentation of Aspergillus oryzae. Research has proven that Amaferm not only stimulates

fungal branching and enzymatic activity in the rumen but the growth rates of fibrolytic and amylolytic bacteria are significantly improved. These microbes work synergistically to hasten the rate of degradation of feeds in the rumen, allowing for greater digestibility. If you think about a 10 percent improvement in dry matter digestibility by using Amaferm, you can save nearly 15 percent in hay costs throughout the year by just giving your animal the ability to unlock more nutrition from within.

Speaking of improved nutrient utilization, those rumen microbes are responsible for other nutritional opportunities for the animal. Substantially more rumen bacteria growth by feeding Amaferm will, on average, result in a 16 percent improvement in VFA production and an additional 143g of microbial protein. In

lay terms, feeding Amaferm is nutritionally equivalent to supplying a pound of dry distiller’s grains per day without any additional capital or labor. When distiller’s grains are $240/ton, a 4¢ daily investment in Amaferm yields 12¢ of additional nutritional value. A 3:1 ROI in nutritional equivalence, along with improved breeding condition and better gut health, opens the door for improved conception rates, heavier calves, and fewer treatments. Considering the robust feeder calf market, just think about the value of each weaned calf and what as little as a three percent improvement in conception rates can do for your bottom line.

The initial commitment to any investment can be nerve wracking, but remember, the wealthiest Wall Street investors didn’t make their money dabbling in penny stocks. Nutrition has the biggest impact on your annual input

FEEDER CLASSES

FEEDER HEIFERS (Medium and Large 1-2) Wt. Range Avg. Wt. CWT Avg. Price 400-450 428 $142.09 $608.15 450-500 471 $140.52 $661.85 500-550 522 $137.32 $716.81 550-600 567 $134.38 $761.93 600-650 615 $126.70 $779.21 650-700 672 $126.53 $850.28

costs. Therefore, more efficient utilization of feed ingredients is paramount for individual and industry wide profitability. Just like buying Amazon or Netflix stock, placing your trust in value based premium nutrition is an investment in the performance and health of the genetics that you’ve spent generations to build.

Put Amaferm to work in your herd with products made by BioZyme like VitaFerm Concept•Aid. To discover which VitaFerm product is right for your herd or to locate a dealer near you, visit www.vitaferm.com

Sure Champ Joint Juice Will Give the Judge Something Good to Talk About. Have you heard the judge say your steer is coarse jointed or that your ewe needs to take a longer stride? How many times have you heard the judge say your barrow has swollen joints or your doe needs to be freer moving? As you know, you can prepare your show animals all you want, but structural soundness and movement are key priorities among all species, both for breeding and market animals.

Many judges evaluate livestock from the ground up or on the move. While keeping them looking their best is important, keeping them moving comfortably should be a priority too. Even the best showman cannot hide their animal’s flaws when they’re in motion. Therefore, Sure Champ, makers of livestock supplements known to promote digestive and overall health, created Sure Champ Joint Juice.

Joint Juice is carefully crafted to naturally support, promote, and enhance joint and soft tissue health. This joint product is powered by MHB3 Hyaluronan, the most highly researched and proven hyaluronic acid available. Hyaluronan is found in all mammal tissues. Our MHB3 Hyaluronan is patented and proven with eight U.S. patents. It lubricates joints and may naturally restore synovial fluid to alleviate joint discomfort. It may aid in soft tissue health. With age and trauma, the body’s own hyaluronan, or HA, breaks down and must be replenished.

As livestock grow and put on weight, the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints

in their cartilage begins to degrade in quality. That breakdown is what ultimately causes inflammation and arthritis that leads to swollen hocks and snapping or clicking in the animal’s pasterns.

“It is vital to keep the synovial fluid level up in their joints to keep that gliding motion between their cartilage and their joints and to minimize the friction. It is scientifically proven that hyaluronic acid makes a tremendous impact on joint health,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Beef Technical Sales Manager.

Joint Juice is a supplement designed for daily oral consumption. It can be drenched or top dressed on feed, and it is formulated for all species. Its active ingredient MBH3 Hyaluronan is included at 200 mg/ounce, higher than other joint supplements on the market.

“Not only is the HA at a more concentrated level, but Joint Juice is also one of the most economically priced supplements on the market that makes it affordable for your animal to receive the full benefits of MHB3 Hyaluronan every day,” Cassady said.

Since recovery after joint trauma is challenging, Cassady suggests using Joint Juice from an early age. He encourages proactive thinking versus reactive feeding when it comes to keeping animals sound and feeling their best.

Sure Champ Joint Juice is available in two convenient sizes – gallon and half gallon jugs. Cattle have a feeding rate of 1 ounce per day, while lambs, goats, and hogs have a feeding rate of 0.5 ounces/day.

Next time you lead or drive an animal into the ring, give the judge something good to talk about. You know that the judge is evaluating your stock from the ground up, so make sure they are taking a long, easy stride on their smooth joints. It’s easy to #PreptoWin with a product like Sure Champ Joint Juice.

To learn more about the benefits of Joint Juice or to locate a dealer near you, visit www.SureChamp.com

About BioZyme ® Inc. BioZyme

USDA Abattoir and Processor

Livestock Drop Off 347 Thomas Street • North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

Butcher Shop & Processing Pick Up 106 Chestnut Street • North Wilkesboro, NC 28659

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 Amaferm ® , 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

Limousin

Gelbvieh

Hereford

Gelbvieh

Charolais

Hereford

Charolais

Limousin

Limousin

Limousin

Limousin

Piedmontese

reserve champion bull, shown by Mitchem’s Farm 3C.

Miniature Hereford grand champion bull, shown by Wyatt Knotts.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Colton Cox.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Mitchem’s Farm 3C.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Cody Clary.

grand champion bull, shown by Todd Hodges.

grand champion heifer, shown by Brooke Harward.

Hereford grand & supreme champion cow/ calf pair, shown by Mitchem’s Farm 3C.

Miniature Hereford grand champion heifer, shown by Wyatt Knotts.

grand champion cow/calf pair, shown by Edwards Land & Cattle.

Hereford grand champion bull, shown by PF Farms.

Miniature Hereford reserve champion bull, shown by Cow Swamp Creek Farms.

Charolais grand champion bull, shown by Timothy Vanreenen.

Gelbvieh grand champion heifer, shown by Todd Hodges.

Belted Galloway grand champion heifer, shown by Abigail Gant.

Belted Galloway reserve champion heifer, shown by Abigail Gant.

Hereford grand champion heifer, shown by Courtney Eudy.

Miniature Hereford reserve champion heifer, shown by Cow Swamp Creek Farms.

grand & reserve supreme champion heifer, shown by Edwards Land & Cattle.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Caleb Davis.

grand & supreme champion bull, shown by Edwards Land & Cattle.

reserve champion bull, shown by Edwards Land & Cattle.

grand champion heifer, shown by Rachel Brown.

Piedmontese

Piedmontese

Piedmontese

Piedmontese

Simmental

Shorthorn

Percentage

Percentage

Percentage

Simmental

Percentage

Simmental

grand champion bull, shown by A.J. Strickland.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Edwin Johnson.

Red Angus grand champion heifer, shown by Abigail Edwards.

Red Angus reserve champion heifer, shown by Brooke Harward.

grand champion cow/calf pair, shown by Edwin Johnson.

Red Angus grand champion bull, shown by Amber Stephens.

reserve champion bull, shown by Edwin Johnson.

Red Angus reserve champion bull, shown by Amber Stephens.

Santa Gertrudis reserve champion bull, shown by Thomas Benfield.

Star 5 grand champion heifer, shown by Morse View Farm.

Santa Gertrudis grand champion heifer, shown by Thomas Benfield.

Santa Gertrudis reserve champion heifer, shown by Thomas Benfield.

Santa Gertrudis grand champion bull, shown by Morse View Farm.

grand champion heifer, shown by Emma Beasley.

Shorthorn reserve champion heifer, shown by Rylea Suddreth.

Simmental grand & supreme champion heifer, shown by Rylea Suddreth.

reserve champion heifer, shown by Evie Jones.

Simmental grand & reserve supreme champion cow/calf pair, shown by Evie Jones.

grand champion bull, shown by Charlie Thomas.

reserve champion bull, shown by Cayte Mitchell.

Simmental grand champion heifer, shown by Shelby Candler.

Simmental reserve champion heifer, shown by Evie Jones.

Simmental grand champion bull, shown by Charlie Thomas.

Simmental reserve champion bull, shown by Evie Jones.

N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Awards 2022-2023 Scholarships

The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation has awarded 20 college scholarships and 1 graduate travel award to students with backgrounds and interests related to cattle. These students aspire to pursue careers in agriculture or allied fields, particularly related to cattle. Scholarships were awarded to students attending college at Clemson University, Connors State College, Mars Hill University, N.C. A&T University, N.C. State University, Oklahoma State University, and the University of Mount Olive.

The scholarships are funded by earnings on donations to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation, which has been significantly supported by cattle producers in the state. The Foundation

was established in 1982 with a significant donation from N.C. State University graduate E. Carroll Joyner. Since that time, numerous others have contributed to the Foundation.

The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation is also supported by proceeds from sales of North Carolina Cattle Reflections, a history of cattle in North Carolina. The book may be purchased by contacting Kim Burdge at the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association at 919-552-9111 or kim@ nccattle.com or online at www.nccattle. com/resources/merchandise/cattlereflections-order-form

The following personal stories were provided by the 2022-2023 scholarship and travel award winners:

Lynae Bowman

champion in the senior skillathon contest and reserve champion in senior cattle judging. They combine the scores from these three contests for each individual, and I was awarded the title of 2021 Champion Senior Stockman and got a belt buckle. I was very excited to win this honor and feel that my experiences as a North Carolina 4-H member involved in the livestock judging, skillathon, and quiz bowl programs, along with my experiences at Redlands really helped me to rise up to this challenge.

Lynae Bowman

I am Lynae Bowman from Germanton, N.C., which is just north of Winston-Salem. I graduated from Redlands Community College with an associate’s degree in animal science and a certificate of mastery in artificial insemination in the spring of 2022. I was a member of the livestock judging team there and got to serve as a coach and camp counselor for the 2022 Redlands Livestock Judging Camp. It was neat to be able to give back and train the younger generation. As a member of the livestock judging team, I was able to attend and compete in over 15 major livestock shows in seven or eight different states and practice judging in a few more.

Redlands has provided me with opportunities that would have been hard to achieve anywhere else. First, they have furnished apartments on campus where all of the animal science majors live together. It’s neat living with, above, and next door to other like minded people. Secondly, there are not many other colleges that offer courses in Artificial Insemination, let alone a mastery certification in it. Third, it’s minutes away from Oklahoma City, where I can do my shopping, and is the home of several major livestock shows, including the Cattlemen’s Congress, the Oklahoma Youth Exposition, or OYE. “The City” also has an airport I can occasionally fly back to North Carolina from. Attending a junior college greatly reduced my tuition costs during the first two years of my education.

In July 2021, my family was able to attend the National Junior Angus Show in Grand Island, Nebraska. We call this a “showcation.” My parents take vacation days off work, and we spend our vacation money to attend a show. While at the show, the North Carolina delegation worked hard to keep our cattle and stalls clean and looking nice. Our hard work paid off, and we were awarded the title of First Place Herdsmen States Less than Fifteen Head (of cattle). I also competed in several contests while there, including the quiz bowl contest. I was

This past fall, I started at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater as an animal science major. I am a rising junior and plan to graduate in the spring of 2024. In addition to my normal class load, I am taking livestock judging and working as a show barn manager on a ranch near Stillwater with Angus and Charolais cattle. After graduation, I plan to work in the cattle industry, but I still haven’t decided exactly how or where. I look forward to exploring more options during my time at Oklahoma State University, and I am grateful for the support of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation in helping me to pursue my education and prepare me for my future, whatever that may be.

Josie Correll

Josie Correll

Receiving the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship is an honor. I am blessed to be a part of the cattle industry in North Carolina and have cattlemen and women mentors who help guide and teach me. As a member of the N.C. Junior Hereford Association, and the National Junior Hereford Association I have had the opportunity to travel around the country to advocate for Herefords and the cattle industry and participate in many leadership conferences. These trips have been great learning experiences, but as important, they have helped create lifelong friendships with others in our industry.

I currently attend Connors State College in Oklahoma and study agriculture. I have been accepted into the President’s Leadership Class and participate on the Rodeo team.

I grew up and currently work on my family’s dairy farm in Stony Point, North Carolina. We milk 1,100 head of cattle and grow and harvest 1,200 acres of crops. On the farm, I assist in herd and heifer management, entering herd information on the computer, bush hogging, harvesting hay, and calculating a bi-weekly payroll. In addition, I have a small herd of beef cows that I plan to grow over the years using artificial insemination.

I am majoring in agriculture business management with a minor in entrepreneurship and animal science. Upon graduation from N.C. State University, I plan to return home and help manage my family’s dairy farm, grow my beef herd, and expand my family’s hunting business.

I would like to thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for their financial support towards my education. My education will help me achieve my goals and benefit my career as a farmer. Thank you!

cattle as well. This scholarship will help aid my progress through N.C. State University’s animal science program and all that it has in store for a Pre-Vet student like myself. My education is my topmost priority for the next several years. With only one year under my belt, I feel as if I have already learned so much, and I am able to apply these lessons in real life. Growing up, I dreamed of moments like these when I would successfully be able to work, diagnose, and treat cattle on a daily basis. To elaborate, I’ll start from the beginning of my journey.

My first experiences with cattle stem from my early childhood. I was raised on a dairy farm that my grandfather owned and operated. Around the time I was born, he chose to leave the dairy industry due to a sharp decline of milk prices in our area. He then decided to raise Black Angus x Holstein crosses for a beef market. As a young child, my grandfather would take me riding through the hay fields and cow pastures when he could. I remember being fascinated when I was around the cows. I knew I wanted to understand them. It wasn’t until high school that I realized I had a passion for working with them as well. I began to take agriculture classes, and I joined our school’s FFA chapter. Around the same time, my father and I began to help out on the farm. Soon, we would take over for my grandfather and run the farm ourselves. We sold all the old Holstein crosses in favor of a new purebred Angus herd. Because of my interest in animal science and the classes I was taking at school, I started to put my knowledge to use in the real world in helping to manage our operation. These positive early experiences with cattle have led me to love large animal medicine.

challenging heifer. Working with both heifers hardly felt like work and more like a privilege to get to know two cows so closely. I showed them both at the N.C. State Fair, and they both ended up placing well overall. To this day, the story of these two heifers is one of my most prideful experiences.

Coming from a dairy turned beef operation, most of my experience was with beef cattle when I was accepted into N.C. State University’s animal science program. But I knew I wanted to do more with dairy cattle in the future, and showing served as a doorway to the N.C. State University dairy educational unit. I started volunteering for milking and calf feeding shifts through the Animal Science Club, and after my success at the N.C. State Fair, I was elected as a dairy species chair for the club in the Spring of this past school year. I helped my fellow chairs halter break a brand new batch of heifers and train new showmen to compete at our annual Animal Science Club Day. To help people understand cattle, all while teaching tips and tricks for showing professionally, turned out to be a blessing, and I can’t wait to continue this in the fall for the N.C. State Fair. This summer, I also began to work at the dairy unit as an employee. In conjunction with the herd manager, I have had the chance to learn medications, treatments, practices, and even nutrition for dairy cattle of all ages. Something that allows me to progress further toward my ultimate goal of becoming a large animal veterinarian.

with the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Conference. I have attended state and national cattlemen’s meetings from Tennessee to Texas. During high school, I was a member of the East Henderson High School FFA program. I also participated in the Buncombe-Henderson County livestock judging team for about five years. In 2019 we won the senior state livestock judging competition in Raleigh.

My family also raises beef cattle and sheep. Our dream is to be able to rotationally graze our cattle most of the year. This year we are putting our water systems in and will hopefully double our pasture size. I plan to continue growing our cattle operation throughout my lifetime. We decided to name our farm Blessed Mountain.

I am currently a sophomore at Mars Hill University. My declared major is zoology, with a minor in biology. After Mars Hill, I would like to apply to veterinary schools. My top two contenders are N.C. State University and the University of Tennessee. I have always grown up owning and working with animals. My interest is definitely cattle. My hope is when I return home from veterinary school, there are still cattle and farmers needing my help, so I will have a job. I would like to return home to work at Animals R Us Veterinary Clinic. The best part of this job will be working with the different cattle producers. Once situated in my career, I plan to continue working with the 4-H children and the FFA programs in my county to encourage youth to participate in agriculture. I have also joined the Farm Bureau Women’s Group, and we are trying to get agriculture back into the school systems.

Carter Hamilton

The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship that has been awarded to me is a moment that I will look back on in contentment for the rest of my life. From a young age, I have been very involved in agriculture. Throwing myself into the deep end of animal science these past few years has been enlightening and very exciting. It makes me proud to know that others are now able to see my commitment and devotion to working with not just beef cattle but dairy

I began to show dairy cattle through FFA in high school. In the fall of my junior year, I signed up to compete at the Davidson County Fair. My first time showing turned out to be life changing. I was placed with an irate three-year-old Ayrshire and was told to do the best I could. Having only worked with her a few days before the show, the ring was chaotic at best. But before I walked out, I knew competing was something I wanted to continue to do. The challenge of reading a cow’s every move before they make it is invigorating and understanding why they act the way they do in any environment only drew me in more.

Fast forward to my first semester at N.C. State University, I was presented with the opportunity to show a dairy heifer at the N.C. State Fair. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. I worked with my heifer every single day for three months leading up to the fair and even on weekends. Around halfway through the “practicing” season, my species chairs (teachers/overseers who work with the heifers and the showmen) asked if I wanted to take on a second, more

Haley Hargus

I have grown up riding with my mom, a large animal veterinarian. Routinely, I have helped pull calves, put uteruses in, and work cattle. For about 13 years, I have been a member of the Henderson County Livestock Group, the Barnyard Bandits. Through this group, I have also shown cattle. I have participated in local and state shows with both steers and heifers. When I participated in the 4-H Steer Project, I came in third place. For two years, I attended the Perry & Doris Teeter Leadership Institute, held in conjunction

Your financial contribution will help me along this path. I just want to thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for the honor of receiving this award.

Allison Hartman

Allison Hartman

My name is Allison Hartman. I am from Stokes County and a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic

Laurel Gray

Laurel Gray

Carter Hamilton

Haley Hargus

years. I would like to thank the Board of Directors for your generosity, which has allowed me to further my education and put me one step closer to my ultimate goal of becoming a teacher.

My two main passions are agriculture and science. Coming from a rural farming county, I see the importance of both in children’s lives. Science keeps the world evolving, and agriculture keeps the world fed! Growing up on a tobacco farm and showing cattle has given me firsthand experiences that I can share with students through my teaching. Through my livestock projects, I have gained valuable knowledge and had some amazing experiences.

Showing steers has afforded me the ability to hone my marketing skills. Every year I was eligible, I purchased two steers; one for a local show in June and one for the N.C. State Fair that I decided to bring back home to sell as quarters and halves. Since I began doing that, I have put my knowledge of feeding steers and marketing beef to consumers to the test.

Also stemming from my livestock projects, I began my personal cattle herd in 2011. Today, I have a small herd of ten commercial cattle that I plan to expand. Having a small herd, I have been pushed out of my comfort zone while having to focus more on the production side of cattle rather than the show ring. Marketing my show steers and growing my own herd have allowed me to apply the knowledge I have learned while also learning through my own experiences.

While student teaching in high school, my eyes have been opened to the world of education, and I believe that all individuals need a chance to learn no matter where they are from. My interest isn’t just to teach future generations the importance of science and agriculture to our world but to educate them about the cattle industry. Following graduation, I intend to start a career as an agricultural teacher, hopefully on a middle or high school level. To this day, my grandfather’s continual support and commitment to the agriculture industry have been the Foundation for my interest in agriculture and my drive to stay involved in the industry through education. While teaching, I hope to diversify my school and develop a show team to hopefully ignite young people’s passion for the cattle industry.

As I continue my education at N.C. State University, I am very thankful for receiving this scholarship because it will help me pursue my career of becoming a teacher and showing future generations the importance of the cattle industry.

Marcie Harward

The beef industry has been in my blood ever since I was born. My earliest memories involve my family on the farm or working with livestock. My family owns a livestock auction barn that I went to every week, and on weekends, I would be with my father checking and feeding cattle. I attended cattlemen’s education conferences with my family and was eager to help in any way possible when it came to the farm. In 2006, my family started showing cattle at local, state, and eventually national competitions. My sisters and I quickly grew very passionate about this segment of the cattle industry, so in 2009 we started developing our own herd of cattle focusing on purchasing high quality, registered cattle. While my parents own their personal set of cattle, this herd was and currently still is owned and managed by my sisters and me. We talked with many other purebred cattle producers to learn about the industry and to prepare ourselves for this large endeavor. In 2019, we held our first production sale and held our second one in January of 2022, selling Angus, Simmental, Charolais, and Red Angus bulls and females. Through these sales, we have sold cattle to three states and over 100 cattle producers. A goal of ours is to increase the herd to 400 cows within the next ten years and increase our genetic improvements every year.

One of my career aspirations is to be able to return home to continue improving and expanding my family’s business. I am working towards my major in agricultural business management to help me achieve this goal. I want to learn how to make our businesses the most successful that they can be through learning about financial planning, marketing, economics, human resources, and more. The most rewarding part of our business is seeing how our decisions and hard work can benefit our customers, and I want to continue this objective. However, not only do I aspire to improve my family’s business, but I also have a passion for animal reproduction and genetics.

Along with studying agricultural

business management, I plan to further my range of education by studying animal science and taking pre-vet courses. I have always found animal reproduction fascinating and hope to become an embryologist that specializes in large animals. I want to help improve the ways in which we handle cattle and study how we can best utilize reproduction management in beef cattle. I hope to one day set up my own reproduction facility as this service is not easily accessible in our area. I want to be able to help other farmers gain access to this service that can help them in their own businesses.

I am very grateful and honored to be a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship. I am grateful for the support of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship has provided me and the endless opportunities they provide for juniors just like me all across the state. I am attending N.C. State University, pursuing my bachelor’s degree and, hopefully, down the road, a master’s degree. This scholarship will help me further my education and achieve my career goals. As seen above, I have a long road ahead of me, and I am grateful that an opportunity like this is available to help make my goals a reality.

in 2005 when I was only four years old, and I have now been showing cattle consistently at state and national events for over 14 years. I attend approximately twenty shows a year, including shows in North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Colorado, Maryland, West Virginia, and other states depending on that year’s show schedule. I am also involved in the N.C. Junior Angus, Simmental, and Charolais Associations, as well as the National Junior Angus, Simmental, and Charolais Associations. My involvement in showing cattle taught me a great deal and influenced many other aspects of my life as well. After we started showing cattle, my sisters and I decided to start our own purebred cattle herd. Although we are eighth generation cattle producers, we are first generation seed stock producers, and the venture into the seed stock industry has proven to be an adventure.

Since we began our purebred herd, we have expanded to 80 head of purebred cattle, which is maintained completely by my sisters and me. My twin sister and I currently manage the daily care of the whole herd and the management of the show heifers. In 2019 we started our own annual production sale in which we have sold bulls and replacement females in three states and to over 100 people. Within the next ten years, we hope to expand our purebred operation to 400 head of cattle and have two production sales a year selling bulls, open females, and bred females.

Since my family is aging out of the junior division of showing cattle, we also focus on selling show heifers to other 4-H and FFA members and assisting them with their show heifer projects. Showing cattle opened many doors for my sisters and me and allowed us to travel the country, experience new places, and meet many new people. We learned a greater sense of responsibility, obtained a better work ethic, and learned the importance of having integrity in what we do. I hope to be able to help other juniors experience these same things to help them succeed in whatever path they choose.

Mattie Harward

My passion for taking care of animals began at an early age on my family’s farm in Richfield, North Carolina. While I was growing up, my family had various types of animals - everything from our pet dogs to our larger animals, such as cattle, horses, and pigs. From an early age, I was involved in many aspects of learning how to properly treat and care for these animals. This developed into a passion of mine for how to properly tend to the animals that are entrusted to our care. While I have enjoyed being involved in sports, school activities, and community events, it was working with these animals, and the cattle in particular, that I developed the most interest.

I started showing cattle with my sisters

I am very thankful and grateful to be a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship. This scholarship will help me further continue my education as I will be attending N.C. State University. I am pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management and a minor in animal science with a concentration in animal nutrition. In the future, I hope to be able to use these degrees to manage my family’s purebred and commercial cattle herds and also to work in the industry helping other farmers with animal nutrition. This scholarship is not only helping me attend school to receive my undergraduate degree but has helped provide an opportunity for me to have the option to also receive a master’s degree. I appreciate everything that the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation does for

Marcie Harward

Mattie Harward

this industry, and I am honored to be a part of this organization. Thank you for allowing me to be one of the recipients of this year’s scholarships.

Brittany Holyfield

When asked to write an article about my interest in agriculture, cattle, and what the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship means to me, I naturally think of the word passion. Agriculture is a shared passion of my parents, and it was one of the very first things they immersed my brother and me into. I grew up on a farm, and it was on that farm that I learned firsthand about the everchanging highs and lows of agriculture. However, it is in my agricultural pursuits that I have found my greatest joy, some of the best people I have and will ever know, and a reason to stay persistent through the lows that will undoubtedly come.

Cattle was one of the first endeavors that helped solidify my passion for agriculture, and it is inevitably the reason I am here today with an overwhelming desire to both do and learn more about the industry that has helped shape me. Cattle allowed me a door into agriculture like never before. Before, agriculture to me was simply riding around farming with my dad, and I will forever be grateful for those experiences I had because of him, but cattle helped me find my passion. I found people who were the same age and gender as me that were just as passionate and knowledgeable about agriculture. It was through showing cattle that I found a place that I belonged and wanted to be a part of.

Finding my place and being passionate about agriculture made me want to learn more and pushed me to pursue other agricultural avenues. It was while pursuing other animal industries that I learned the importance of advocacy, and I quickly learned that I wanted to be a part of educating others. I believe wholeheartedly that agriculture is our most important industry, and it deserves

to be protected. It is that knowledge that leads me to where I am today.

I feel an overwhelming responsibility to both those that have come before me and those that will come after me. I have a responsibility to share and teach others about my passion because of those that were willing to teach me. It is because of those teachers and other agriculturalists that I am able to have the resources available to me to pursue a degree in Agricultural Education from N.C. A&T State University, but also, I have a responsibility to the industry that has brought me so much joy and so many life lessons. It deserves my determination and best to help preserve it for the next generation. It is my hope and plan to become a high school agriculture teacher and FFA advisor in order to do my part in teaching the next generation of agriculturalists. So, when I am asked what the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship means to me, there are not enough words because just having the opportunity to tell someone else about agriculture seems like the biggest opportunity of all. But, if I must put it into words, I am grateful and pleasantly surprised that a group of cattlemen would take an interest in me and my education.

including dairy judging, poultry judging, livestock judging, and cattle working. I was also an officer for three of the four years while being the president in my senior year. I placed second in the state for the dairy production proficiency award. My dairy judging team placed first in the state in March and 12th at nationals in October in Indianapolis. As an individual, I placed in the gold division. I also represented North Carolina 4-H at the 2018 National Dairy Conference in Madison, Wis., at the World Dairy Expo.

My plan after I finish my education is to work in production agriculture. I plan to return to Iredell County, where I can work as an agronomist full time while also working on my family’s farm on the side. I enjoy watching the growth in agriculture as it takes patience and time to produce a product.

I would like to thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for supporting me and the future of agriculture. I am very honored to receive this scholarship and will use this to improve my knowledge in the agriculture industry. This is one step closer for me as I continue to thrive in this industry.

Abbegail King

My name is Lance Johnson, and I am from Statesville, North Carolina. I am a senior at N.C. State University majoring in B.S. in agricultural science. During my life, I have been very active in the agricultural industry as I grew up and worked on my family’s dairy farm. On our farm, we milked around 175 Holsteins and grow most of our forages. I also showed Holstein heifers at local shows and at the N.C. State Fair. I continue to stay close to the family farm even though we no longer have a dairy operation. I help manage our row crop and hay operation while also looking after our small Angus herd.

During high school, I was a very active member and leader of my FFA Chapter. I competed in many CDE events over the years,

I am a second year double major in geology and anthropology at Clemson University’s Honors College. I have been involved in 4-H since 2016 and have participated in local, state, and national level events in dairy judging, showmanship, and quiz bowl. I hope to go into research and academia and have an interest in comparative medicine concerning livestock as models. I am currently involved in a project through Chapman Lab at Clemson, which uses chickens to uncover information about ankylosing spondylitis, a degenerative bone disease.

After completing my degree programs at Clemson, I hope to continue to eventually obtain my Ph.D. I am very thankful for the experiences I have gained through participating in 4-H livestock activities, as they have provided me with valuable skills which I will use for the remainder of my college career.

Regan Mitchem

It is with great gratitude that I thank the scholarship selection committee and N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Board of Directors for allowing me to be a recipient of a 2022-2023 N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship. I am honored to have this opportunity to continue my education this academic year.

My involvement in the N.C. 4-H Livestock Program and the N.C. and National Jr. Hereford Associations has built my passion for animal agriculture. The impact these organizations have had on me is reflected in my chosen areas of study at college and my future career plans. Growing up on a farm, showing livestock, competing in 4-H livestock judging, and participating in leadership events and contests through the N.C. and National Junior Hereford Associations have taught me responsibility, leadership, and hard work. These organizations work to develop the next generation of leaders in the livestock industry and have provided me with knowledge and firsthand experience within this industry.

When asked to think about my future, there is no doubt that my plans have a foundation in animal agriculture. This year I will be a senior at N.C. State University. I am double majoring in animal science and nutrition science. My decision to major in animal science was easy, considering my aspirations to attend veterinary school in the future. I have recently been accepted into the Food Animal Scholars Program at N.C. State University, where I will continue down the pathway to becoming a food animal veterinarian in the coming years. I am looking forward to where my educational path will lead me.

In parallel with my academic and career plans, I am excited to see the beef cattle sector of my family’s farm expanding. My family and I have been working to develop a quality set of functional and attractive registered Hereford cattle. We have taken to using reproductive tactics of artificial insemination, embryo transfer, and in-vitro fertilization as tools to help us reach our goals.

I feel excited about the road ahead of me and confident that the livestock

Brittany Holyfield

Lance Johnson

Abbegain King

Lance Johnson

Regan Mitchem

industry is where I belong. I am thankful to have the support of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation with this scholarship as it will relieve financial expenses along my path to reaching my goals. It is an honor to be a N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship recipient.

about and fell in love with agriculture. Being raised on a farm has shaped my personality and lifestyle through many lessons and experiences. My family currently owns a cow/calf operation that focuses on improving the genetics of our herd through cow/calf reproduction. This atmosphere has taught me to be a hardworking and determined individual in all I am involved in. Being actively involved on the family farm has also allowed me to discover my passion for large breed animals and the intriguing aspects of veterinary medicine.

Kayla Norris

My name is Kayla Norris, and I am deeply honored to have been chosen as a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship for the 20222023 academic school year. I would like to express my gratitude by thanking the hardworking members of the scholarship committee and board of directors. Thank you for contributing to a purpose that allows students like myself to represent agriculture and the exceptional opportunities the industry has to offer.

I was born and raised in the small town of Elizabethtown, N.C., where I learned

I carefully planned my academic and extracurricular activities to place me in a position to attend N.C. State University in the fall of 2022. Due to my careful planning and usage of my local resources, I graduated high school with a high school diploma, an associate’s in science, and an associate’s in arts degree. These accomplishments were made possible by my incredible support system and will allow me to accelerate my long term goals and plans.

My future plans involve attending N.C. State University to earn my bachelor’s degree in animal science and then later pursue a doctorate in veterinary medicine degree. These educational degrees will allow me to return to my hometown and provide much needed large animal veterinary medical services.

Experiences such as raising bottle calves and goat kids, assisting with complicated labor, or nurturing a calf with weak legs have shown me my compassion for animals. As a large breed veterinarian, there are so many ways that I can contribute to my community

and local farmers by using my knowledge to combat illness and injury. Caring for animals on our farm has fostered a deep appreciation for the value of livestock and the importance of safeguarding their health. Observing the quick and saving interventions of veterinarians has shown me the impact that veterinarians have on the present and future commodities of an operation. I now thoroughly understand the importance of their work and the impact they have on the agriculture industry. With this understanding, I am ready to put forth the work and contribute to my community in the same way.

Throughout my high school career, I have contributed to my community and the agriculture industry through extracurricular activities. I served as the West Bladen High School student body vice president and the FFA president of my school’s chapter. I also contributed to agriculture outside of school through activities such as collaborating with the N.C. Cooperative Agricultural Extension office in Elizabethtown on projects like Ag’Em Up Day and Farm to Fork summer camp. I am very passionate about my community’s agriculture and ensuring that people understand the importance and impact it has.

The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation has made it possible for me to continue my education and leadership by providing me with this scholarship. My chosen career involves many years in college and an unfortunate amount of college bills. With granted assistance from scholarships, I will be able to avoid a percentage of the debt associated with earning a veterinary medicine degree. Resources like the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation will play an important part in the achievement of my academic and professional goals by allowing me to put my plans into action in a timely and efficient manner.

facts you would find plastered on one of the animal stalls at the state fair. That’s all it used to mean to me, too, until I found myself working the “mooternity” booth as an assignment for my animal science class. This might sound like an awful experience, but as the girl who took her first steps onto a farm at 14, I was left speechless. I couldn’t figure out if it were the way the calves stood up just an hour after birth or how the whole process happened in just seconds. That was one of the defining moments of my high school career - the moment that’s solely responsible for why I’m writing this article right now. My name is Ashlyn Ramsey, and I am one of the recipients of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year. This is the story of how I discovered my passion for animal science.

Despite growing up in one of the most rural Western Carolina communities, my agricultural testimony is quite different from my peers. The closest I got to “farm life” was watching local cow pastures out the car window as a child. With a mom as a vet tech, I became set on the idea of working in animal science as a career at a young age. However, I didn’t know that this meant much more than just small animal care. It wasn’t until my first animal science class freshman year that I realized livestock production to be the admirable industry that it is today. I quickly got to work memorizing all sorts of livestock and farming facts to come home and recite to my parents.

At the time, my parents thought it was just a phase. No one in our family had ever worked in agriculture before, making it seemingly impossible for me to become a part of the industry myself. I began to convince myself of the same thing, making similar excuses, until my ag teacher proved me wrong. A former animal science major herself, she began to set goals for me that I had refused to set for myself. Goals like deworming, trimming hooves, and tagging the school Boer goats. Last summer, my love for the industry drove me to Clemson’s Veterinary Science camp, where I visited my first dairy farm.

On

Ashlyn Ramsey

Suddenly, all the animal facts that I had memorized came to life. I watched, mesmerized, as the cows standing before me loaded into the automatic dairy parlor - each with a matching identification collar around its neck. A little while later, I witnessed the magic of bottle feeding baby calves and discovered the purpose of calf hutches. I began to think back to the “mooternity booth” where my agricultural journey started. My mind became set on working in dairy production and becoming a part of the one percent responsible for feeding our nation.

Upon conducting further research, I discovered that N.C. State University has

Kayla Norris

Ashlyn Ramsey

an animal science program in which they use their dairy herd to make the renowned “Howling Cow” ice cream. With my passion for dairy products only continuing to grow, it is my dream to one day be a part of N.C. State University’s dairy unit. As excited as I am for such future opportunities, I know none of it would be possible without the assistance of scholarships like this one. The encouragement this scholarship has provided me is a feeling I hope all students across America get to experience at least once in their lifetime - a feeling that someone believes in you, in your dream. I am sincerely grateful for this opportunity and the effect that it has had on my agricultural testimony. Your investment is guaranteed to contribute to changing the face of agriculture in our beautiful Tarheel state.

reverse the effects of climate change on our planet. My agricultural experiences and academic career have prepared me for this fight.

I want to be on the front lines leading the charge to a better life for my children. I am very thankful to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for awarding me a scholarship to study food science at N.C. State University, where I can learn from industry leaders how to best reduce the future cost of food…both to consumers and on our planet.

take care of the animals in the barn during class. The barn was where I always wanted to be during class because it allowed my passion for livestock to soar. As my animal science classes continued, I started volunteering to take care of the animals on the weekend as well because I lived near the school, and it was something that I enjoyed doing. Throughout the rest of my time in high school, I became an FFA officer and started taking part in career development events (CDEs) such as livestock judging, poultry judging, and showing livestock. When I showed livestock, I showed beef heifers through fairs all throughout North Carolina, and this is where my passion for cattle really began. When showing livestock, I would work with the animals months in advance to prepare them for the shows. When working with the cattle, everything clearly came into view in that I would spend the rest of my life dedicated to working with livestock in the agriculture industry.

meat and dairy health, and filling the void in my community due to large animal veterinarian shortages. My perseverance in overcoming cancer has shown me how my drive can help me be successful in life, education, and my desired profession. This scholarship from the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation has provided me with the financial assistance and encouragement I needed at just the right time.

Being raised in a livestock production and processing family, I have experienced the political effects of agriculture and the societal divide that occurs when addressing various production methods. As a World Food Prize presenter, a Borlaug Scholar, and a future food science major, I have a passion for changing the world through agriculture. I believe a more sustainable food system that embraces the livestock industry is paramount for feeding our growing global population.

As a seven year FFA member, every time I walked into an interview room or competition, I did so with the intent of rising up the ladder toward my dreams. Serving as a regional officer taught me the importance of communication and maintaining my composure when collaborating with other members or presenting a workshop virtually. In addition, my encounters with agricultural leaders at the Perry & Doris Teeter Beef Leadership Institute and my enhanced research skills through various FFA extemporaneous contests affirmed that we must embrace both all production methods while also seeking innovative alternatives for the future. I believe in regenerative agriculture and its ability to

Meredith Simpson

My name is Meredith Simpson, and I am a senior at N.C. State University. I am a double major at N.C. State University, majoring in both poultry science and animal science, with a minor in extension education. I believe that by double majoring in both poultry and animal science, I will gain adequate experience in all fields of livestock. My goal is to graduate with dual degrees and adequate livestock experience so I can become an extension agent. My long term career goals include becoming an extension agent and getting my master’s degree in extension education and possibly having my own herd of cattle one day. Throughout this past year, I have enjoyed my time in all my classes and being involved in extracurricular activities on campus, such as Poultry Science Club and Delight Student Ministries. In the summer of 2022, I will be serving as a cooperative extension intern for Stanly County, which is my home county.

Throughout my life, I have always been an avid lover of livestock and learning more about their purpose in the agriculture industry. Although I did not grow up on a farm, I became highly involved in FFA all throughout high school. I took many of the agriculture classes that were offered while I was in high school, and my agriculture teacher would bring beef cattle to stay at the school barn. My agriculture teachers started to notice how I would always be the first person to take the initiative to

I am very thankful to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for awarding me a scholarship for the 2022-2023 school year. This scholarship is greatly appreciated in decreasing the financial burden on my college career. In decreasing the financial burden, I will have more time to focus on extracurricular activities and more time to focus on my academics. Thank you for your support with this scholarship and for being invested as I reach for success. Thank you so much for this opportunity, and I will do my best to be an advocate for the future of agriculture.

My passion for animals and agricultural related studies has been obvious over the course of my life. I have been active with horses and, over the last few years, have become more involved with cattle, goats, and sheep. I have participated in the career and technical animal science education program at Mount Pleasant High School as well as FFA to grow my knowledge and experience while preparing me for the future. I have made the most of volunteer opportunities helping out at dairy farms and working with my friend to assist with the care of her small beef and dairy herd as well as her breeding goat herd. I also have worked with a veterinarian doing pregnancy checks by hand, where we checked over 50 head of cattle. I also earned my beef quality management certificate and participated in dairy judging and cattle working contests in addition to showing sheep and goats. I plan to complete my undergraduate studies in animal science at N.C. State University, en route to attaining my goal of becoming a veterinarian.

I truly believe I can be part of something much bigger as I continue my education and community involvement. College will be challenging, yet I know I will succeed because my life has been one of perseverance and resilience. Not too many years ago, it was doubtful I would achieve academic success or even be alive. Now, I am here, ready to take on tomorrow.

Angel Thompson

My lifelong dream has been that of becoming a large animal veterinarian. My living room even became a treatment area for my large stuffed animals when I was confined to my home while on cancer treatments early in life. My hope is that I can somehow make a difference in the agricultural and animal science fields while preserving the future of agriculture, improving large animal care, promoting

Shade Wilbanks

Shade Wilbanks

My name is Shade Wilbanks, and I am from a small, rural community in Western North Carolina called Pisgah Forest. I live on my family’s fifth generation Red Poll cattle farm and have a passion for agriculture

Caden Robinette

Meredith Simpson

Angel Thompson

Caden Robinette

running through my veins. Cattle have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. From the pictures of me at age two sitting on and feeding our docile bull to me as a senior in high school showing cattle at the N.C. State Fair for the Brevard FFA Chapter. Because of my love for agriculture, I have decided the next steps to take in life are going into a career that allows me to advocate for this industry every day. I am currently attending the University of Mount Olive pursuing a degree in agricultural education and agribusiness.

I see teaching as an opportunity to help improve farming in my community, state, and nation. I hope to use my position to spread knowledge and facts about the beef industry across the state of North Carolina through workshops and county association meetings. Membership in the Transylvania County Cattlemen’s Association has helped my family’s farm become successful, and we have learned many new things. I hope to introduce my future students to the things I have been taught about cattle alliances, deworming, and field rotation to help keep their family farms afloat during these difficult and ever changing times in agriculture.

Upon graduating from college and starting life on my own, I would like to continue my family’s cattle legacy. The cattle I have part ownership of are from the same line my great-great grandfather had. He passed the first born heifer calf down to the first born grandson. The heifer gifted to the first grandson had to have a heifer in order for the next boy in line to receive a calf. This was how the inheritance of the Red Poll cattle went. My grandfather was the youngest of five boys, so he waited a long time to start his branch of the herd. My grandfather passed a calf down to my mother and then to me. This is something I take pride in. No matter where life takes me, I plan on keeping this rare, dual purpose breed of cattle in my herd. My grandfather was the one who instilled a love for cattle and agriculture in me. He passed away three years ago and did not get to see the great strides I’ve made while becoming a young adult. However, I know that by keeping the herd going strong and passing it down to my children, I can keep his memory alive for years to come.

Being chosen to receive this scholarship means I can continue my education and focus on my classes and workload. It means that I will not have the constant thought of “how am I ever going to pay off my tuition” in the back of my mind. I can enjoy my college experience without having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. I can continue showing cattle throughout college and being involved in clubs with students who share the same likes as me. The N.C. Cattlemen’s

Foundation scholarship means I can continue showing my never ending support and advocating for agriculture throughout my adult life and have a positive impact on future generations of agriculturists. I am beyond grateful for the scholarship I have received, and I thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for their support and investment in my education and future.

I was raised on my family’s farm in Alamance County, North Carolina. In the past, we had a Holstein dairy farm operation, but we sold our dairy herd in 2018. Currently, we are a grain farm and a registered Angus seed stock operation. From a young age, I spent my days following along behind my dad and papaws as they worked, and they would give me small jobs to do. My dad, papaw, and great papaw had plenty to teach me! I soaked up their lessons and applied them to the jobs they made me responsible for doing. My role on the farm has evolved from tag along to employee as I have aged. My responsibilities are greater, and my knowledge has expanded with experience and education. I have even started a small herd of registered Angus of my own. I enjoy studying the EPD numbers and the phenotypes of each individual animal to try to make the next generation better than the last when breeding.

In addition to working on my family’s farm, I have grown up participating in 4-H dairy judging and dairy cattle shows all across our state. I have exhibited at the N.C. State Fair dairy cattle show for many years, and I have won first place dairy cattle showman three times. I have also been a member of my high school FFA all throughout high school. Through FFA, I have competed in dairy judging, dairy handling, and shooting sports competitions.

As I entered my high school years, I began to think about ways I could expand on the lessons I learned about farming growing up and how I could make improvements for the future of

our farm. One of the lessons I learned was that we have to take care of our resources, our land, and livestock so they will continue to yield. I became interested in how I could expand this concept of taking care of our resources to taking care of natural resources as well. My agricultural background led me to an interest in wildlife, conservation, and sustainability. At N.C. State University, I intend to learn more about how farmers can utilize their land for profitability using sustainable methods that will conserve the environment and benefit the natural wildlife of the area. As I learn more about this subject, I intend to implement more sustainable methods of farming on my family farm. I intend to be a leader within my community by practicing conservation and sustainable farming that maintains profitability. It is my goal to preserve the family farm and conserve the natural environment for future generations. After graduating from college, I plan to continue to keep a herd of registered black Angus cows. It is my goal to continue breeding more maternal based cattle with stronger phenotypes improving the breed.

In a time when the small family farm is disappearing from the landscape of America, I have made it my goal to attend college and gain an education that will prepare me to implement new ideas and methods that will move my small family farm into the future. I hope that in the future I will be able to teach my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren lessons in farming and give them small jobs around the farm that lead them to an interest in a future in agriculture. I hope that I will be able to inspire their generation to think of ways in which they can expand on the ideas of my generation to continue to preserve the family farm and conserve the natural environment.

I have big plans for my future that will come at a financial cost. The cost of tuition and fees at N.C. State University for the next four years is much greater than my parents, and I can afford on my own. The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship will help me attain my goals by making the education I need to pursue my career more affordable for myself and my family. I would like to sincerely thank the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation board of directors and all of its members for selecting me to receive this scholarship. I am grateful to the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation for investing in my future at N.C. State University. I am determined to honor your faith in me by maintaining academic excellence and good character.

Mary Wood

Greetings! My name is Mary Wood, and I am from Willow Spring, North Carolina. I am honored to have been selected as a recipient of the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship for the 2022-2023 school year. Currently, I am a sophomore at Oklahoma State University, where I am pursuing a degree in agricultural communications with a minor in agribusiness.

Growing up, my family and I raised Angus cattle. At the age of nine, I began to show cattle at the local, state, and national levels. From my involvement with the family farm and many different organizations, I grew to love and appreciate the cattle industry. From then on, I worked to advocate for our industry through 4-H, FFA, and the N.C. Junior Angus Association. This industry has not only given me a multitude of opportunities but also taught me the importance of hard work and determination. It is because of my involvement with the cattle industry in North Carolina that I have been set up for a successful future.

Currently, I am working towards completing my bachelor’s degree in agriculture communications. When I am not working on my studies, I am busy traveling for various cattle shows. I also travel as the 2022 Miss American Angus. Through this opportunity, I am able to represent the Angus breed and the beef cattle industry. I hope to intern for a livestock marketing company in order to expand my knowledge of livestock publications and photography. In the future, I hope to be able to use my skill set in order to open my own livestock publication business. I plan to use this to advocate for the beef cattle industry and give back to North Carolina agriculture.

None of this would be possible without the help and support I have received from the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation. I am honored with the opportunity to represent the N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation through the acceptance of this scholarship. This scholarship allows me to continue my education with support from an organization that means so much to me.

Chase Williard

Mary Wood

Chase Williard

I was raised in rural Davie County, N.C., where my family sustained a small herd of Angus and Hereford cattle as a part time job. My parents and grandparents migrated to North Carolina in the mid-1990s from Long Island, New York. As you can imagine, there were not many beef cattle roaming around on Long Island, so when they moved down here, they were in for a culture shock. My grandfather wanted a retirement hobby, so he found himself dabbling in the beef cattle industry. Beef cattle have been my primary focus in agriculture for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I had my mind set on being a large animal veterinarian for rural North Carolina. When I started my academic career at N.C. State University, I wanted to branch out from cattle since that was all I had grown up with and become a well rounded animal scientist. I began volunteering at the small ruminant educational unit on campus, which quickly snowballed into a job and a graduate school opportunity.

I graduated from N.C. State University with my bachelor’s of science in animal science in 2021. I found my passion in research and academia, so I pivoted my career towards graduate school and started pursuing a master’s of science in animal science. My research focus is currently exploring the impact of genetic and environmental interactions in Katahdin lambs divergently selected for fecal egg count (FEC). I am currently utilizing the C-Lock Super SmartFeed System to evaluate the effect of a 60 day supplementation trial on parasitism and growth in lambs post weaning. Approximately half the lambs have been bred for extremely high FEC Estimated Breeding Value (EBV), which are considered susceptible lambs and the other half bred for extremely low FEC EBV (resistant lambs). Within each of these selected lines, lambs were randomly assigned to one of two supplementation

groups. One group was fed at two percent body weight in standard trough feeders while on pasture, and the other group was provided ad libitum feed access via the Smart Feeder on a feedlot housing system in addition to a round bale. Throughout the trial period, FEC, weights, anemia status, and FAMACHA scores were monitored. At the end of the study, growth measurements were collected, breeding status monitored, and an economic evaluation was completed to determine the cost of supplementation relative to the improvement in lamb performance. In conclusion, the trial results suggest that selecting for low FEC EBV and housing lambs in a feedlot for 60 days post weaning mitigates parasitism, and lambs housed in a feedlot have increased growth rates. Conception also increased by 23 percent when lambs are housed on a feedlot post weaning compared to pasture.

While this research is currently on sheep, much of what I study can be translated into the beef cattle industry. I am interested in furthering our understanding of how parasites can be mitigated through genetic selection and nutritional supplementation. There are plenty of opportunities and benefits to incorporating small ruminants into cattle operations. The parasites that commonly infect small ruminants do not infect cattle. Therefore, co-grazing can mitigate parasitism in both species. Small ruminants can add value to a cattle operation in many different capacities. Multi-species grazing is a great way to introduce sheep into a cattle herd. Sheep can be combined with a cattle herd on a 1:1 ratio with no detrimental effects on pasture health. Marketing opportunities and cash flow both increase on a diversified, multi-species operation since small ruminants tend to be more productive relative to their body weight. Think of production efficiency in terms of pounds marketed from offspring relative to pounds of dam body weight. A calf tends to weigh 40-60 percent of a cow’s body weight, while the litter weight of twins or triplets tends to be 50-100 percent of the ewe’s body weight. Introducing sheep to a herd of cattle is a great way to boost additional revenue on your farm.

Upon completion of my master’s program, I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in ruminant genetics and nutrition. I am incredibly excited and interested in combining my experience in the sheep industry with the beef cattle industry to focus on mixed species nutrition and genetic interactions. Thanks to this award, I am able to travel across the country to gain more experience within the sheep and cattle industry. This is a tremendous

opportunity for me to gain more professional connections and become a well rounded animal scientist. Through this award’s funding, I am gaining new perspectives from different systems and universities across the country. I look forward to representing the cattle industry and animal agriculture as a whole in my future academic and professional endeavors.

2023-2024 Scholarship Applications

The N.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation is still receiving applications for undergraduate scholarships and graduate student travel funding for the 2023-2024 academic year. This is the fourth year the Foundation will award scholarships to students who are North Carolina residents. However, they are still eligible if they are attending college in another state.

The applications for both

scholarships and graduate student travel are available on the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association website homepage. Completed applications must be submitted online from www.nccattle.com/ resources/nccf-scholarship . However, printable versions are available to assist you in gathering information for your applications. If applicants are unable to submit completed applications online, they must contact Casey Hinnant at mail@nccattle.com for other accommodations. All applications are due by 12:00 midnight EST on January 15.

Applications will be reviewed and recommended for NCCF board approval at its meeting in February. Awards will be announced after that meeting.

Questions regarding the application process can be addressed to Dr. Roger Crickenberger at 919-464-5636 or at cricks4@mac.com

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.

Nicole Valliere

Nicole Valliere

Josey Agency, Inc.

March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas

Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales — Stockyard Schedules

N.C. Angus Association Directory

N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Membership Application

N.C. Hereford Association Directory

N.C. Meat Suite

N.C. Simmental Association

National Beef Checkoff/ North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Membership Application

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Membership Benefits ................ 60

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Membership Recruitment ......... 59

Nationwide® AgriBusiness Insurance — The Wills Agency ..................... 90

Nationwide® AgriBusiness Insurance — The Wills Agency ..................... 48 Nufarm — Grassmanship Scholarship .................................................... 76

Palmetto Fresh Meat ................................................................................. 24

Pasture Management & N.C. Cattlemen’s Association “Mile of Fence” Membership Program .................................................. 75

Pearson Livestock Equipment

ANGUS

Jan. 7 — 14th Annual EBS Select Bull & Heifer Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Jan. 14 — Baxley Family Farms Annual Production Sale, Georgetown, S.C.

Jan. 28 — Tokeena Angus Bull & Female Sale, Seneca, S.C.

Feb. 4 — 47th Annual Clemson Bull Sale, Clemson, S.C.

Feb. 9 — 30th Annual UGA Focus on Genetically Enhanced EPDs Sale, Athens, Ga.

Feb. 11 — Black Crest Farm 25th Annual Production Sale, Sumber, S.C.

Feb. 18 — Yon Family Farms Spring Sale, Ridge Spring, S.C.

Feb. 25 — Saluda County Cattlemen’s Association 31st Annual Replacement Heifer Sale, Saluda, S.C.

Mar. 4 — Barnett Angus Ranches Spring Production Sale, Washington, Ga.

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

VENTS

Sep. 30 — Biltmore Angus Field Day & Fall Sale, Asheville, N.C.

Nov. 4 — SimAngus Solution 15th Annual Sale, Burlington, N.C.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

BRANGUS

Feb. 25 — Hunt’s H+ Brangus Bull & Female Sale, Calhoun ,Ga.

GELBVIEH

Feb. 4 — 47th Annual Clemson Bull Sale, Clemson, S.C.

Feb. 18 — Locust Hill Cattle Company 2nd Annual Production Sale, Pelham, N.C. Feb. 18 — Yon Family Farms Spring Sale, Ridge Spring, S.C.

Feb. 25 — Saluda County Cattlemen’s Association 31st Annual Replacement Heifer Sale, Saluda, S.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.

HE IDE

An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100 percent.

The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, “Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.”

The gentleman replied, “Oh, I haven’t told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I’ve changed my will three times!”

* * *

One day long ago, a Czechoslovakian came to visit his friend in New York. When asked what he wanted to see the Czechoslovakian replied, “I would like to see one of the zoos in America.”

To his delight, the New Yorker took him to the zoo. While they were touring the zoo, and standing in front of the gorilla cage, one of the gorillas busted out of the cage and swallowed the Czech whole.

Shocked, his friend from New York quickly called over the zoo keeper. He quickly explained the situation and ask the zoo keeper what he planned to do. The zoo keeper asked the man, “Okay, which gorilla did it? Was it the male or the female?”

Pointing out the female as the culprit, the zoo keeper then opened up the mouth of the female, looked inside, but found no signs of the Czech.

With which the man from New York shrugged and said, “Guess the Czech is in the male.”

* * *

During a county-wide drive to round up all unlicensed dogs, a patrolman signaled a car to pull over to the curb. When the driver asked why he had been stopped, the officer pointed to the big dog sitting on the seat beside him and asked, “Does your dog have a license?”

“No,” the man said, “he doesn’t need one.”

“Yes he does,” answered the officer.

“But,” said the driver, “I always do all the driving.”

HEREFORD

Feb. 4 — 47th Annual Clemson Bull Sale, Clemson, S.C.

Feb. 9 — 30th Annual UGA Focus on Genetically Enhanced EPDs Sale, Athens, Ga.

Feb. 17 — White Hawk Ranch Beefmaker Bull Sale, Buchanon, Ga.

Feb. 25 — Saluda County Cattlemen’s Association 31st Annual Replacement Heifer Sale, Saluda, S.C. Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C. Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring Bull & Female, Red House, Va. 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.

RED ANGUS

Jan. 21 — Bull Hill Ranch 12th Annual “More Bull For Your Buck” Production Sale, Gray Court, S.C. Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

santa Gertrudis

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

SIMMENTAL

Jan. 14 — Baxley Family Farms Annual Production Sale, Georgetown, S.C. Feb. 4 — 47th Annual Clemson Bull Sale, Clemson, S.C. Feb. 9 — 30th Annual UGA Focus on Genetically Enhanced EPDs Sale, Athens, Ga. Feb. 25 — Saluda County Cattlemen’s Association 31st Annual Replacement Heifer Sale, Saluda, S.C. Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C. Oct. 21 — Fred Smith Company Ranch Extra Effort Fall Sale, Clayton, N.C.

Livestock market sales

Jan. 2 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Jan. 3 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Jan. 4 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Jan. 9 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Jan. 11 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Jan. 17 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Jan. 16 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Jan. 18 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Jan. 23 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Jan. 25 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Jan. 30 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Feb. 1 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Feb. 6 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Feb. 7 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Feb. 8 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Feb. 13 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Feb. 15 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Feb. 20 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Feb. 21 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com Feb. 22 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Feb. 27 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Mar. 1 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Mar. 6 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Mar. 7 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Mar. 8 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Mar. 13 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Mar. 15 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Mar. 20 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Mar. 21 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com Mar. 22 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C. Mar. 27 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C. Mar. 29 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

OTHER EVENTS

Jan. 8-11 — American Forage & Grasslan Council AFGC 2023, Winston-Salem, N.C.

Feb. 1-3 — National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention & Trade Show, New Orleans, La.

Feb. 1-3 — Southern Farm Show, Raleigh, N.C.

Feb. 3 — 2023 S.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting, Pendleton, S.C.

Feb. 24-25 — N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Conference, Hickory, N.C.