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Carter Ward Joins the American Angus Hall of Fame
The 20 and 19 Millionth Angus Registrations are Assigned. Milestone Angus Registration numbers are assigned by breeders to standout animals. The very first Angus animal was registered in 1883, and since then, the American Angus Association has registered more than 20 million Angus cattle over the years. Among the vast database of registrations that have built up, there have been a handful of milestone registration numbers that have been purchased and assigned by breeders to stock that show both phenotypic and genotypic excellence to set them apart from the rest.
“We typically do 300,000 registrations in a year, so it takes about three and a half years to amass enough registrations to reach another milestone registration,” said Jerry Cassady, director of member services at the American Angus Association. “These milestone registrations are a testament to the efforts and dedication of our membership to the Angus breed.”
Most recently, both the 20 millionth registration number and the 19 millionth registration number have been assigned. Both registration numbers were sold, and the funds raised went to support the Angus Foundation’s mission of education, youth, and research.
The 20 millionth registration number was purchased by Tom Burke of the American Angus Hall of Fame at the 2020 Angus Annual Meeting for $10,000. The registration number was recently assigned to SAV Scale House 0845, owned by Schaff Angus Valley in Saint Anthony, N.D.; TK Angus in Wood Lake, N.D., and Voss Angus in Dexter, Iowa.
“I purchased the 20 millionth registration for history’s sake,” said Burke. “I bought the 20 millionth registration because I knew the money went to the Angus Foundation; and the second reason was because I wanted to get it for a special bull. The notoriety this bull will have carrying the 20 millionth registration will always be something you can remember.”
SAV Scale House 0845 was the high selling bull in the Schaff Angus Valley Sale in February 2021. Burke said the registration milestone shows the stability of the Association since 1883 and demonstrates the growth of the breed.
The 19 millionth registration was purchased at the 2018 Angus Convention for $7,000 by Whitestone Farm, LLC. The registration number was then assigned to the bull Whitestone that was bred and owned by Whitestone Farm.
“We’ve raised many great bulls, but I felt this bull is the best we’ve ever raised,” said Mark Duffell, managing partner of Whitestone Farm. “Down the road we hope to buy another milestone registration number because we know what the Angus Foundation does for young people.”
As time passes, the number of Angus cattle will continue to rise and continue to prove the steadiness and importance of the breed to the beef industry. For more information on Angus cattle, visit www. Angus.org or to support the future of the breed, visit www.AngusFoundation.org.
Finding Balance — When Cow Nutrition and Performance Meet. As the cow has evolved over the years, so has her nutrient requirements. With time, change occurs, and advancements in the beef industry are made. Since the 1970s, carcass weights have increased on an average of six pounds per year, 80 percent of cattle are grading Choice or higher, and the environmental footprint has been reduced, all with the goal of meeting consumer demands and increasing the value of beef.
Today, cow performance and efficiency are higher than ever, and there are certain factors required to reach optimum production, said Wesley Moore, technical specialist at Cargill Animal Nutrition. Moore said the correct balance between cow nutrition and performance levels affects nutrient demands during the Cargill Animal Nutrition sponsored Angus University Webinar, “Evolution of the Cow, Evolution of Nutrition.”
The cow has changed drastically since the ‘50s, but Moore posed the question — “Are cows consuming the nutritional requirements needed to reach optimum performance?” These nutritional developments haven’t occurred by chance, as they have been the result of both genetic and mating decisions. Changing consumer needs have resulted in producers applying selection pressure
Carter Ward, a third generation Angus breeder from Plattsburg, Mo., has joined the American Angus Hall of Fame at Smithville, Missouri. Carter’s parents, Jack and Maryann Ward managed two successful Angus operations in Indiana while Carter was growing up, namely Three Rivers Angus and Maple Lane Angus. The Ward family now resides in Missouri, where their own operation, Ward Brothers Livestock, is a nationally recognized Angus herd.
Carter was active in the American Angus Association’s junior program, has a degree from Black Hawk College East Campus in Kewanee, Ill., and attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was on the livestock judging teams at both schools. Since then, he has served as an official judge at numerous shows, including the North American International Livestock Exposition. Carter has raised and exhibited Angus cattle at every level and is now very much involved in his new role at the American Angus Hall of Fame.
The American Angus Hall of Fame is located in Smithville, Missouri. It is the oldest sale management firm in the world, having been in business for 83 years and managing registered Angus auctions around the world. The American Angus Hall of Fame has conducted more than 10,000 Angus sales and is the home of the largest collection of Angus history anywhere in the world. Tom Burke and Kurt Schaff are excited to be working with Carter.
Carter can be reached on his cell phone at 816-261-0891 or at the office of the American Angus Hall of Fame at 816-532-0811.
in the areas of carcass weight, marbling, and milk. Due to these pressures, cows have different nutrient requirements compared to cows 30 years ago.
“What does that mean? From a nutrient standpoint that means our cow needs more groceries to perform at a higher level,” Moore said. “If we have selected for milk and on average, I believe we have, we increase demands for energy not only during lactation but specifically outside of lactation for maintenance of organ tissue.”
The nutrition program at any operation should reflect the producer’s specific selection pressures. When developing a nutrition program, Moore said the three factors producers need to grasp are: to know your cow, know your environment, and know your situation. He added, as cow requirements change based on performance, their nutritional needs change.
“With a bigger and more productive cow comes more cost, and if we are not gaining more revenue, we really need to change our business model,” he said. “Nutrition should not be a cost, rather it should be an investment.”
It is important producers select females and make mating decisions that both fit and perform specific to their environment while still using the resources they have available to reach optimum performance. Chances are the grass cows have grazed on since the inception of an operation has not changed.
Moore asked, “What are you doing different to fit those cows’ growing needs?”
“We can’t decide where we are going if we don’t know where we’ve been,” Moore said. As the cow continues to evolve, the challenge remains that nutrition programs evolve as well. For more information or to watch the Cargill sponsored Angus University Webinar, “Evolution of the Cow, Evolution of Nutrition, visit www.youtube.com/ watch?v=IUkPeNfN-wU&t=2s.
American Angus Association Names Retallick-Riley AGI President. AGI veteran promoted to lead company. The American Angus Association recently named Kelli Retallick-Riley president of Angus Genetics, Inc. (AGI). With a lifetime of experience in the cattle business, Retallick-Riley will lead the company’s genetic evaluation technology and research programs.
“Kelli has a unique ability to share complex animal breeding and genetics topics with cattlemen in an understandable way,” said Mark McCully, chief executive officer for the Association. “We are excited to have her progressive, energetic mind leading our innovation at AGI.”
Retallick-Riley has been an asset to AGI as the genetic and genomic programs director for AGI, where she coordinated research and application strategies for genetic and genomic technologies. Her education in animal breeding, combined with her practical cattle experience, gives Retallick-Riley a unique skill set and perspective to strategically advance AGI and the tools it provides to cattlemen.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to further advance AGI’s mission of providing the best tools and information possible for today’s breeders,” she said. “Innovation is happening at a rapid pace and AGI is poised to lead the industry.”
A Wisconsin native, RetallickRiley did her undergraduate work at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She followed with a master’s degree in animal breeding from Kansas State University and is currently in the final stages of completing her Ph.D. program, also from Kansas State University. Before coming to work for AGI in 2016, she worked for the American Gelbvieh Association.
Growing up in the Angus breed, Retallick-Riley was on the National Junior Angus Association Board of Directors. She is a frequent presenter on cattle industry programs, actively involved in the Beef Improvement Federation, serving on their Board of Directors, and has served as the past chairman of the Ultrasound Guidelines Council.
“Kelli has a passion for genetic improvement and the success of Angus breeders,” McCully said. “The future of AGI is in good hands.”
Retallick-Riley took the helm of AGI on June 28 as current AGI president Joel Cowley resigns to accept the chief executive officer role of Calgary Stampede. Cowley previously served in various leadership roles, including president and chief executive officer at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™.
Angus Means Business. The American Angus Association® is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving close to 25,000 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.
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4K FARMS/TARHEEL ANGUS Richard D. Kirkman, DVM Siler City 919-742-5500 info@tarheelangus.com
455 GORE FAMILY ANGUS Mark & Lori Gore Tabor City 702-401-8005 455goreangus@gmail.com www.455farms.com
BACK CREEK Joe & Robin Hampton Mt. Ulla 704-880-2488 (Joe); 704-880-3572 (Robin) robinbackcreek@att.net Facebook: Back Creek Angus
BB ORGANIC FARM NC, LLC Bob & Elissa Miller Louisburg 919-414-7753
BILTMORE ESTATE Kyle Mayberry - Manager Asheville 828-768-1956 livestock@biltmore.com www.biltmorelivestock.com
BRIDGES BEEF CATTLE Eddie, Cindy, John, & Crystal Bridges Shelby 704-692-2978 bridgesbeefcattle@gmail.com
BRITT FAMILY FARMS James Britt Calypso 919-738-6331 jrb4070@hotmail.com
C-CROSS CATTLE COMPANY Duane Strider Asheboro 336-964-6277 ccrosscattle@yahoo.com www.ccrosscattle.com
FOUR S FARMS Kim & Connie and Jason & Robin Starnes Luther Lyerly - Manager Salisbury 704-640-5875 kim-4sfarms@carolina.rr.com
G&G FAMILY FARMS Darren & Paul Gore Tabor City 843-458-2970 goreangus1@gmail.com goreangusfarms.com
GENTRY HOMEPLACE ANGUS Howard & Donna Gentry King 336-413-6698 whgentry@windstream.net
H&H FARMS Buddy & Jennifer Hamrick - Owners Bly Hamrick - Manager Boiling Springs 704-472-1912 jennham@bellsouth.net
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
KNOLL CREST FARM The Bennett Family Red House, VA 434-376-3567 knollcrest@knollcrestfarm.com www.knollcrestfarm.com
LANE ANGUS Roger & Bundy Lane Gates 252-357-1279 ritalane@embarqmail.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 Alex Askew Louisburg 919-880-9062 (Phil) 910-260-2899 (Alex) philgoodson2@gmail.com www.springfieldangus.com
TRIPLE LLL ANGUS Greg Little Monroe 704-219-1294 greg.little@ATImetals.com
UWHARRIE RIDGE FARMS Mark Wilburn Asheboro 336-953-0521 uwharrieridgefarms@gmail.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 336-549-0070 michaelmoss@rtmc.net
WINSLOW GENETICS Ben & Kathleen Winslow Halifax 252-578-5487 winslowgen@gmail.com
WOOD ANGUS FARM, LLC Russell Wood Willow Spring 919-275-4397 rwood4400@gmail.com www.woodangus.com
