The Carolina Cattle Connection - Volume 37, Issue No. 3 (MARCH 2023)

2023 South Carolina Sale Barn Cattle Receipts .................................................................... page 66

47th Annual Clemson Performance Tested Bull Sale Results, by Dr. Steven Meadows .... page 44

A Message from the CEO — 125 Years of the “Association of Associations,” by Colin Woodall ..................................................................................................................... page 71

Agriculture Council of America Announces 2023 National Ag Day ................................. page 52

Amazing Grazing — Improving Nutrient Distribution on Cattle Farms, by Johnny R. Rogers ................................................................................................................ page 16

American Hereford Association News .................................................................................. page 35

Animal Agriculture Alliance News ......................................................................................... page 26

Ashley’s Beef Corner — Making the Rounds, by Ashley W. Herring .................................. page 14

Beef Checkoff News .................................................................................................................. page 49

Beef Cuts and Recommended Cooking Methods ................................................................ page 50

BioZyme News ........................................................................................................................... page 58

Carolina Cooking — Irish Beef & Beer Stew .......................................................................... page 61

Case IH News .............................................................................................................................. page 64

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Update

— Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects New Officers at 2023 Winter Meetings .............. page 52 Dealing With High Grain Prices and a Short Hay Supply, by Tina Horn, Hillary Pope, Reid Miller, & Amber Starnes .................................................. page 66

Director’s Report — Spring into the Carolinas, by Travis Mitchell ....................................... page 3

E.B.’s View from the Cow Pasture — If I Hadn’t Seen It With My Own Eyes, I Wouldn’t Belive It, by E.B. Harris ...................................................................................... page 13

Federation of State Beef Councils Update ............................................................................. page 51

Genomic Testing and Its Uses in Beef Cattle, by Johnny R. Rogers & Felipe A.C.C. Silva ............................................................................ page 30

Have You Herd — What Mineral Best Suits Your Cattle?, by Brianna McLeese ............... page 20 Herd Management — Veterinarian Perspectives from the Birthing Barn - Part 1, by Tony Hawkins, DVM ........................................................................................................... page 24 Hubbard News ............................................................................................................................ page 53

Jazzed in New Orleans Recap .................................................................................................. page 72

John Deere News ........................................................................................................................ page 56

Livestock Marketing Association News ................................................................................. page 33

Merck News ... page 46

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association News ...................................................................... page 65

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President’s Report — Resilience and Reflection, by Don Schiefelbein ................................................................................................................ page 66

New NCCA Members for 2023 ................................................................................................. page 42

New WOTUS Rule Revived Decades of Uncertainty ........................................................ page 64

Norbrook News .......................................................................................................................... page 58

North American Limousin Foundation News ...................................................................... page 36

North Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ............................................................ page 53

Pasture Managment Systems, Inc. Mile of Fence Program Update ................................. page 41

Riomax 360 News ....................................................................................................................... page 54

S.C. Charolais Association News, by Georgeanne Webb ...................................................... page 47

South Carolina Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices ............................................................ page 54

The Chaplain’s Corral — The Rabbit and the Coyote, by T.W. Lawrence .......................... page 18

The Simmental Trail, by Jennie Rucker ..................................................................................... page 25

Trending in Food & Media ......................................................................................................... page 48 Valley Vet News ......................................................................................................................... page 62

You Decide!, by Dr. Mike Walden ............................................................................................. page 22

Zoetis News ... page 60

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

S.C. Cattlemen’s Association

Executive Director - TRAVIS MITCHELL

P.O. Box 207 • Saluda, SC 29138

Phone: 803-609-2828

Email: twmitch@clemson.edu

Website: www.sccattlemen.wildapricot.org

Executive Committee

President - Timmy Benton

1st Vice President - Joe Oswald IV

2nd Vice President - Gene Crim

Secretary - Carol Hendrix

Treasurer - Eric Seymour

Past President - Roscoe Kyle

William Brigman, Latta • Joe Oswald, IV, Allendale

Roscoe Kyle, Inman • Terry Kirkland, Batesburg

Eddie Evans, Easley • Cecil Eaddy, Manning

Thomas Legare, Johns Island • Richard Sox, Lexington

Carol Hendrix, Westminister • Clay Alexander, Starr

Timmy Benton, Walterboro • Michael Bailey, Lancaster

Bonnie Cann, Abbeville • Ashley Mills, Blair

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

Lee Haddon, Gaffney • Eric Seymour, Columbia

S.C. Beef Council

P.O. Box 11280 • Columbia, SC 29211

Phone: 803-917-1119

Email: scbeef@scda.sc.gov

Website: www.sccattle.org

The Carolina Cattle Connection

Vol. 37, No. 3 MARCH 2023

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

Phone: 919-552-9111

Fax: 919-552-9216

Email: mail@nccattle.com

Website: www.nccattle.com

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

STAFF

Manager, N.C. BRYAN BLINSON

Manager, S.C. TRAVIS MITCHELL

Editor & Advertising Director CASEY L. HINNANT

Assistant Editor & Proofreader KIM BURDGE

N.C. Circulation KIM BURDGE

S.C. Circulation TRAVIS MITCHELL

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

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

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

All address changes for NCCA members to:

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

All address changes for SCCA members to:

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

50th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity … page 11

Americn Angus Association News … page 12

Certified Angus Beef News … page 9

Learning By Doing Approach Sets Students Up For Success, by Cortnery Holshouser … page 6

Marcie Harward Makes Big Impact on the National Junior Angus Board of Directors, by Cortnery Holshouser … page 4

Director’s report

By TRAVIS MITCHELL, Executive Director, SCCA

Spring into the Carolinas

The spring season is in full swing across the Carolinas. It is such a joy and relief to see pastures greening up and cattle grazing.

Spring always brings optimism, which was evident in the beef cattle market outlook presentation given by Dr. Andrew Griffith at the S.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting. Cattle producers from across the state met at the T. Ed Garrison Cattle Complex on February 3 for this event. Dr. Griffith, an Extension Livestock Economist with the University of Tennessee, presented to the group a very favorable market outlook report that indicates higher cattle prices for the next two years.

Producers also enjoyed a presentation from State veterinarian Dr. Michael Neault. Dr. Neault presented on the Asian Longhorn Tick and educated producers regarding control measures and identification strategies.

The meeting concluded with a joint awards banquet with the Clemson Bull Test Program. Be on the lookout in next month’s issue of The Carolina Cattle Connection for photos and awards of excellence winners.

I would like to thank each of our Prime, Choice, and Select members for putting on an outstanding trade show and for their financial support in making the 2023 S.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting a huge success.

Spotlight on AngUS e Special Section f

Marcie Harward Makes Big Impact on the National Junior Angus Board of Directors

By CORTNEY HOLSHOUSER N.C. Angus Association

Marcie Harward, daughter of Marcus and Patty Harward, is a fifth generation cattle farmer and first generation Angus breeder from North Carolina. She and her four sisters have been involved in the National Junior Angus Association and N.C. Junior Angus Association since 2009. She is a recent graduate of N.C. State University with a degree in agricultural business management and a minor in animal science. Marcie plans to continue her education in graduate school with the goal of attending the school of veterinary medicine. She hopes to one day work as an embryologist while continuing her family’s Angus herd.

for the Juniors, planning activities and attending various events, this position also includes being a liaison between the adult and junior boards for the Angus Foundation. The Angus Foundation funds and supports programs involving education, youth, and research in the Angus breed and the agricultural industry. Marcie has been able to meet influential Angus breeders across the country and build relationships for the betterment of the Angus breed. She is excited to see what more she can accomplish this next year and looks forward to working with the Angus Foundation.

juniors can turn to when they need help or just a friend. This past year she has had the opportunity to meet some incredible junior members from all across the state and nation. Marcie says, “While I have greatly enjoyed learning about this industry and our associations, it has been just as impactful for me making lifelong friendships and connections. Thank you to all of our junior members and N.C. Angus Association members for your support over the past year. If

showing cattle. Thank you again for all of your support. I look forward to working for you and the National Junior Angus Association in the coming year. If I can ever do anything to help or answer questions, please contact me.”

Marcie is currently serving a two year term on the National Junior Angus Association Board of Directors. During her first year, she had the opportunity to attend various local and national cattle shows , as well as organize leadership conferences such as Leaders Engaged in Angus Development (LEAD) and visit some incredible farms and businesses in the agriculture industry through wearing the green jacket, the signature symbol of being on the Junior Board. After serving for one year as a director, this past July, she was selected as the Foundation Director for the Junior Board of Directors. In addition to working

As a young junior member in this association, Marcie says she has always looked up to those who wore the “green jacket” and what the green jacket represented. Being on the NJAA Board of Directors is more than a position to her. It is about being an advocate for the rest of the junior membership, helping put on the best events she can for junior members, and being someone other

you or someone you know has kids that are interested in Angus cattle, I encourage you to look at all of what the National Junior Angus Association has to offer juniors. While shows are a significant part of what we do, there are also conferences, workshops, contests, scholarships, and more that you can participate in without

Marcie has a bright future ahead.

Marcie with her parents, Marcus and Patty Harward, after being named the Foundation Director for the NJAA this past summer.

Marcie is serving the Angus community well in the “green jacket.”

Marcie and other N.C. Junior Angus members at the LEAD conference, one of the events she helps coordinate.

Marcie at the Angus Convention this past November, addressing attendees as the Foundation Director.

Marcie with fellow NJAA Board members at the 2022 Angus Convention.

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

Learning By Doing Approach Sets Students Up For Success

By CORTNEY HOLSHOUSER N.C. Angus Association

Things work a little differently at N.C. State University’s E. Carroll Joyner Beef Education Unit. As I pulled up to the farm to interview Matt Morrison, manager, he had just had a class out to the Beef Unit to demonstrate freeze branding. Balancing everyday farm tasks with educating students proves to be a challenge he handles well.

grew up in a small town in Western New York and earned his associate degree from Black Hawk East Community College, his bachelor’s from Western Illinois University, and his master’s from N.C. State University. Before returning to North Carolina for this current role in 2020, Matt was in Cheyenne, Wyo., teaching animal science and coaching the livestock judging team at Laramie County Community College. Matt’s Dad and Mom instilled in him a passion for agriculture at an early age. He also credits the community he grew up in, which had strong 4-H leadership, with fostering that passion.

Matt’s role as the Coordinator of the Beef Unit covers a lot of different things that require him to wear “many hats” on the same day or even at the same time. His first priority is to make sure that the Beef Unit’s lab space and cattle are ready for the classes, labs, and Extension events that are hosted. Depending on the classes and their needs, he often has a hands-on, active role in teaching the labs. He and the student workers handle as much of the maintenance of the fence, pastures, and cattle facilities in-house as possible, including planting, spraying, and renovating pastures. There is a great group of students employed at the beef unit who helps make sure everything is taken care of. At any given time, there are 3-4 student employees working at the Beef Unit. Most of these students have very little hands-on experience with a working beef cattle operation, but it is a great opportunity to learn every aspect of production. When asked what the most challenging aspect of his job is, Matt says, “The logistics behind scheduling all the various activities that we host, along

with trying to balance budgets at a time when input costs are so high.”

The idea of being able to step out of the classroom and into the barn with students, to be able to take the ideas and principles that educators were teaching and put them to the test at the Unit, really drew Matt to his current role. The Beef Unit allows students to see almost every aspect of a cattle production system at any given point in time while classes are in session. They calve in the spring and fall, starting in September, so there is a set of calves for students to work with and fully understand every stage of development. From September to May, all work on the farm involves students. Matt says, “When we combine the different breeds and nutritional requirements of two calving seasons with our limited space, it makes for a fun challenge to manage forage resources and keep cattle productive.”

kinds of cattle are typically raised in our area. When we talk about kinds of cattle, we are talking more about “type” than just breed. Things like rib shape, muscle growth, foot structure, EPDs, and performance. The Angus breed has a lot of operations that have different breeding goals that allow them to have different styles of cattle. I think that through the Association’s marketing, they’ve made Angus cattle super popular. That has given them a lot of breeding versatility with other breeds, using Angus cattle to make baldies, Balancers, SimAngus, smokey cattle, and other composites. It’s really hard for us to have a teaching farm and not show our students the versatility of the Angus breed; there’s just a lot of use for those cattle.”

There are three cattle breeds represented at the Beef Unit, including about 30 Angus cows. Matt feels that the Angus breed has done an excellent job of marketing its cattle to consumers and producers, which makes them a sought after commodity. Matt says, “Angus or black hided cattle derived from Angus, have the highest demand and are the easiest for us to market. They also give our students a very realistic idea of what

Over the last couple of breeding seasons, Matt and crew have been putting a very strong emphasis on making fundamentally correct females that can work and last. Major emphasis has been placed on reproductive fitness – the ability to get bred, raise a value added calf, and be bred back again in a reasonable amount of time. They have invested a lot of time focusing on feet, legs, and udders. Matt says, “We have seen an uptick in focus on keeping the fundamentals of EPDs in check. We haven’t gone crazy chasing the top one percent but are working to make sure we have solid numbers to back the cattle’s performance, particularly in those areas that have a direct impact on the producer’s bottom line. It’s our goal to build a cow

Cattle at the Beef Unit enjoying the lush grass Matt and the students have worked hard to manage.

This daughter of Williams Upward 90 has quickly become a favorite on the farm for her consistency and maternal ability.

Matt Morrison and his wife Tamara have fully invested their time to make the Beef Unit successful.

Students from the Livestock Marketing class at NCSU learn every aspect of hosting a production sale, including picturing the cattle for catalogs and promotions.

Putting his eyes on the cattle every day is an important part of management for Matt, as he makes notes on several calves.

Matt

Spotlight on AngUS e Special Section f

to name a few. Matt thinks it is crucial to use grazing practices to best utilize the forages we have in this region. He feels that rotational grazing and planting varieties that will result in the most yield and nutritional value to the cattle are key.

cattle for sale through its annual Wolfpack Round-Up Sale, held this year on April 15 at the Beef Unit. The sale is another teaching opportunity as it is organized and carried out by the Livestock Merchandising class at N.C. State University.

herd that works and stays in production.”

Matt says they have been really happy with the females out of Capitalist 316. They have also used some 316 Exclusive and are excited to see what those cattle can do. They’ve even reached back and grabbed some older bulls that were known for

making tremendous females.

Matt and the student workers have also been working hard to cyclically improve their pastures. They utilize cover crops and are renovating pastures by using ryegrass, crabgrass, black oats, cereal rye, and sorghum sudangrass,

Matt’s goals for the Beef Unit are pretty lofty. He says, “We’ve made a lot of progress over the last few years and that’s just setting us up for what’s next. I think that we have to keep our true purpose in mind. We are a teaching farm first, and so we continue to strive to use our Angus cows to teach our students through hands-on experience, but also through leading by example. Showing students cattle in a production system and the advancements that can be made through selection and management are key. We continue to focus on increasing fertility in things like A.I. conception rate and E.T. conception rate. We hope to continue teaching students while putting together a set of Angus cows that will work for the producers of our region.” The Unit does offer

I asked Matt what is the one thought he would want a first time visitor to the Beef Unit to leave with. He wants them to be amazed at what their students and classes are able to do with the kind of cattle that they are putting together.

This fancy Fall heifer calf out of KR Cadillac Ranch is one of Matt’s favorites in the group.

First calf heifers raising calves like this makes Matt excited for the future of the Angus herd here.

Beef

As Predicted — 2022 saw increased prices, improved slaughter pace, and higher quality grade premiums. Heading into 2022, we had a relatively solid idea of where the market was headed. The picture just got clearer as the year played out.

Several of the predictions that kicked off 2022 proved true in aspects of the business that are slow to change or predicated by conditions already set in place. Higher input costs in several categories extended their trend through 2022 but were exacerbated by inflation rates higher than anticipated upon initial upticks in 2021. Weather patterns suggested La Nina’s hot and dry conditions would remain throughout the year, culminating in a broader scope of the U.S. in drought conditions through early winter. This furthered the beef cow

culling trend while cutting a deeper trough through the cow herd than anticipated in January.

Closer to Normal - The improvement in supply chain throughput at the packing level was a welcome trend shift for all beef business participants. While the first few months of the year, in particular, remained plagued by packing plant workforce shortages as a hangover from COVID-19, this began to right itself beginning in the second quarter. By mid-year, fed cattle slaughter totals were topping prior year head counts, bringing about a much more current fed cattle supply. Through year’s end, the 2022 daily and weekly head counts were often larger than in 2021.

Larger than normal feedlot placements in the spring, spurred by drought conditions in grazing areas, set

the stage for larger subsequent finished cattle supplies in Q3 and Q4. Finished cattle became more readily available in the south through this period, but the northern tier of the cattle feeding region saw tighter supplies of market ready cattle. This drove the north-to-south fed cattle price spread to its record wide range near $10/ cwt. in late summer, early fall. Concrete numbers are difficult to source, but the southern region’s expanded focus on beef x dairy fed cattle harvested in those fed cattle packing plants played a role in the expanded southern supply.

Price Sensitive to Small Changes in Supply - Further down the supply chain, changes in the fed cattle boxed beef mix impacted price spreads between quality grades and branded beef. The most notable shift was the supply of USDA Prime graded product. Fed cattle carcasses qualifying for the highest USDA quality grade were harder to come by as Prime slipped from 10 percent of federally graded steers and heifers to 8.9 percent in 2022. The 1.1 percentage point drop seems hardly worth mentioning but stated in estimated pounds of carcass weight. This translates to an 11

percent drop below the industry’s 2021 Prime production volume.

The shift to smaller Prime cut availability came just as end users, particularly grocers, had become accustomed to broader availability of the product. As far back as 1997, the year our USDA dataset begins, the industry produced 2-3 percent Prime carcasses every year without fail. But improved genetics, technology, and heavier carcasses saw the number move first to 4 percent in 2014, 5 percent in 2015, and so on until 2020 and 2021, both notched 10 percent Prime industry averages. Bolstered, no doubt, by the backlog of fed cattle and heavier carcass weights, those two years was the peak. In 2022 we saw the annual average Prime percentage fall to 8.9 percent. Yet, retailers had begun including Prime in their meat case as customers proved their commitment to high quality beef and willingness to pay, coupled with broader availability. Many Certified Angus Beef (CAB) licensed

Continued on page 11

Certified Angus Beef News continued from page 9

partners began offering the CAB Prime extension in their meat cases, with some smaller chains trading their entire offering up during the past few years. This year’s 11 percent dip (down 6.8 percent for CAB Prime) in previously record large Prime product supplies collided with better-than-ever consumer demand for Prime product. This generated a record large Prime carcass cutout premium over Choice of $92/cwt. last October, $8/cwt. higher than the previous October high. Cattle feeders pulled in $30 to $33/cwt. Prime grid premiums during this period, with Choice already commanding roughly $8.50/cwt. net over the cash carcass price, on average.

The price-for-quality relationship continued to expand beyond the Prime category, driving a larger spread between

Premium Choice, Low Choice, and Select. The potentially outdated bellwether “Choice/Select Spread” ranged widely on predictable seasonal fluctuations in carcass grading trends and consumer demand. The low end of the Choice premium range was recognized briefly last February at $3.97/ cwt. when weekly Choice production peaked, and quality middle meat demand was seasonally low. The top end of the range was ten times as high as the low, with a daily high in late October of $35.69/cwt. premium over Select. Choice premiums climbed from the first half of the year to mark an extended trend of highs during the second half, averaging just over $18/ cwt. for the year, according to USDA.

A Strong Year for the Brand - Of course, many readers here would look to CAB sales as a more accurate measure

50th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity

Make plans to attend the 50th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity. The sale will be at the T. Ed Garrison Cattle Complex in Clemson, S.C., on March 18 at 12:00 noon. This year’s sale offers fall pairs, spring pairs, bred heifers, open heifers, and embryo lots. We hope you’ll take advantage of this offering of solid Angus genetics from South Carolina and Georgia. We’d love to see you in person on the day of the sale, but if you’re unable to attend, you can contact any of the sale staff or bid online with CCI Live.

Please also join us for the S.C. Angus Association banquet and annual meeting on March 17 in Clemson. Everyone is welcome, and payment will be accepted at the door.

If you’d like a catalog, please contact any of the sale staff. Please join us on March 17-18 for this historic Angus event!

Sale Consignors

Black Crest Farms

Black Grove Angus

Black Springs Farm

Casey Green Cattle

Chessie Creek Farm

Clinton Farms

D&W Angus

Edisto Pines

Elite Cattle Company

Four Winds Farm

Oak Hill Farm

Paul Boyd Angus

Rocking W Angus

Rose Myrtle Farm

South Starr Farm

Spring Hill Angus

Two Rivers Cattle Co.

Watts Angus Farm

Yon Family Farms

Sale Staff

Sale Manager - Zach Moffitt - 336-736-6340

Sale Chairman - Donnie Watts - 803-315-6439

SCAA President - Lee Clinton - 704-913-6127

of high quality beef demand. This the brand posted the second largest ever sales volume at 1.234 billion pounds, a 1.6 percent increase on the prior year. The number of Angus-type animals identified at CAB licensed packers rose 1.7 percent, to 16.38 million head eligible for the brand. That’s 70 percent of the fed steers and heifers nationwide. There was a slight reduction in the percentage that qualified for the brand at 35.5 percent but placed in historical context, that was more than double that of 15 years ago. The 1.3 ppt decline in accepted carcasses resulted in a net decline of 2.2 percent of total certified head count, which was to be expected after inflated marbling levels due to harvest delays and long fed cattle in the past two years.

Carcass weights through April ran record large for the period, while the slaughter pace ran slightly below the prior year. The weight trend pulled rapidly lower in May, however, in a trend line essentially matching that of 2021 for the rest of the year. The weighted average fed cattle carcass weight in mid-December was 880 lb., two pounds heavier than the prior year and equal to the record high 2020 average brought on by the pandemic backlog. Steers were down 1.8 percent in the fed cattle mix, and heifers increased by 4.8 percent, pulling the weighted average lower since they were 75 lb. less than their steer counterparts last year.

Increasing carcass weights are not new theme, and the betting odds are in favor of continuation of the trend. This is not only true due to the long term trend for a 5 lb. annual increase in weights but also due to the exceptional decline in beef cow numbers expected to culminate in one million fewer cows in the final January 1 USDA report. Cattle feeders expect to see higher average fed cattle prices in 2023 but also face higher replacement cattle costs. The latter will continue to push breakevens higher, and if history is any predictor, many replacement cattle will be priced above those breakevens. All of those factors place votes in the column for increasing weights going forward as feedyards opt to add days to cattle already on inventory.

On the other hand, rising feed input costs pressure feed efficiency on a live weight basis toward the end of the feeding period. This factor keeps cattle feeders that market on a live weight basis cognizant of rapidly disappearing profitability on cattle in the heaviest of weight classes. The beef sector attempted to shore up the fed cattle shortage in 2014-2016 with added weight per head, and it will certainly be a factor

to watch in the next few years. However, 2022 average carcass weights are already 22 lb. heavier than in 2015-2016.

Lessons Learned - Most know supply and demand factors aligned much more favorably than in any of the previous years as it relates to cattle prices and leverage. Yet, even with exceptional demand, the production sector can’t shrug off the cost side of the equation. Fed cattle need to be worth the projected 2023 prices at and above $160/cwt. to generate enough revenue from the feedyard back to the ranch to combat higher input costs throughout the calf’s lifecycle.

If there was a lesson in 2022, it was that the beef market is very sensitive to declines in quality grade, as evidenced through price signals. It’s the first time in recent history that we’ve gone backwards — albeit ever so slightly — and customers are telling us they have unfulfilled demand. That’s reflected in the premiums paid, and that’s saying something after two years of extremely high premiums. We’ve hit a new plateau, and the cattlemen who continue to include carcass quality as a piece of their selection criteria will be primed to take advantage.

This story was originally published in the Angus Beef Bulletin

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.

Letters to the editor are welcome and we appreciate your input. HOWEVER, letters that are not signed will not be considered for publication.

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

FOUR S FARMS

Kim & Connie and Jason & Robin Starnes

Luther Lyerly - Manager Salisbury

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

GENTRY HOMEPLACE ANGUS

Howard & Donna Gentry King 336-413-6698 • whgentry@windstream.net

GRAGG FARMS

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

H&H FARMS

Buddy & Jennifer Hamrick - Owners

Bly Hamrick - Manager Boiling Springs 704-472-1912 • jennham@bellsouth.net

HI-LO FARMS, LLC

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

Cortney Holshouser

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

ANGUS NEWS

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

Angus Foundation scholarship applications open now. Youth can apply for Angus Foundation scholarships until May 1. Scholarship applications are now available for college students involved with the Angus breed. The Angus Foundation awarded more than $318,000 in scholarships in 2022 alone. The Foundation offers scholarships to undergraduate, graduate, and trade school students each year to help Angus youth achieve their educational goals and offset the rising costs of tuition. All applications are due May 1.

“The Angus Foundation’s scholarship program is one of the most prominent and consistent ways our donors support Angus youth,” said Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director. “Our scholarships pave the way for a bright future for our industry by ensuring young people have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

New this year, the Angus Foundation undergraduate and graduate scholarship applications are available to National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members through their American Angus Association login, similar to the National Junior Recognition Program Bronze and Silver award applications. The Foundation’s Certified Angus Beef/ National Junior Angus Association and commercial cattlemen scholarships will still be accessed at AngusFoundation.org and submitted through email.

“Angus Foundation scholarships have provided incredible support as I have

furthered my education,” said Marcie Harward, National Junior Angus Board Foundation director and past scholarship recipient. “I’m grateful for my involvement in the Angus breed and its investment in the success of juniors like me.”

Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has awarded more than $4.2 million in undergraduate and graduate scholarships. For more information about the Angus Foundation and its scholarship program, visit AngusFoundation.org

Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships - Applicants for undergraduate and graduate scholarships must have, at one time, been a member of the NJAA and currently be an active junior, regular, or life member of the American Angus Association. The following documents are required to be considered for a 2023 undergraduate or graduate scholarship: the 2023 scholarship application; three letters of recommendation; a copy of current high school/college/university transcript; and the applicant’s Association member code.

Access to Application - AAA login ( www.angusonline.org/Account/Login ), “Programs” tab

Submission - Through AAA login

Certified Angus Beef/National Junior Angus Association Scholarship

- Since 1990, the NJAA has teamed up with Certified Angus Beef (CAB) to help Angus youth pursue their higher education goals. The selected applicant will receive a $1,500 scholarship. A

Regular copy deadline is MARCH 5 for the APRIL issue

Spotlight material is due MARCH 1 for the APRIL issue

separate application from the Angus Foundation scholarship application is required for the CAB/NJAA scholarship.

Access to Application - Download application at AngusFoundation.com

Submission - Email to scholarships@ angus.org

Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship

- The Angus Foundation will award four $1,500 scholarships to undergraduate students who use Angus genetics in a commercial cattle operation’s breeding program or whose parents use Angus

genetics. Emphasis will be placed on applicants’ knowledge of the cattle industry and perspective of the Angus breed. The applicant or their parent/ guardian must have transferred or been transferred an Angus registration paper in the last 36 months (on or after May 1, 2020). It must be considered commercial and not seedstock in their operation. The scholarship applies to any field of study.

Access to Application - Download application at AngusFoundation.com

Submission - Email to scholarships@

angus.org

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

E.B.'s

ViEw from thE Cow PasturE

By E.B. HARRIS

If I Hadn’t Seen It With My Own Eyes, I Wouldn’t Believe It

The other week, I was moving a few cattle around, stockers out to pasture that we had sized up into groups to make load lots. We keep big steers at the farm we call the Old Place, which is about three miles from home. We also keep a few breeding heifers in a different pasture across the road.

I carried a few steers down to put in with the big steers, turned them out, and was coming back up the road and looking at the set of heifers we had across the road. Shane and I had talked about one heifer we had put over there that probably just needed to go somewhere else. In other words, she was a heifer that just did not fit in with this group.

There were about 25 of the heifers standing at the gate as I was coming back up the road. I thought about that heifer. She is fairly gentle, and if she comes up to the gate, maybe I can get her out in the road, walk her across the road to the lot, get her loaded, and get her to the pasture she needs to be in.

I eased off the road across from the gate where the heifers were. I walked over to the gate and that heifer was right there in the middle of the group of heifers. I opened the gates and walked around a little bit and got in position. This heifer walked right out of the pasture to the shoulder of the road. I closed the gates back so the other cattle would be in the pasture.

The heifer walked right across the road and sniffed the trailer, and then

walked away from the trailer back up in the road. The rear end of the trailer was facing the way she was walking away from. I decided to try something.

I walked over to the trailer and swung the back gate open. She was about 30 or 40 yards down the road, just grazing a little and looking around. I walked up past her and right easy got her turned around, and headed her back toward the end of the trailer that was open. She walked back up to the trailer and sniffed the back gate that was open, turned her head and came around to the open part of the trailer, sniffed one time, and hopped in.

I thought to myself. I am not believing what I just saw. I walked up to the back of the trailer and closed the back gate. I brought her back to the house and turned her out in another pasture. I have been fooling with cattle all my life, and if someone had told me that this was going to happen, I would have had a lot of disbelief, but I saw it happen. Just goes to show, you can never tell, or the moon must have been just right.

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

Ashley’s Beef Corner T

Making the Rounds

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

When I meet new people, the first question is usually, what do you do for your work? Most of my time is spent focusing on consumers enhancing the image of beef to increase consumption. That part is fulfilled with social media, making reels on Instagram, and communicating the benefits of beef through content that influences viewers buying decisions.

But at the heart of the work that the Beef Checkoff does, we like to share exactly what and how this happens to our stakeholders. Beef producers are also on social media, but nothing can top

an in-person conversation. I had recent opportunities at a county cattlemen’s meeting and the Southern Farm Show to share our efforts.

The farm show is a three day event that draws farmers of all types from across several states. The lure of seeing new equipment, watching the latest and greatest, but most importantly, a relaxing day with family and friends is the key element. Often the weather is messy, which means there’s not much work that can be done at home. Another reason to hop in the truck for a drive to Raleigh’s fairgrounds.

West End Precast

I enjoy visiting with everyone there, and it’s a great place to learn what’s on folks’ minds. I hear where they are in their operations, what their goals are, and usually meet the next generation that is already active. I hear new ideas for feed supplementation that have been figured out through trial and error. One farmer shared that his cattle enjoyed a restaurant’s leftover bread sticks so much that he wouldn’t feed them again. They would almost take his shirt off when he went in the field, haha.

I was a recent fill in speaker for the Orange County Cattlemen’s Association. This county organization is like many across our state in that they seek to support youth livestock endeavors. This group has raised quite a bit to help with their county 4-H livestock show. Their efforts are to be commended, and the organization is indeed doing a tremendous job. I was happy to share the marketing efforts of our national and state partners at the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. 300, which took place in Daytona, Florida.

Sharing our marketing efforts that has resulted in high beef demand is fulfilling and can also be fun. Recently, we asked our beef interns, Ace Murray and Gerald Conrad, to record video clips promoting the annual conference. We look forward to more of these clips that will be shared on social media to promote beef enjoyment and the industry as a whole and provide entertainment.

These three very different avenues, the farm show, a county cattlemen’s meeting, and video, couldn’t be more different. But they all reach people in a somewhat similar way. The more we are able to connect, whether it’s in person or on a screen, the more we can communicate and work together.

By JOHNNY R. ROGERS Amazing Grazing Program Coordinator

Improving Nutrient Distribution on Cattle Farms

One of the many benefits of Adaptive Grazing Management is a uniform distribution of manure and urine across pastures compared to continuous grazing. Cattle have a tendency to defecate and urinate in the areas where they graze. As graziers, we can use this behavior to our advantage by giving cattle smaller paddocks and moving to new grass more frequently. While daily moves have advantages, moving cattle twice per week offers major benefits and can fit the schedule of most graziers. The next step in better nutrient distribution is to change our hay feeding practices. It is common to feed hay in the same location year after year. This is attractive because a feeding position can be chosen which is high in the landscape, away from environmentally sensitive areas, and is often close to the field entrance and hay storage. The vegetation in those feeding areas with heavy livestock and equipment traffic will be destroyed. Based on work conducted at many universities, including N.C. State University, we know that nutrients accumulate in those feeding areas. This has led to exploring alternative methods for using the nutrients

in hay to boost fertility on other areas of cattle farms. The current cost of fertilizer makes utilizing nutrients in hay even more critical.

Unrolling hay is an attractive option for hay feeding in many ways. It spreads the hay over a larger area and allows better access when compared to feeding in rings or trailers. Cattle hoof impact and manure/urine are dispersed over the pasture, which could lead to better future grass production. Any hay not consumed becomes a carbon source to feed the soil microbes and may build soil health over time. Hay can be unrolled by hand with smaller bales or by unrolling on hills. There are various equipment options available to accomplish the task as well. Unfortunately, hay unrolling does have its drawbacks. Hay must be fed daily, and the amount provided should be close to the needs of the herd. This requires some simple calculations and an estimate of cattle and bale weights. The daily unrolling of hay does not fit the busy schedule of many cattle farmers. Thus, they use hay rings/wagons/trailers to provide hay for multiple days. In addition, unrolling hay means daily equipment use

and traffic on pastures causing pasture degradation.

Another hay feeding practice being explored to enhance nutrient distribution is bale grazing. This technique involves selecting a field that needs added nutrients and placing bales into a pasture weeks or months prior to feeding. Cattle are offered access to a limited number of bales every 1-3 days using temporary electric fence. The fence movement is very similar to strip grazing stockpiled tall fescue, where cattle start at the water source and move across the field, consuming the bales on the way. N.C. State University is working with other land grant institutions (Cornell, West Virginia University, Virginia Tech, the University of Kentucky, and the University of Missouri) to determine best management associated with bale grazing in the eastern United States. This is a tried and true method for hay feeding and pasture improvement in northern/western states. However, the warm and wet conditions occurring in eastern winters provide a great opportunity to learn about the advantages and disadvantages of bale grazing. This five year project will use on-farm data collection, demonstrations, and workshops to find out how to use this practice. If you have interest in working with us on this project or would like to attend a workshop, contact

Johnny Rogers at jrroger3@ncsu.edu or your Extension Livestock Agent. For more information on current beef cattle research at N.C. State University, please consider attending our Beef Systems Field Day on March 18 at the Butner Beef Cattle Field Lab. Contact your Livestock Agent for more details.

Cow/calf production margins have always been tight, and it is critical that we are efficient with purchased inputs. Most of the nutrients that cattle consume are excreted in the feces and urine and thus are available to be recycled in our pastures. Adaptive Grazing Management will make sure the majority of those nutrients are deposited in fields to grow more grass. Getting creative with hay feeding practices could lead to labor savings and pastures that are more productive.

Bale grazing uses cattle impact to improve pasture productivity.

Bale grazing may provide nutrients needed to renovate pastures.

Unrolling hay works for many operations.

Adaptive Grazing Management creates better nutrient distribution.

chaplain’s corral

By T.W. LAWRENCE Chaplain, Cowboys for Christ

The Rabbit and the Coyote

Any of you who have talked to me for more than two minutes knows I have a big heart for Cowboy Church. I had that in mind when I sat down to write this devotional. It got me thinking about my own Christian journey and how it is that I’m here tonight in front of this group of fellow Cowboy Chaplains.

I wondered, too, what lessons I have learned on that journey and what decisions I make now based on that hard earned education. To answer that, I had to think back – a long way back. Let’s start there.

I was born in Texas. My family had a little place just north of San Antonio, at the edge of the hill country. My mother was a junior high teacher in the Northside District. My father was a veterinarian, establishing his practice in Bexar County after Army service in WWII.

There always seemed to be a horse or two, maybe a noisy burro, in the enclosure behind the house. There was even a flock of sheep and goats on the place next to ours. So it’s safe to say I was around Texas critters from a young age.

While I was still a kid, I’d spend hours just watching those animals. Over time I would learn some of their behaviors and their body language. And to a certain extent, how they communicated with each other and with us.

Doc Lawrence, as most folks called him, encouraged this education. He was fascinated with it himself and would talk about it with me whenever we ran one of our countless errands in that beat up Army green Rambler station wagon he used to drive. (There was no daycare back then, so for pre-school — and later after school — I spent a lot of time at his clinic).

One of my father’s favorite animal watching things to do happened whenever we visited LaDean, my older sister, and her husband. They lived in west Texas near Eagle Pass, a tiny border town on the Rio Grande. Actually, their place was, as they say, “Out where nothing meets nowhere.” Her husband, Neil, worked on the equipment at the big Air Force radar installation. On spring nights, just as the sun set, the desert would cool down quickly, leaving the air almost chilly. You’d go from wearing t-shirts to pulling on sweaters. But the roadway tarmac would stay warm, heated by the day’s sunshine. That’s when it would happen.

Mile after mile on that farm road to Spofford, we’d see 50-60 - some nights, even a hundred rattlesnakes. They’d slither out of the sand and onto the highway. Being cold blooded, they were drawn to the lingering heat they found there. Some were curled up, and some were just crawling slowly, but they all seemed to congregate in the middle of the road. After watching it a while one night, my father said to those of us in the car, “Men are just like those hard scaled vipers, behaving without even thinking about it. Except man is drawn to sin instead of the heated blacktop.” I think about that car ride each time I do something stupid for which I must confess in my prayers afterward.

One cloudless afternoon on the way home, my father pulled into a self made lookout at the big curve just pastColeman’s Ranch. It had a grand view of uninterrupted lowland desert sloping toward a shallow arroyo. There you could watch nature’s drama play out.

Doc saw him first. “That’s got to be the skinniest coyote in Texas.” Indeed, his thin frame evidenced his poor skills - or just plain bad luck - as a hunter. When he spotted the solitary jackrabbit, the coyote launched himself at this quarry with surprising speed. Even though the rabbit ran for all he was worth, the coyote was almost at him and closing quickly. Without missing a single hop,

Mr. Rabbit veered a quick 90º left. But it was at least three strides before the coyote could change his own direction. Again he converged on the rabbit, and again the rabbit juked away. This repeated for more than a minute. The last rabbit maneuver was a complete 180º, whereupon he darted under a cluster of low lying mesquite bushes, leaving Mr. Coyote on the outside looking in, panting hard and still hungry.

My father asked us, “Which would you rather be, the rabbit or the coyote? That coyote never gives up but the rabbit knows how not to get caught.”

I thought I knew the answer to that question those many years ago. However, the more I study scripture and read theology, the more I revise my answer.

Think of it this way; the coyote never gives up the hunt, but then, neither does the Devil. El Diablo chases us with an unrelenting persistence, trying to snag our souls.

On the other hand, do we pursue Jesus with the same unflagging determination demonstrated by the “skinniest coyote in Texas”? Or do we sometimes just give up a bit and risk starving ourselves spiritually?

That jackrabbit seemed to know when to turn and twist to escape the hungry coyote. Do we ourselves have what it takes to avoid being eaten up by sin?

Please note, while the jackrabbit went this way and that to shake off his pursuer, Jesus does not elude us like that. He already has walked the path He has laid out for us. We are the ones who don’t always follow that way, whether it be from a lack of spiritual concentration or that unwitting desire to have things our way.

So, do we realize when we are being drawn to the heated roadway of sin?

Moreover, are we the rabbit or the coyote?

And at that, which one?

Jeremiah 29:13 - You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all of your heart.

By BRIANNA McLEESE N.C. State University -- ANS 402 Beef Management

What Mineral Best Suits Your Cattle?

With a wide variety of mineral products available to purchase for your cattle, the task can be daunting. Products range from salt blocks that can be easily placed in the pasture with your livestock to individually bagged minerals used to fill compartmentalized mineral feeders. For some producers, the decision of which product to use depends greatly on cost. Still, there are other components that must also be accounted for to provide personalized supplementation to your cattle herd.

It is important for producers to supply sufficient mineral concentrations to their cattle. Macrominerals are required in larger amounts in the animals’ diet as they are used in larger levels throughout the body. Microminerals, also known as trace minerals, are required in lower amounts1. Requirements for minerals will vary based on what stage of production your cow/calves are in (See Table 1). Although microminerals are required in small amounts, they are no less important than the macrominerals. By preventing mineral deficiency in both mineral classes, producers are effectively

promoting herd health and growth, as insufficient mineral quantities can easily lead to disorders that cause decreased weight gain, lowered reproductive efficiency, and weakened immune systems 2 . These deficiencies can be marginal or severe, with severe cases leading to disorders such as grass tetany, white muscle disease, and hypocalcemia. Not only does adequate mineral consumption affect producer efficiency, but it also affects the consumers’ meat quality and taste. In grazing operations, cattle only receive mineral content from the top layer of soil, which, if mineral deficient, can create a metallic taste in the meat. It is important for all cattle, especially grass fed and finished beef, to graze pastures with a mix of grasses and legumes, along with additional minerals available to prevent off flavors in meat3 When it comes to selecting which mineral products to invest in, there are a few different options that each have their own unique benefits. White salt and trace mineral salt are two popular choices within the cattle industry due to the ease of feeding them out to the

cattle4. White salt only supplies sodium and chlorine. Trace mineral salt can vary but generally provides higher amounts of trace minerals and does not provide any macrominerals. Loose forms of salt or mineral, such as these, are preferred over block forms of supplements because livestock are better able to intake more sufficient quantities of minerals in the granular form5. When feeding a complete mineral supplement, the product will contain all trace minerals and some of the macrominerals essential for cattle nutrition. This method generally consists of ordering individually packaged 25 lb bags of different minerals and filling each into its own compartment of a mineral feeder. The advantage of this option is that producers are able to customize mineral availability based on their own pastures’ soil composition. It also allows for easier observation of which minerals the cattle are consuming, most of which can be useful in further tailoring their diet. According to research conducted by Free Choice Enterprises, the method of feeding out individual minerals allowed for cattle to consume proper amounts of what was lacking within the diet, as well as decrease the cost per head6 Another option available for producers is through subcutaneous injections of chelated sources of minerals. It has been shown that chelated sources of minerals have higher bioavailability within the animal, which is an often overlooked aspect of mineral consumption as there can be antagonistic relationships between specific molecules within the rumen. Multimin 90 is a popular product that focuses on supplementation of zinc, manganese, selenium, and copper, which are some of the most common mineral

deficiencies in cattle 7. This company has conducted its own research, which found that when injecting its product at vaccination time, serum levels remained higher after 14 days than they did without the addition of the product (See Image 1)8.

With all of these different options available, how are you supposed to pick which product works best for your herd? The answer should consist of a combination of farm location, feed composition, cost, and ease of use of the products based on your production cycle. Farms across the United States will vary in which minerals their cattle receive in deficient or excess amounts. In North Carolina, cattle will likely be deficient in selenium9, but it is still important to get your farm soil tested as it can even vary across the same state. This will help create a good baseline as to which minerals your supplementation should focus around. In addition to soil analyses, proper feed analyses should be conducted as well since additional feedstuffs will lead to additional intake of certain minerals, particularly phosphorus. For many farmers, cost is an important factor in deciding between any product. Is there extra room in the budget to upgrade your mineral supplementation? Is your farm spending more money on recovery from these deficiencies than it is on the actual mineral supplement? Although mineral supplementation may be seen as an extra or unneeded cost, the production lost from animals suffering from marginal deficiencies and veterinary care needed to treat severe deficiencies may outweigh the monetary investment made in proper prevention10. Lastly, it is also important to realize which options are feasible based

Image 1 - Comparison of trace mineral serum concentrations with and without use of Multimin 90 at time of vaccination.8

Table 1. Beef cattle mineral requirements.11

on your production cycle. Do you have the time or labor to ride into pastures and fill 16 compartments of a mineral feeder? If not, complete mineral supplementation might be the right choice for you. Do your cattle get worked often? If so, Multimin might be an easily implemented supplement (See Table 2).

Overall, there is no one correct answer for which supplementation is best for your herd. Instead, it should be tied in with the production practices you already have in place and should be tailored to what fits your farm the best for maximum efficiency and improvement. It is important for producers to conduct even further research based on what region they reside in, as mineral supplementation will vary greatly across the country. Although mineral deficiencies are most common within beef cattle, it is important to understand that mineral excess, although more uncommon, can also become an issue within herds. Therefore, there is great importance placed on investing in feedstuff and soil analyses to maximize herd production. It is through these analyses that you can make better management decisions on which mineral deficiencies/toxicities and consequential diseases to prevent and watch out for.

References

1 The difference between Macro and micro minerals. Central AG Supply Services. (2018, November 1). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from www.centralagsupply.com

2 Avoid cattle mineral deficiency: Purina Animal Nutrition. Purina Mills. (2021, April 1). Retrieved March 4, 2022, from www.purinamills.com

3Williams, B. (2016, July 20). Better tasting beef from the ground up. Joyce Farms. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://joyce-farms.com

4 Mineral spotlight: Salt! - hi-pro feeds. Hi-Pro Feeds. (2019, November 13). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https:// hiprofeeds.com/blog/mineral-spotlightsalt/

5Van Saun, R. J. (2022, March 3). Which one, loose or block salt feeding? Penn State Extension. Retrieved March 4, 2022, from https://extension.psu.edu

6The “Free Choice” Dilemma. Free Choice Enterprises, Ltd. (1970, January 1). Retrieved March 4, 2022, from www. freechoiceminerals.com

7 Hall, J. (2020, February 12). Common vitamin and mineral deficiencies in cattle. Post Register. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from www.postregister.com

8 The scientific proof behind MULTIMIN 90. MULTIMIN USA. (2021, June 18). Retrieved March 4, 2022, from www.multiminusa.com

9 Lawing, A. (n.d.). Selenium deficiency - NCSU. N.C. Cooperative

Extension. Retrieved March 5, 2022, from https://mcdowell.ces.ncsu.edu

10Kettner, A. (2022, March 11). What return on investment can I see with a good cattle mineral program? Riomax 360. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https:// riomax.net

11Stewart, L., & Fontes, P. (2006, September 1). Using cotton byproducts in beef cattle diets. University of Georgia Extension. Retrieved April 7, 2022, from https://extension.uga.edu

12 Champion’s Choice Mix-N-Fine Salt. Blaine’s Farm and Fleet. (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from www. farmandfleet.com

13Champion’s Choice Trace Mineral Salt. Tractor Supply Company. (2021, August 3). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from www.tractorsupply.com

14Free Choice Enterprises 20-Choice Mineral. Free Choice Enterprises, Ltd. (1970, January 1). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from www.freechoiceminerals.com

15Valley Vet Supply Multimin 90 for Cattle. Valley Vet Supply (n.d.). Retrieved April 7, 2022, from www.valleyvet.com

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 Caitlin Brianna McLeese are not necessarily those of N.C. State University or Dr. Carrie Pickworth.

*Varies based on product and/or producer choice

Table 2. Comparison of popular mineral supplementation choices.12, 13, 14, 15

You Decide!

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

You Decide: Has There Been Some Good News on Income Inequality? Decades from now, people who lived through the pandemic will remember it as a horrible period. Over a million people in our country died, with millions more sick but still surviving. Thousands of businesses closed forever, learning was lost in schools, and lives were disrupted in multiple ways.

But could there be some positive impacts of the pandemic? Some say the new technologies for remote interactions in business, medicine, and shopping have been a plus. The pandemic revealed dependencies we’ve developed on other countries for key products. This has sparked renewed interest in “reshoring” some of those products to our country, which would both increase our economic

independence and create jobs.

One of the most significant economic issues of our time has been widening income inequality. This simply means the income gap between those with higher incomes and those with lower incomes has been growing.

A big reason for this trend is economic changes in the 21st century. Technology has been the driver of much of the recent economy. Firms in the tech sector need highly trained workers, often with four year college degrees or more. These trends have led to big pay increases for college degreed workers in technology and also in many other professional occupations. The pay raises for college trained workers have swamped those for other workers, thereby leading to larger gaps between high paid

workers and low paid workers. However, some recent national statistics indicate this situation may have changed. In the last two years, national numbers show hourly earnings have risen fastest for occupations paying the least while at the same time increasing the slowest for occupations paying the most. This has resulted in income inequality decreasing during the last two years.

Don’t misinterpret this statement. Workers in high earning occupations still make more money than workers in low earning occupations. Yet, compared to two years ago, the gap in earnings is lower today.

What’s happened to cause this outcome? Has our economic world been turned upside down? No, it’s not been turned upside down, but it may have been twisted.

Two forces have collided to reduce income inequality. The first is the pandemic. The pandemic made many people cautious about taking jobs that often require personal contact, particularly if the job is low paying. Indeed, studies are now revealing a significant number of workers furloughed from their low paying jobs during the pandemic used their free time to upgrade their skills. Consequently, when the economy reopened, those individuals moved to higher paying occupations.

The second force is demographics. Many — but certainly not all — low paying jobs are taken by young workers. The jobs I had while in high school and college was certainly low paying. But due to a declining birth rate, the increase in younger workers has significantly slowed. This has limited the potential availability — in economics. We call it “supply” — of low wage workers.

Hence, with relatively fewer workers seeking their jobs, firms in low paying businesses have needed to increase hourly earnings to compete for employees.

The narrowing of income inequality has happened at the national level, but what about North Carolina? I have tracked trends in income inequality in North Carolina over several decades. I recently updated my measures to include data since the pandemic.

The answer to my question about whether income inequality has narrowed in our state is “yes” — indeed, a big “yes.” I divided North Carolina occupations into three categories: high paying, middle paying, and low paying. High paying occupations include jobs in sectors like finance, management, and the professions. Middle paying occupations are in manufacturing, construction, health care, education, and a few others. Low paying occupations include administrative

support, personal services, and food service, plus a few more.

For most of the last two decades, income inequality in North Carolina has increased, just as in the nation. But since the pandemic, there’s been a dramatic change. From 2020 to mid-2022, average weekly earnings for high paying occupations rose 2.7 percent. For middle paying occupations, the jump was 7.2 percent. But for low paying occupations, the gain in average weekly earnings was 15.3 percent, twice the increase for middle paying occupations and more than 5½ times the increase for high paying occupations.

Combined with other measures I developed, income inequality in North Carolina in mid-2022 was at the lowest level in two decades.

Of course, low paying businesses that were induced to raise worker wages by over 15 percent in less than two years likely had to raise their prices significantly to customers. But this would also happen if the pay jump was for high paying or middle paying occupations.

One question is whether workers in low paying occupations will continue to see similar gains or even if they will keep their current gains. Much will depend on how businesses with low paying occupations adjust to these new circumstances in future years. Will they use more technology and consequently reduce the employment of people? Or could they reorganize tasks to use fewer workers but continue to pay them more?

The recent news on income inequality in the country and North Carolina is good. Will the trends continue, or will they be temporary? You decide.

You Decide: How Worrisome is the National Debt? When I speak to a variety of groups around the state, I know at least one of the questions likely to be asked: What are we going to do about the national debt? The national debt certainly does appear to be scary. It now stands at over $31 trillion. This is more than the annual income of all businesses and workers in the country. Divided by the population, the national debt is more than $9,000 per person, including both adults and children.

At the same time, we’re worried about the size of the national debt. Our national politicians are debating increasing the allowable size of the debt. Congress periodically sets a limit for the national debt, so when that limit is reached, Congress has to raise the limit to continue borrowing. This always creates intense debate over debt, spending, and taxes.

One worry is that if the debt limit isn’t increased, there won’t be enough money to fund all government programs. In particular, if interest payments on the national debt couldn’t be paid,

there could be a default on federal debt securities. If a default occurred, the stellar financial reputation of the United States government would be severely tarnished, and interest rates would rise.

With the national debt in the news, this is a good time to address key questions about it, thereby giving you information and perspective to decide how big of a debt problem we have.

Is the national debt the same as individual debt? The short answer is “no.”

If I borrow money, I have limited time to repay the loan. One reason is that I have a limited time to live. This is not the case with our federal government. As long as our country continues, so does the federal government. The federal government can continually borrow new money to pay off old debt that has come due.

Isn’t much of the national debt owed to foreign countries? Can’t they demand their money back at any time? Foreign investors currently own ⅓ of the national debt. Japan and China are the biggest foreign holders of U.S. debt, each owning around $1 trillion of U.S. government debt. The investments – called Treasury

securities – issued to fund the national debt have a designated time period at which they must be repaid. This is typical for any debt, such as mortgages or vehicle loans. Holders of U.S. Treasury securities can’t demand their money back anytime they wish. They can, however, sell their Treasury securities to other investors.

At some point, won’t the federal government require citizens to pay their share of the national debt? This is highly unlikely. As indicated earlier, the federal government can always borrow more to pay off debt that has come due.

But isn’t this what’s called a “Ponzi scheme,” where new borrowing is continually used to pay existing investors? Aren’t Ponzi schemes destined to eventually collapse? Ponzi schemes do collapse when existing investors want their money back, and the inflows of new money are insufficient to pay them. For the national debt, financial support to make interest payments is ultimately determined by the size and growth of the national economy.

Still, with the national debt now larger than the annual value of the U.S.

economy, won’t the debt eventually cause our economy to collapse, therefore making interest payments on the national debt impossible for the federal government?

What matters is not the size of the debt relative to the size of the economy. Instead, it is the size of annual interest payments on the debt relative to the size of the economy that is key. The same is true of private debt. For example, a lender looks at monthly interest payments on a home mortgage relative to the borrower’s monthly income when evaluating the loan.

When interest payments on the national debt are compared to aggregate annual national income, the good news is the ratio is not at a record high. In fact, today’s ratio stands at 2 percent, significantly under the recent peak of 3 percent in 1991. However, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts the interest payment/national income ratio will jump to over 7 percent by 2052.

What can be done about the national debt? At its core, the national debt is a political issue based on collective decisions about spending and taxing. If spending and tax revenues don’t

match, borrowing fills the gap.

However, for a long time, many economists have made a simple recommendation to make federal borrowing more logical. In the private economy, including both households and businesses, borrowing makes the most sense when it is done for long lasting investments. Any financial expert will tell households not to borrow to pay for dayto-day expenses but to use it only for long lasting purchases, like a home, vehicle, or college education. These expenditures often provide a big payback and, therefore, can be considered investments.

The idea is, therefore, to limit federal government borrowing to large investments, such as for physical infrastructure (transportation is a good example) and even human infrastructure (education, medical research, and medical emergencies like COVID-19). Indeed, most states already follow this idea.

The national debt will continue to be challenging and may even become a larger challenge. Do we need to panic or calmly make some logical changes? You decide.

Herd ManageMent

By TONY HAWKINS, DVM, Valley Vet Supply

Veterinarian Perspectives from the Birthing Barn — Part 1

There are few moments more special on the farm than welcoming a newborn to your herd. Whether you’re foaling, calving, kidding, or lambing, some may be surprised by how similar the process is. Let’s review readiness prep and signs of labor – while there could be some species-specific differences, much of this information is actually pretty similar for all species.

Readiness prep - When it comes to what you’ll need to have on hand, very importantly, you need to first have a relationship with a veterinarian. I would strongly encourage you to develop that relationship and speak with your veterinarian before your calving, foaling, kidding, or lambing season. Rather than, say, just calling that veterinarian at 2:00 in the morning when the need is great. As a veterinarian, it’s nice to know people before you get that call. Be sure to have their contact information handy should you need his or her help.

Have some key items at the ready, like gloves and lubrication, in case you need to help with minor pulling, and iodine for disinfecting the umbilical stump. If you and your veterinarian decide that you need to give any vaccinations or medications at birth, have those medications on hand, as well as some syringes and needles. If you apply ear tags and band at birth, have those tags and bands available, as well as a tetanus toxoid to administer at that time.

It’s also important to have colostrum or colostrum replacers on hand because you never know if colostrum is needed until you need it now. Colostrum is very important for all species, and the majority of the antibody absorption takes place in the first six to eight hours of life. Ideally, they should be up and nursing within the first four hours to receive these important antibodies from colostrum. If they’re not, then we need to start thinking about getting supplemental colostrum or milking manually, if possible, to get them the colostrum they need. Now they can absorb the antibodies all the way up until 18-24 hours, but they just are not as efficient and will not absorb as many antibodies as they would have early on in life.

It is important to choose a species specific colostrum replacer or serum replacement. This is because colostrum

products come from hyper immunized animals, and they don’t immunize goats, cattle, and horses against the same disease risks.

The rest of the items you may need to have on hand all depend on your comfort level.

Some of the equipment you need to help an animal through a dystocia process include chains and handles and, if you’re calving, a calf jack. A calf jack is great if you’re comfortable using them, but remember that when used incorrectly, they can harm both the mama and the baby. When using OB chains, to ensure the safety of the newborn, put the first loop above the fetlock and then put a second loop (a half hitch) between the fetlock and hoof. Remember, if you’re just not comfortable using these items and something’s wrong, give your veterinarian a call to have them help in this delivery process.

Signs of labor - In general, there are similar signs of labor for most every species of livestock. About three to four days prior, their pelvic muscles begin to relax on the backside, making their tail head become more prominent. You may notice a dilation of the cervix with an accompanying thick, clear mucus. Their bag also gets distended. About one day prior, cattle, goats, and sheep tend to go off feed and go off by themselves. About two to five hours before delivery, the water bag will appear through the vulva.

If you have horses, they have a few more signs. Udder distension occurs about two to four weeks prior to foaling, and their teats become engorged four to six days prior. About one day before foaling, waxing of the teats occurs. During the earliest stage of foaling, contractions begin, and the mare may start acting a bit colicky. It’s common for mares to be restless in their stall, sweating, pawing, swishing their tail, and getting up and down.

There is nothing better than a safe delivery and healthy calf, foal, goat, or lamb. As we continue into the spring season, when many make their way into the world, I hope this information can be helpful to you. Stay tuned for Part 2 as we look at five common signs of trouble to watch for.

Continue learning at ValleyVet.com

Doug Parke voted in as Chairman of the Board. Doug Parke of Paris, Ken., has been elected Chairman of the American Simmental Association Board of Trustees, succeeding Barry Wesner of Chalmers, Indiana. Doug has been involved in the Simmental breed for most of his life. Early in his career, he served as a Board member and President of the Tennessee Simmental Association. He now lives in Kentucky and is very involved in the Kentucky Simmental Association. He is married to Debbie, and together with their daughter, Holli, and son-in-law, Drew Hatmaker, they manage DP Sales and Management. They also sell Sim-genetics through DP Online Sales. He has served as a board member of the

By JENNIE RUCKER Executive Secretary N.C. Simmental Association

Simmental Breeders Sweepstakes. He has been very supportive both physically and financially over the years for numerous AJSA National and Regional Classics.

The Parke family has raised many excellent Simmental cattle over the years and has owned percentages in great sires such as Dream On, In Dew Time, and Duracell. Doug was awarded the Golden Book Award of the World Simmental Federation in 2020. He was formally seated as Chairman of the ASA Board of Trustees at their 55th Annual Meeting held in January of 2023. Doug Parke has been the sale manager of the N.C. Simmental Association Fall Harvest Sale for decades and is already looking forward to this year’s sale and even

Doug Parke is chairman of the ASA Board of Trustees.

planning ahead for our 50th sale in 2024.

Jim Graham Junior Simmental Scholarship. It’s not too early to be thinking about applying for the Jim Graham Junior Simmental Scholarship. This is a $500 scholarship that goes to the most deserving student planning to major in agriculture or an agricultural related field. We have a committee that looks over the scholarships and decides which

applicant will receive the scholarship funds.

Qualifications are based on academic merit, financial need, leadership, and character. Preference is given, but is not required, to those students who have been involved in the Simmental breed. We like for the recipient to be available to be presented with the award at our Annual Meeting in September. This year the Annual Meeting will be held on September 1. These applications can be obtained by emailing the NCSA office at ncsa@ yadtel.net or calling 336-468-1679. The applications are not due until July 15, 2023. Simmental Sales. For those discerning producers interested in purchasing either a bull or females from N.C. Simmental Association members, but cannot wait until our Fall Harvest Sale on September 2, please give the NCSA office a call. I have a listing of producers that have told me what they have for sale, and I can connect you to the right person for your Simmental genetic needs. Please call the office at 336468-1679 or email ncsa@yadtel.net. Don’t miss out on the chance to put Simmental genetics to work in your herd!

Interactive workshop on how to partner around the plate slated for 2023 Stakeholders Summit. Food Bullying podcast hosts Michele Payn, CSP, and Nicole Rodriguez, RDN, will discuss how partners around the plate can collaborate to reach shared goals at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2023 Stakeholders Summit. The 2023 event, themed “Partners in Progress: Building a Sustainable Future for Animal Ag,” is set for May 4-5 in Arlington, Virginia. An initial agenda has been posted on the event website, and early registration discounts are available through March 10.

Today’s society often oversimplifies complex topics (including agriculture) and vilifies certain food groups, but is there a way to co-exist? In a Summit session sponsored by Bayer Crop Science, Payn and Rodriguez will lead attendees through an interactive discussion that provides them with practical ideas to engage consumers in conversations about food and farming that are both meaningful and productive. The

session will help attendees discover how meeting people where they are can drive conversations and engage consumers in a more impactful way, gain insight from consumer reactions to farming issues from the streets of New York City, and understand ways to capitalize on farmers and dietitians as trusted sources of information when it comes to food and farming.

“The Alliance knows first hand the benefits of connecting various stakeholders and partners across the food supply chain to achieve shared goals,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, president and CEO, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “We see how easy it is for partners around the plate to be siloed and segmented based on respective areas of food production, but we also know that the most progress is made when we all come to the table for good. Michele and Nicole’s insightful session will give attendees the tools to do just that.”

Payn is an expert on farm and food, known for bringing clarity and common

sense to eating choices. Payn, armed with a lifetime on the farm, science, and compelling personal stories, is passionate about helping people find the truth in food and overcome misinformation. She is the founder of Cause Matters Corp., a company designed to create connections around the food plate, and has been featured in USA Today, NPR, and CNN. She is also the author of Food Truths from Farm to Table and No More Food Fights! and writes from a farm in Indiana.

Rodriguez is an award winning dietitian nutritionist based in the New York City area. In addition to serving a diverse clientele via her tele-health based practice, she is also the co-founder of Step Bite Step, a weight loss and physical activity program. A self described “agvocate,” Rodriguez is passionate about empowering individuals to feel good about the abundance of food choices at their fingertips. While Rodriguez loves working one on one with clients toward their health goals, she also helps spread the good word about food via her brand partnerships, which have included American Dairy Northeast, the New York Beef Council, Bush Brothers and Company, General Mills, Wish Farms, California Leafy Greens, and Bayer Crop Science. She has been featured in numerous outlets and publications,

including Good Housekeeping and Livestrong.

Understand the “NextGen” consumer at 2023 Stakeholders Summit. Refer a friend and photo contests open for the chance to win Propelled by five macro forces, the next generations of consumers are completely transforming the way we relate to brands, products, and the environment. Combined, these five macro focuses are leading to a rise in “Food Consciousness,” not only across continents but across all generations. During her Summit session, Cummins will discuss how, in a time of rapid transformation, the entire food system will need to determine how to maintain relevance. Cummins will also share how restaurants, retailers, distributors, food processors, farmers, and all businesses involved in the agri-food value chain can be vigilant, adaptable, innovative, and proactive when it comes to building relationships and meeting consumer demands, including creating visibility from field to shelf.

“Consumer purchasing habits continue to change year over year and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Emily Solis, manager of communications and content, Animal Agriculture Alliance. “Historically, younger generations are the ones that

drive change, and Generation Z is no exception. Based on a study from Aimpoint Research, Summit attendees will learn about the forces driving this change and be enlightened on the current trends we’re seeing manifest in the marketplace – and most importantly, how they can take action to secure their place on consumers’ plates.”

Cummins brings an immense amount of experience in the agri-food community to her role at Aimpoint Research, a global strategic intelligence firm. Cummins uses both her personal and career experience in agri-food to help clients on a wide variety of projects. Her expertise in dairy, fruit, and crop production serves clients in those areas of business, in addition to her valuable insight on crop insurance, policy, and regulation. Prior to joining the Aimpoint team, Cummins has worked for two members of Congress, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, The National Association of Conservation Districts, and Farm Credit East. She grew up in New York, learning about the dairy community and specialty crops.

Summit attendees can secure a discounted hotel rate at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View by booking before April 11. All Summit events

will be held at this hotel. Reserve your hotel room now. Be sure to check the Summit website for the most up to date information. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA23 for periodic updates about the event. For general questions about Summit, please contact summit@ animalagalliance.org or call 703-5625160.

Photo Contest - Are you a farmer, rancher, dietitian, or ally of the animal agriculture community who would like a free registration to the 2023 Stakeholders Summit? Enter our photo contest! Share your favorite food or farming photo that you’ve taken for the chance to win. A professional print of your photo may even be sold to the highest bidder at our annual Silent Auction to benefit the College Aggies Online program! Full details are available at https://animalagalliance.org/ resource/stakeholders-summit-photocontest/

Refer-A-Friend - Help us spread the word about Summit! If you refer a friend to attend the 2023 Summit who has never attended a previous Summit and they list your name as the person who recommended them when they register for the event, you’ll both be entered in a drawing to win a $100 gift card! Each

referral will count as one entry, and there is no limit on the number of entries for referrers. We will give away two $100 gift cards during the Summit - one drawing for referrers and one drawing for those who were referred. All registrations for the in-person event with a referral listed made until online registration closes on May 1 will be entered. Both the referrer and the person referred must be registered to claim the gift card.

Sponsorship - Show your support for the Alliance’s premier event by becoming an official Summit sponsor today! For 2023 sponsorship opportunities, please visit https://animalagalliance. org/initiatives/stakeholders-summit/ For more information, contact Hannah Thompson-Weeman at hthompson@ animalagalliance.org

Thank you to our 2023 Summit sponsors: Farm Journal, MEAT + POULTRY, Meatingplace, National Pork Producers Council, Watt Global Media, American Feed Industry Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, Smithfield, United Soybean Board, Dairy MAX, Farm Credit, Mountaire Farms, United Egg Producers, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Veal Association,

Bayer Crop Science, Cobb-Vantress, Inc., Kemin, National Chicken Council, Progressive Dairy, Protect the Harvest, Trans Ova Genetics, and Eggland’s Best.

The Alliance also thanks the following members for their continued support of Summit and other Alliance programs: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Zoetis, Aviagen Group, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cargill, C.O.nxt, Dairy Farmers of America, Diamond V, Genus PLC – PIC/ ABS, Hendrix Genetics, Hy-Line North America, LLC, Iowa Soybean Association, JBS, Kanas Soybean Commission, Merck Animal Health, Midwest Dairy, National Turkey Federation, Nutrien, Provimi North America, Inc., Seaboard Foods, and Tyson.

About the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The Animal Agriculture 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.

Genomic Testing and Its Uses in Beef Cattle

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

Introduction - Beef cattle production in North Carolina is primarily based on cow/ calf grazing systems. In recent years, we have seen advances in all facets of the cow/ calf production system, from the increased adoption of defined breeding seasons to nutritional strategies tailored to wean heavier calves. However, even as these technologies become more common, the demands of the marketplace continue to increase. Buyers are placing greater emphasis on the genetic sources for their cowherds and are seeking cattle (i.e., bulls) with documented genomic testing. The main benefits of genomic testing are parent verification and calculating genomic enhanced EPDs. In addition, genomic companies/breed associations offer other tests called add ons that cover breed related genetic defects and other tests like PIBVD screening.

Parent verification is used to identify a calf’s parents (dam and sire). The main goal of the practice is to establish an accurate pedigree. This allows cattlemen to provide customers with more reliable information. Parent verification can be beneficial for seedstock and commercial operations.

Genetic verification is particularly useful in situations including multi-sire breeding pastures, artificial insemination, or embryo transfer followed by clean up bulls, calves switched at birth, and ambiguous data records. Mistakes can happen (i.e., pulling the wrong straw of semen during A.I.), and parent verification offers the opportunity to clear up any problems. This publication is directed to beef producers, farm workers, and extension agents to guide how to perform successful DNA sample collection and shipping for genomic testing.

How does genomic testing work?

Seedstock producers should contact their breed association for guidance about genomic testing. Each breed will have DNA submission forms available with instructions. Genomic companies and breed associations offer genetic tests for commercial cattle, and many commercial producers are using genomic tests to better understand the genetic makeup of their herds. This information can be valuable when selecting replacement heifers (maternal traits) and used for marketing steers (growth and carcass traits). The sampling process is similar for seedstock

or commercial. Samples from the calf and its potential parents must be collected and submitted for genetic comparison. Fortunately, genetic material will remain on file at the testing labs; thus, each animal only has to be submitted once. All A.I. sires will already have genetic material on file, and many seedstock suppliers will have tested their bulls. This will make testing the progeny of their bulls much easier. The same will be true for cows and herd bulls after their initial submission, so genetic material from the calf in question may be the only sample to be submitted.

A blood sample is perhaps the lowest cost and most widely used type of genetic sample; however, other types of tissues such as tail hair, semen, and tissue samples from ear notches can also be used, with the majority of samples being shipped at room temperature. Many producers like the convenience of Tissue Sampling Units (TSU), and more information is available from breed associations. The actual analysis and comparison of the samples are generally handled through

the breed association associated with the animals in question (Table 1). Care should be taken when collecting samples. Breed associations and/or genomic companies will reject samples that do not meet their criteria (i.e., excess manure contamination in hair samples). Occasionally, samples will fail, and new samples will need to be submitted. Again, consult your lab or association to ensure success. The testing process can take 4-6 weeks, and the results will be provided over email.

The newest technique used for parent verification is based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) testing, which allows greater accuracy compared to formerly used tests such as single tandem repeat (STR) or microsatellite testing (MIP). One crucial factor is that both calf and parents should be tested using the same DNA technology (e.g., MIP and SNP). Therefore, most breed associations are migrating and retesting their animals to SNPs. SNP based parent testing can vary from $15-$25 per sample. Additional genetic testing using the same blood sample can be included as an added on

*All three associations allow tissue sampling collections (ear notch); however, the price is increased co™mpared to other sampling options. Refer to your association website for further information on tissue sampling and for current pricing.

**Producers can include add on tests such as Coat Color Test, Arthrogryposis Multiplex (AM) Test, and Neuropathic Hydrocephalus (NH) Test. Refer to your association website for the complete list.

Figure 1: Parent verification tests allow the confirmation of a calf’s sire and dam through the use of DNA technologies. Calves must contain genetic information from both parents. During parent verification, several SNPs are tested.

Table 1. Comparison of prices for parent verification among breed associations.

to parent verification. Add ons can include complete genotyping, single traits, or genetic defects testing. Also, companies and associations have special pricing depending on the number of animals to be tested.

The main idea behind parent verification is that each calf will receive one copy (“allele”) of the potential gene marker from each parent. For example (Figure 1), if a bull carrying the alleles “AA” is crossed with a dam carrying the alleles “BB,” the calf must have the alleles “AB” because the calf must receive a gene copy from each parent. If the calf tested were either AA or BB, then the calf is not compatible, and parentage is excluded. This is done by selecting and testing compatibility based on several unique SNPs (a.k.a. DNA markers).

Take home message - Genomic testing is feasible and can provide tremendous value in both commercial and seedstock operations. The advances in the test procedure allow for an easy and affordable collection with the benefits of adding several genetic tests to the results. Tests can be done through your breed association or private laboratories. Genetic testing allows our industry to make faster genetic progress and improve the conversion of forage to beef.

How to collect and ship blood or hair samples for genomic testing?

To collect blood samples:

• Record animal ID on the DNA card.

• Wipe the ear clean.

• Prick the vein in the animal’s ear with a sterile needle (1).

• Touch the circle on the DNA card to the blood site in the ear (2).

• Fill the circle and allow the card to dry away from sunlight for 24 hours before mailing.

To collect tail hair samples:

• Record animal ID on the DNA card

• Pull from the tail switch “up and away” around 20 hairs with root bulbs (1).

• Place the bulb on the sticky flap. Hair bulbs must be present to perform the test (2).

• Press the side on top of the bulbs to seal the sides and trim excess hair to the edges of the hair card (2).

To Ship the samples (Both blood and tail hair samples):

• Mail samples in an envelope or small box. Do not mail in a sealed plastic bag (3).

• The laboratory will process the sample and compare it with potential parents (4).

• Results will state if the calf matches or not potential parents (5).

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

Terry Boyles, President - twinbfarm1@gmail.com

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

Figure 2. Schematic sample collection using blood or tail hair for genomic testing.

LMA

NEWS

Applauds Bill to Allow

Livestock Auction Investment in Small and Regional Packers. Livestock Marketing Association (LMA) applauds Congressmen Mark Alford (R-Mo.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), and Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) for introducing the Amplifying Processing of Livestock in the United States (A-PLUS) Act. If enacted, the bill would remove an outdated regulatory barrier and allow livestock auction market owners to own or invest in small and regional meatpackers.

The Administration, Congress, and the livestock industry agree there is a need for increased packer competition and additional processing capacity. Currently, livestock auction owners are not able to own, invest, or participate in the operation of a packing plant or meat marketing business due to dated Packers and Stockyards Act restrictions. This

prohibition falls under a 102-year-old law and predates the current, transparent method of selling livestock at an open auction to the highest bidder. The A-PLUS Act is essential in removing this unnecessary barrier to cattle industry investment in the packing sector. The bill would allow livestock auction owners to own or invest in cattle and hog packers smaller than the current ten largest packers.

“We greatly appreciate Congressmen Alford, Panetta, and Johnson introducing the A-PLUS Act,” said LMA President and owner of Kentucky-Tennessee Livestock Market Mark Barnett.

“Livestock auction markets, like mine, are in the competition business. Allowing livestock auction owners to invest in small and regional packers will create competition against large packing entities that already exist. The A-PLUS Act could spur additional capacity and especially

additional packers to increase competition and improve profitability for producers.”

If you have questions about the A-PLUS Act, please reach out to Chelsea Good, Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs & Legal, at cgood@ lmaweb.com or 816-305-9540.

Livestock Marketing Association Announces New Scholarship Program. The Livestock Marketing Association is pleased to announce the release of a new scholarship program. With the goal of investing in the next generation, the program is designed to award five $2,500 scholarships to individuals who are interested in or display knowledge of the importance of the agriculture industry and its supporting entities, with plans to use their career to advocate for or advance the livestock marketing industry.

“We are excited to launch this new scholarship program to encourage and recognize the next generation of leaders in our industry,” said LMA President Mark Barnett. “We are always looking for ways to get the younger generation involved, and I believe this is a step in the right direction.”

Applicants must be a graduating high school senior and/or currently enrolled at an accredited, post secondary

institution and maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher. A letter of recommendation from an active LMA member must accompany the application at the time of submission. LMA members may not recommend more than two (2) applicants for the LMA scholarship in the same academic year. Applications will remain open until March 31 at 5:00 p.m. Following the deadline, scholarship applications will be reviewed by a panel of LMA leadership, LMA membership, and allied industry relations.

For more information on the LMA Scholarship Program, visit lmaweb. vercel.app/About/scholarships or contact LMA at lmainfo@lmaweb.com

About the Livestock Marketing Association. LMA, headquartered in Overland Park, Kan., is North America’s leading national trade association dedicated to serving its members in the open and competitive auction method of marketing livestock. Founded in 1947, LMA has more than 800 member businesses across the U.S. and Canada and remains invested in both the livestock and livestock marketing industries through support, representation, and communication efforts. For more information, visit www.LMAWeb.com

4B FARMS, LLC

Shelby, NC

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

4K RANCH

Nelson, VA

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

AWC CATTLE COMPANY

Winston-Salem, NC

Andie & Wes Carpenter 336-970-1655

jcarpenter@alphagraphics.com www.windmillacresfarms.com

BLINSON

POLLED HEREFORDS

Lenoir, NC

Keith & Peggy Blinson - 828-310-4526

Bryan & Beth Blinson - 919-422-9108

DOUBLE J FARM

Traphill, NC • Earlysville, VA

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

FIVE J’S BEEF & CATTLE COMPANY

Clayton, NC Jody & Angela Standley

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

GRASSY CREEK FARM

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

HEREFORD HILLS

Greensboro, NC

Bill Kirkman III 336-382-9635 ST Genetics Representative

SAVE THE DATE

55th Annual N.C. Hereford Classic Sale

***NEW DATES for 2023***

May 12 - NCHA Annual Banquet

May 13 - N.C. Hereford Classic Sale

***NEW LOCATION***

Shuffler Farm Sale Facility

444 Union Grove Road • Union Grove, NC

LOOKABILL FAMILY LIVESTOCK

Lexington, NC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

News

Steer Shootout can partake in additional educational activities, including Beef Quality Assurance certification, as well as competitive opportunities throughout the program.

Hereford Feedout

Numbers Climb. More Hereford breeders and commercial users of Hereford genetics are discovering the feedlot and carcass performance of their genetics through various American Hereford Association (AHA) programs.

Currently, 94 participants from 22 states are feeding more than 1,400 head of Hereford and Hereford-influenced feeder cattle at HRC Feed Yards, Scott City, Kansas. The numbers encompass the Hereford Feedout Program* and the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout**

“Every year, we see increased interest in these programs from our members and their customers because of the value they find in benchmarking feedlot and carcass performance in their programs and then tracking subsequent performance relative to their benchmark,” says Trey Befort, AHA director of commercial programs.

These cattle feeding opportunities enable participants to enroll a few head or entire pens of cattle. They receive ongoing updates about how their cattle are performing while on feed and then receive a collective summary of all cattle enrolled in the program to see how their cattle performed relative to the entire group.

“The value of this information and being more closely engaged with the cattle feeding sector has always been important. It is becoming invaluable as more cattle are channeled into specification based, value added areas of the supply chain,” Befort says.

All participants can attend an annual educational field day at HRC Feed Yards, which delves into various aspects of the cattle markets, cattle feeding, and beef packing. This year’s event is on April 15.

NJHA members enrolled in the Fed

“These programs provide value to those who have never fed their cattle before and those who do so on a routine basis,” explains Bill Goehring, Libertyville, Iowa, AHA president — a Hereford breeder, commercial cow/ calf producer, and sale barn owner and manager. “These programs are a convenient, cost effective way for Hereford seedstock producers and their commercial customers to identify how their genetics perform in the feedlot and in the packinghouse. The data also adds increasing accuracy to the breed’s genetic evaluation.”

* Hereford Feedout Program —

participants enroll a minimum of five head of same sex (steer or heifer) cattle for feeding within a designated delivery period; participants can enroll whole pen groups outside of the designated delivery period.

** NJHA Fed Steer Shootout — participants enroll individual steers or pens of three steers.

About the American Hereford Association. AHA, with headquarters in Kansas City, Mo., is one of the largest U.S. beef breed associations. The not-for-profit organization, along with its subsidiaries — Certified Hereford Beef (CHB) LLC, Hereford Publications Inc. (HPI), and American Beef Records Association (ABRA) — provides programs and services for its members and their customers while promoting the Hereford breed and supporting education, youth, and research.

Composites Simplify Reproductive Management. Composite breeds like Lim-Flex provide hybrid vigor in a straightbred system. What’s the big deal with composite bulls? And why should I use them? “These are two good questions,” says Dr. Bob Weaber, a geneticist and head of Kansas State University’s Eastern Kansas Research and Extension Centers. For answers, he says look at the cowherd.

That’s where composite bulls help commercial cow/calf producers realize the benefits of heterosis without the headaches of a traditional crossbreeding program. “They (the bulls) come with the crossbreeding system already built in,” he says, using Lim-Flex as an example. LimFlex composites can have 25-75 percent Limousin genetics, with the remainder being registered Angus or registered Red Angus.

“We get our biggest boost in performance due to heterosis in lowly heritable traits like cow longevity and fertility,” he says. Given today’s cost in developing replacement heifers, cow longevity is more important now than

ever before.

Composite bulls also provide breed complementarity — that’s when the breed combination possess complementary traits like Limousin and Angus do.

Coupled with heterosis, it adds even more to a commercial herd’s economic potential. “So, producers can expect a 13-15 percent improvement in weaning weight per cow exposed using a Lim-Flex breeding program, for example,” he says.

Real World Results - Shane Whiting and his two sons run around 1,000 commercial cows in northeast Utah near Roosevelt — all Lim-Flex, bulls and cows alike.

“Docility and calving ease are the two number one things for a commercial rancher,” he says. “And the docility of the Lim-Flex is really great. But calving ease is top of the line. She has to be able to produce a calf without a lot of problems.”

They have a 60 day breeding and calving season. “And our conception rate with Lim-Flex cattle has run 95-96 percent consecutively for up to 20 years now.”

He also appreciates that his cows

have a moderate frame size yet milk well. “We have better longevity, and we have a better bag,” he says. “These hold up.”

Whiting has carcass data on thousands of head beginning in 2014. That year, his Lim-Flex calves came down the rail grading 94 percent Choice and Prime. “Now we’re at 97 percent.”

Data from the Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., helps explain why Whiting’s Lim-Flex cows perform well on a diet largely of grass and grass hay. “There was no statistical difference in feed efficiency yet lower intake. That’s likely tied to the expected lower mature weights on these females,” Weaber says. Citing other research, Weaber points out that Limousin females had the lowest mature cow weight among ten breeds, with weights corrected for breed effect and contrasted to Angus.

Hitting Home Runs in the Southeast

- Will Hargett owns a sale barn in Ayden, N.C., in the eastern part of the state. “We handle quite a few cattle that are in less than load lots,” he says, with cow herds ranging from 20 to around 100 head.

A number of years ago, he marketed some Lim-Flex calves to a producer who backgrounded and finished them. “About a year later, he called me back and said, ‘We’ve been in the business for three generations and that last set of calves we bought out of your barn really showed us something.’”

Hargett did a little research and decided he would help place Lim-Flex bulls with area cow/calf producers. “We’ve had a great experience with Lim-Flex bulls in recent years with what I would consider to be fairly average commercial cows, and just get outstanding calves coming off these cows,” he says. “And we’ve had a lot of good response from the people buying these calves.”

Several of his customers retain their heifers. To that end, he says the Lim-Flex genetics are busting some age old myths. Bred back to Lim-Flex bulls, “They’re not throwing anything with bad temperament issues. They’re easy to handle, they’re good milkers, they’re good mothers and are producing fantastic calves.”

Drought Insurance - “We’ve been tested pretty hard as far as weather the last handful of years,” says Shane Anderson. “Mostly drought and feeding a lot of poor-quality roughages. And they (his Lim-Flex cows) seem to be holding up.”

Anderson, a cow/calf producer from Towner, N.D., says that over the years he’s used Lim-Flex genetics, he sees more consistency in the conformation and disposition of the cattle. “I’ve had a lot of confidence in the Lim-Flex females as far

as calving ease and the vigor of the calves when they get up and get going. They’re really a herd that doesn’t require a lot of attention in the spring. And that’s a big seller for me.”

He’ll come back with Lim-Flex bulls on his replacement heifers. “I’m happy with the selection I’m finding in the LimFlex breed as far as bulls that hit my maternal needs as well as ones that hit the benchmark as far as the feeder calves and the performance I expect from them.”

What’s more, he’s impressed with the longevity of Lim-Flex females. Because of drought, he has culled deep but says there are still some females in his herd that are producing at 12-13 years old.

When it’s time to cull the old cows, their condition and yield add value at the sale barn, he says. “I still want some salvage value, and you know what? Even at 12, 13 years of age, they sell just as they would if they were five, six, seven years old. They look good.”

Mark Smith to be Inducted into the North American Limousin Hall of Fame. The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) is proud to announce the induction of Mark Smith into the NALF Hall of Fame at a ceremony to be conducted at Rapid City, South Dakota, this summer during the National Junior Limousin Show and Congress on July 11.

Bruce Lawrence, NALF President, commented, “We are extremely grateful to have had the expertise and service from a man that has devoted 42 years of his life to the Limousin breed and its members and is very deserving of being inducted into the NALF Hall of Fame. He continues to be involved with the breed through various facets and still operates Grassroots Genetics and Consulting along with Grassroots Insurance.”

Contributions in Mark’s name, along with letters of appreciation and support to be included in the book presented to Mark and his family, can be sent to the NALF office in Aurora, Colorado. Checks should be made out to the NALF Hall of Fame (HOF) account and mailed to:

NALF

6205 S Main St., Suite D-280 Aurora, CO 80016

About the North American Limousin Foundation. The North American Limousin Foundation, headquartered in Englewood, Colo., provides programs and services, including the documentation of more than 25,000 head of cattle annually, for approximately 4,000 members and their commercial customers. The Limousin breed and Lim-Flex® hybrid offer industry leading growth and efficiency while being an ideal complement to British breeds. For more information about NALF, please visit www.nalf.org

Pasture Management Systems, Inc.

MILE OF FENCE PROGRAM

New Members by County in 2022 (as of 12-31-22)

Grand Total 631

New NCCA Members for 2023

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

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

Out-of-State

Brookfield Farm – Virginia

Boundary Builders – Virginia

Jessica Bennett – Auburnlea Farms – Virginia

Buncombe County

Shelby Candler – JS Farm

Eddie Gillespie

Jim Reising

Jack Thompson – McCoy Farm

Catawba County

Eddy Christopher – The Farm

Dee Hubbard

Chatham County

Charles E. Lutterloh – Lutterloh Farms

Jake Mainor – Mainor Family Farm

Cherokee County

Carson Gilleland

Jerry Kephart

Cleveland County

Andrew Elmore, Jr. – Andy O Farms

Columbus County

J.W. Hardwick

Cumberland County

David Clary Autry – Autry Cattle Farms

Davidson County

Daddy-Daughter Farm Inc.

Duplin County

Dail & Meredith Eason

– It’s A Beautiful Day Ranch

Stephen Mogollon – Hawks Nest Farm Inc.

Greg Moore – Austin Farms Inc.

Matthew Phillip Moore – Austin Farms

Edgecombe County

Suggs Brothers Farm

Franklin County

Daniel Beasley

– E&W Livestock/Batten Farm

John F. Harris – Shiloh Farms

Gaston County

Charles Jones – J&J Farm

Granville County

Houston Jones – Jones Family Farm

Larry Medlin – Larry Medlin Farms

Greene County Johnny & Shea McLawhorn – Triple M Farms Inc.

Guilford County

William Cody Amos – Frightnight Livestock

John Doggett – Doggettville Farm

Harnett County

Robert Godwin – Joe & Sandy’s Red Angus

Haywood County

Michael Warren Hannah

Iredell County

Ray Anderson – Anderson Farms

Jeffery Raper – Bottomland Cattle Company

David Stamey – Stamey Farms

Johnston County

Terry A. Parker, Sr.

Harold Wayne Sinclair

McDowell County

Lavonne McClure – McClure Farms

David Parker – Montford Cove Farm

Madison County

Nathan Graham – Ray Graham Farms

Martin County

R. Sutton Edmondson, III – Edmondson Farms Inc.

Mecklenburg County

Sandra Scally – Scallys Natural Beef

Moore County

Colin MacNair – Buckhorn Farm

Onslow County

Barry Shepard – Shepard Farms

Ashley Smith – JS Lowland Cattle

Orange County

Keith Yow

Pender County

Diana Holland – Horsepen Bay Cattle Co.

Person County

Rickey M. Chambers

Greg Stewart – Turkey Ridge Farm

Polk County

Michael Wilson – Hard Labor Ranch

Randolph County

Chris Goldston – CG Farm

Bryan Locklear – Locklear Farms

Brad Moore – Moore Farm

Richmond County

Eli Maske – Mt. Creek Farms

Robeson County

Cathy Hunt – Paz-Mia Farms

James Hunt – Hunt’s Farm

Sampson County

Reagan Bustabad – DL&B

Elizabeth Fann – Quentin Ryan Fann Farms

Stokes County

Tanner McPeak – Peak Ridge Farms

Alexis Poindexter-McPeak – Poindexter Farms/Peak Ridge Farms

Surry County

Brent Johnson – 4J Farm

Alvin Seal – Seal Farm

Swain County

James Griffin – Griffin Farms

Transylvania County

Anthony Hall

Union County

John Couick – Bella Terra Farms

Kevin Little – Triple L

Chad Simpson – Chad L. Simpson Farms

James Tyson – Room Enough Farms

John Winchester – Winchester Farms

Wake County

Grace Detwiler

Thomas Ezzell

Doug Hardee

Watauga County

Lewis Hall Anderson

Bob Shipley – Shipley Farms

Wayne County

Jessica Dunkley

Glenn W. Hood – H Farms

Jon Teeter – Twisted T’s Land & Cattle

Wilkes County

Matt Johnson – J&J Farms

Yadkin County

Shaun Peters – Peters Farm

47th Annual Clemson Performance Tested Bull Sale Results

By DR. STEVEN MEADOWS Clemson University

The Clemson University Cooperative Extension 47 th Annual Bull Sale was a huge success, averaging $5,988 to set a 47 year record. A large crowd of new and repeat buyers was on hand for the sale, and the buyers and bidders appreciated the outstanding quality of the bulls in the offering. This year we offered bulls of various breeds, which included Angus, Hereford, Simmental, SimAngus, and Balancers. The bulls posted tremendous performance and relative feed efficiency, as evidenced by the performance data in the catalog. Performance of these bulls was backed up by a powerful genomic EPD profile geared to improve commercial cattle herds in just about every scenario. The bulls were sold on February 4 at the T. Ed Garrison Arena. This year’s crowd was standing room only, and participants were enthusiastic both before the sale and certainly during the sale. The excitement was infectious in the sale arena and was also evident on DVAuction online bidding, and telephone bids were strong!

This year’s bull consignments were from breeders in Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina! A big thank you to these consignors to their commitment to excellence in their breeding program. The bulls not only boasted a strong array of EPDs but also backed it up with stellar performance and conformation.

The top selling bull was Lot 79, a powerful Simmental bull that posted a 1,431 lb yearling weight and a beautiful suite of EPDs to back him up. This powerhouse future herd sire sold for $38,000 and was consigned by AK/NDS of Six Mile, S.C., and was purchased by the Erbele and Thompson families of TNT Simmental Ranch in Lehr, North Dakota. The second high selling bull was the Lot 42 bull consigned by Winters Angus of Watkinsville, Georgia. This deep bodied junior Angus fetched $10,000 when the gavel fell. Repeat buyer Moss Cattle Company of North Carolina did not rest until they scored with the purchase price of $10,000. Following close behind was the

Lot 69 SimAngus bull consigned by Cooks Cattle Service of Buckhead, Georgia. This ripping good bull commanded a final bid of $9,000 and sold to repeat buyer Michael Cordray of Ravenel, South Carolina.

Lot 26, a senior Angus bull, came into the ring and started a flurry of bidding immediately. This extremely balanced son of Sitz Stellar 726D was consigned by John C. Smith of North Carolina. When the dust settled, Lot 26 made his way back to North Carolina, selling to the Snow

family of Dobson, N.C., for $8,500. The excitement didn’t end there as Yaupon Land and Cattle’s Lot 41 junior Angus bull hit the ring garnering a high bid of $7,500 from yet again repeat buyer, Overbridge Farm of Newberry, South Carolina.

AK/NDS had one more consignment to hit the top sellers as Lot 70, a stout blaze face SimAngus by W/C Bankroll, rang the bell at $7,250. Longtime supporter and buyer Joey Greene of Jackson, S.C., landed the final bid.

Sale crowd at the 47th Annual Clemson Bull Sale.

To highlight the breeds individually, the Hereford division didn’t disappoint as Lots 52 and 53 from Riley Farms were top sellers. These two ET brothers sold for $5,000 and $5,200, respectively. Lot 52 sold to Horned M Ranch of White Oak, and Lot 53 sold to Bruce Cannon of Greer, South Carolina. Overall, the Hereford bulls averaged $3,938 on four lots.

this year, with four lots each, were Arkansas Land and Cattle Company and Moss Cattle Company. Many thanks to everyone!

This year’s sale also included 21 stout open heifers. There is no doubt that Bar H Cattle, Diamond “S” Farm, and Riley Farms stepped up to the plate on this offering of 21 open heifers. High selling lot was a single entry from Bar H that sold for $1,900, and Bar H also had pens 5 and 6 that captured high bids of $1,850 and $1,800 on some beautiful Sim/Angus and Red Angus F1s. The volume buyer of heifers was Talmadge H. Luker, Jr. of Hodges, South Carolina. The 21 heifers averaged $1,500.

buyers of the sale were Wayne Moss of Franklin, N.C., and Arkansas Land and Cattle of Lake Village, Ark., with four bulls each.

The 47 th Annual Sale was sold by Col. Dale Stith of Mays Lick, Kentucky. Ring men were Steve McGill, Michael Ryan of Townville, and David Gazda of the American Angus Association. These three gentlemen are true professionals, and we thank them as well. With all the

sale enthusiasm, these guys didn’t miss a bid. Thank you, gentlemen!

Sale Summary

• 26 Angus averaged $5,365

• 6 SimAngus averaged $5,833

• 4 Hereford averaged $3,938

• 2 Simmental averaged $20,750

• 3 Balancers averaged $4,253

41 total bulls averaged $5,987

21 total heifers averaged $1,500

There were three Balancer bulls in this year’s sale, which were all Misty Hill consignments. These bulls were very balanced and will improve the herds of their new owners. The Lot 81 bull sold to Chris Collins of Tennessee for $4,750. Overall, the Balancer bulls averaged $4,253.

The six SimAngus bulls recorded an average of $5,833, and the Simmental scored for an average on two bulls of $20,750.

The 41 bulls saw a final sale average of $5,988! When the final load out occurred that evening, bulls were headed to six different states. Another record set for the Clemson Bull Test program.

We thank each and every one for coming, buying, bidding and consigning, and pushing the bulls to a new high of $5,988! Each of you is truly the driver behind our program. Volume bull buyers

Once again, on behalf of Clemson University, the Cooperative Extension Service, as well as the Clemson Bull Test program, we thank our consignors, buyers, and bidders for their dedication to breed improvement and excellence in genetic advancement within the beef industry! The confidence each of you has in the Clemson Bull Testing Program is humbling and appreciated. If you missed the sale, we sure missed you, but mark your calendars now for February 3, 2024, at the T. Ed. Garrison Arena for another powerful offering of industry improving bulls!

Overall, the bulls sold into Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee, and South Carolina. Volume

Lot 79 is ready to sell.

David Gazda, Regional Angus Field Director, taking bids fast and furious.

47th Annual Clemson Bull Test award winners, from left to right - Gray Riley of Riley Farms, Dr. Jim Rathwell of AK/NDS, Ricky and Dale Baumgardner of Misty Hill Farm, John Smith of Panther Creek, Sonny and Martha Winters of Winter Angus, and Steve Meadows, Clemson Bull Test Program, Director

MERCK Animal Health News

Merck Animal Health Announces SENSEHUB Feedlot Takes Top Award as Best New Food Animal Product. Award marks the fifth year in a row for recognition in this category. Merck Animal Health recently announced SENSEHUB Feedlot, the company’s technology that provides real time data to detect potentially sick cattle earlier, more efficiently and accurately than traditional visual observation, has been awarded the Best New Food Animal Product from S&P Global Animal Health.

SENSEHUB Feedlot technology allows cattle producers and feedlot operators to proactively track an animal’s biometrics and behavioral data through a non-invasive cattle ear tag equipped with sensors, to monitor cattle temperature and movement.

“Being recognized with this award is a testament to our people throughout our company – from research and development

to manufacturing to sales,” said Shannon Kellner, vice president, U.S. Livestock Business, Merck Animal Health. “Our strong pipeline brings together innovative solutions from biopharmaceuticals and technology solutions to help our customers improve the health of their animals and bring efficiency to their operations. We are proud to continually be recognized as a transformative leader in the animal health industry.”

Past Merck Animal Health products that have been honored include the IDAL portfolio technology, PORCILIS Lawsonia intramuscular vaccine for piglets, NOBILIS SALENVAC ETC, and WHISPER ON ARRIVAL. Additionally, Merck Animal Health was named Best Animal Health Company, North America, in 2021.

“SENSEHUB Feedlot features an illuminating LED light that makes it easy to identify and sort cattle needing

attention with less labor and minimal disruption to other animals,” said Jeroen van de Ven, DVM, vice president, Technology Solutions, Merck Animal Health. “It is the only automated monitoring ear tag product on the market for use in feedlots as well as stocker and backgrounding production systems.”

The development of SENSEHUB Feedlot, one of the technological solutions that Merck Animal Health has developed through the acquisition of Quantified Ag, a Nebraska based early start up acquired in 2020, reflects approximately eight years of development work. Its development encompassed numerous animal studies, data analysis, the building of hardware and software applications, manufacturing processes, and customer experience and feedback efforts.

SENSEHUB Feedlot offers those who manage and care for cattle additional data to help them detect potential illness. Cattle’s defense mechanisms mean they often hide symptoms of illness, making it very challenging for even experienced pen riders to find sick animals.

SENSEHUB Feedlot assists the pen rider by providing additional and precise information. Animals can be identified

earlier, so they can be pulled, evaluated and, if necessary, treated more quickly.

“Merck Animal Health continues to dominate this Best New Food category as a leader in bringing differentiated products to the market. The company is building quite a reputation for winning this award multiple times, which is a testament to innovation within the livestock area and continued developments for the customer,” said Joseph Harvey, head of S&P Global Animal Health. S&P Global provides essential financial information and analytics, including specific commodity coverage, to businesses globally.

Merck Animal Health Announces Results of Consumer Transparency Research Study. DNA TRACEBACK technology platform provides a transparency solution by verifying the origin of animal protein sources. Merck Animal Health recently announced the results of the company’s first ever consumer transparency research study, finding that ⅔ of consumers say transparency in animal protein is extremely or very important.

The consumer transparency study focused on consumers’ growing interest in transparency and its importance in

their purchasing decisions and brand trust. The study explored consumer desire for transparency in animal protein, such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, and their perceptions of industry transparency when it comes to animal welfare and sustainability. It also looked at the interplay of transparency and traceability and consumers’ willingness to pay for transparency label claims.

“The survey results tell us consumers want more information than ever in order to make informed decisions about the food they put on their dinner tables,” said Allison Flinn, DVM, Executive Director, Value Chain and Consumer Affairs, Merck Animal Health. “We work to be the industry leader in improving animal health through our biopharmaceutical and technology portfolio solutions, and we also have the technology that can provide greater transparency and allow consumers to make informed decisions. In fact, our DNA TRACEBACK technology, which uses nature’s bar code – DNA – with data analytics, provides an evidence based animal protein traceability solution to accurately trace meat and seafood that is verifiable from farm-to-table to help build trust in food labels.”

The DNA TRACEBACK platform is the most advanced meat traceability solution and the leading technology on the market that verifies the exact origin of meat products for the food producer, food retailer, and consumer. Each animal in the program is DNA sampled so that in every stage of the production chain –from the farm gate, the processing plant, and right through to the restaurant plate – the exact origin of meat or seafood is verified. A sample of each animal’s DNA code is captured at slaughter and assigned

a unique barcode number. This DNA number is then linked to the animal and can be traced through the supply chain all the way to individual cuts of meat served in restaurants.

Study Methodology - The consumer transparency study surveyed more than 1,000 consumers who represent the U.S. shopper. The study defined transparency as knowing how food was grown, raised, and made. Traceability was defined as knowing where foods come from or, more specifically, being able to follow the movement of food products and ingredients through the supply chain. Highlights from the study include:

• 66 percent of consumers reported transparency in animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, and dairy) is extremely or very important, and the reasons are personal –health and nutrition top the list;

• 86 percent of consumers who reported transparency is important also rank traceability as extremely/ very important, and 40 percent of those consumers also want to know where the livestock comes from;

• Over 50 percent of consumers surveyed reported they were willing to pay a 5 percent premium for transparency on the label and want more information than ever about how their food is grown and raised to make informed decisions at the grocery store;

• High transparency seekers, or those who consider transparency most important to their purchasing decisions and are willing to pay for it on the label, are typically millennial, non-Caucasian, educated males who live in urban areas with their children – and they do the grocery shopping;

• Environmental sustainability and

S.C. CharolaiS NewS

By GEORGEANNE WEBB S.C. Charolais Association

I have some sad news to report about Mike King. Mike has been placed in VA Hospice with no chance of returning home. The tumor he had removed in October has grown back, and he has numerous tumors in his brain. He will remain in Hospice for comfort care. I am in contact with his son and his nephew, so I will keep everyone informed. Please pray for his passing to be without pain and any other problems.

Pickens County also lost a great cattleman in January. Johnnie Newton passed away, and we will miss him greatly. Please pray for his wife, Betty, as she copes with his loss.

Charolais folks are busy getting ready for the Appalachian Sale on April 28 in Knoxville, Tennessee. This time I am consigning two bulls since I had a bull year. Make plans to be there.

Wayne Bennett of Georgia and his wife are traveling to Ireland in March, so I will give an update on their trip next month.

Not much else is going on other than calving and searching for hay to get through the winter.

My question is, where is all this rain in the summertime when we desperately need it?

animal welfare are important animal protein purchase considerations, with 55 percent surveyed reporting environmental sustainability as very/extremely important and 66 percent reporting animal care/ treatment as extremely important/very important.

“Sustainability, nutrition, food safety, and animal welfare are all topics consumers want to know more about, and we know greater transparency builds trust,” said Dr. Flinn. “Consumers also want to know the brands they buy from are transparent, and this research provides insights into how farmers, ranchers, food brands, and allied industry partners like Merck Animal Health can collaborate to meet their expectations.”

About Merck Animal Health. At Merck, known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, we are unified around our purpose: We use the power of leading edge science to save and improve lives around the world. For more than a century, we’ve been at the forefront of research, bringing forward medicines,

vaccines, and innovative health solutions for the world’s most challenging diseases. Merck Animal Health, a division of Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, N.J., is the global animal health business of Merck. Through its commitment to The Science of Healthier Animals, Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners, and governments one of the widest ranges of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and health management solutions and services, as well as an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability, and monitoring products. Merck Animal Health is dedicated to preserving and improving the health, well being, and performance of animals and the people who care for them. It invests extensively in dynamic and comprehensive R&D resources and a modern, global supply chain. Merck Animal Health is present in more than 50 countries, while its products are available in some 150 markets. For more information, visit www.merckanimal-health.com

Beef CheCkoff News

Consumer

Demand

for Beef Remains

Strong Among Inflation Woes, New Report Shows. During historic price levels, supply chain issues, and general consumer uncertainty about the future, beef remains a top source of protein. According to the newly released “Today’s Beef Consumer” report from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, demand for beef continues to remain strong. The compilation of research from 2022, outlined below, shows that despite various challenges faced by the industry, consumers have repeatedly stated that they will continue purchasing beef, both in retail and foodservice settings.

Consumer Insights - Consumer demand for beef remains strong overall.[i] In fact, more than ¾ of consumers reportedly eat beef on a weekly basis, or more.[ii] Inflation is certainly top of mind, and more than ¾ of consumers, 78 percent, report noticing an increase in the price of food, whether at retail or foodservice.[iii] Beef, however, has experienced far lower levels of inflation when compared to other proteins in the “food at home” category[iv], which we will explore next.

Retail - During the pandemic, consumers were forced to cook at home, and many have continued to do so as it has become a popular way to make a dollar stretch and combat inflation. Analysis for the Today’s Beef Consumer report found 76 percent of meals are now cooked at home, and 94 percent of consumers who are cooking more at home say they will continue to do so.[iii] In 2022, fresh ground beef accounted for 50 percent of volume of beef sales [v] , likely due to the lower price point as well as a renewed consumer interest in comfort foods and nostalgic recipes, like meatloaf. In 2022, meatloaf was also the most popular page on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com, with almost 1.7 million pageviews. This trend is expected to continue as a recent survey found that 20 percent of consumers say they plan to purchase more ground beef in the coming year.[iii]

Foodservice - It is no surprise that beef sales at foodservice declined sharply in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, sales in both dollars and volume rebounded to surpass the pre-pandemic level of 2019.[vi]

Online Shopping - Another pandemic trend that seems to be here to stay is online shopping, both at retail and foodservice. There are 64 percent of consumers saying

they are ordering groceries online, with 44 percent of consumers including fresh beef in those grocery orders. When it comes to foodservice, online ordering has become overwhelmingly popular. There are 80 percent of consumers saying they order meals online, and 70 percent use online ordering for burgers.[iii]

Beef Substitutes - Fresh meat and beef substitutes continue to represent a small percentage of the market. When it comes to protein sources, consumers consistently rank beef as a top source of protein.[ii]

As we head into 2023, demand for beef remains strong, and consumers continue to purchase and order beef, whether in person or online. To view the entire study, visit BeefResearch.org

References

[i]USDA, Economic Research Service, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

[ii] Directions Research, Consumer Beef Tracker January-December 2022

[iii] State of the Consumer Survey, August 2022

[iv]U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Data Ending December 2022

[v] NielsonIQ, Discover, Full-Year 2022 Fresh Meat Sales by Primal, Data Ending December 31, 2022

[vi] GlobalData, Beef Produce by Channel in U.S., 2019-2023

Beef filled week at Daytona International Speedway culminates with Austin Hill winning the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300. Beef took center stage during NASCAR’s opening week as drivers raced to the checkered flag - and the beef - in Daytona. Austin Hill joins a prestigious list as the back to back winner of the 2023 Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300. NCBA once again partnered with Daytona International Speedway to sponsor the 42nd annual NASCAR Xfinity Series season opening race, one day before the iconic DAYTONA 500. For the second year in a row, Austin Hill drove into victory lane, where he was greeted by a buckle and the beef to close out a week that showcased all things beef and agriculture to race fans young and old.

“The race outdoes itself every year, and continues to be a huge hit among NASCAR fans,” said Clark Price, Federation Division Vice Chair for NCBA, “It’s an honor to be here for a third year to once again showcase the

values of cattle farming and ranching that resonate with fans, and bring everyone together with beef on the grill.”

The Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. 300 is part of DAYTONA Speedweeks, presented by AdventHealth. Throughout the week, race fans had a chance to interact with farmers and ranchers, try their hand at roping, and of course, taste some delicious beef at the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. midway tent. Additionally, campers and tailgaters who sported signs showing they were grilling beef were surprised with beef gear, from steak seasoning packets to shirts and bags.

For race fans not able to join the tailgate in person, a satellite media tour took the tailgate to them. Just two days before the race, award winning chef Ryan Clark, Tucson’s Iron Chef for three consecutive years and Executive Chef for the AAA 4-Diamond and Forbes 4-Star Hotel Casino Del Sol, was live from the track for interviews with TV and radio stations across the country. Chef Clark shared two of his favorite race day recipes – Beef, Beer & Cheese Dip and BBQ Beef Sliders – both perfect for tailgating or homegating. And it wasn’t just race fans getting in on the fun. The United States Air Force Thunderbirds and members of the media

were all treated to delicious beef meals prepared by chefs from the Beef Loving Texans on behalf of beef farmers and ranchers everywhere.

Finally, the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand was also showcased nationwide through various advertising efforts before and during the race. In addition to signage on the racetrack, funding from several State Beef Councils allowed for commercials showcasing beef to a national audience on FS1 during the race. Ads were also featured on various digital platforms, and billboards could be seen in the Daytona International Airport and along the highway approaching the speedway.

To learn more about the race and view all of the recipes showcased at the track, visit BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com.

About the Beef Checkoff. The Beef Checkoff 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¢ on 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.

Federation oF State BeeF CounCilS update

Federation Through the Decades

— 1970s. As the Federation of State Beef Councils celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, let’s step back in time and look at successful projects that have created a strong state/national partnership through the decades. We are cruising into the ‘70s when polyester and platform shoes were the fashion of the disco era, and momentum for a national Beef Checkoff program began to build.

Beef consumption rose 33 percent between 1963 and 1976, and even though consumers were eating more beef, they were buying it at lower prices, and producers struggled to remain profitable. Nutritionists also started warning consumers about eating too much red meat, and the government began making recommendations to consume less beef and eat more chicken and fish. Producers recognized the need to increase beef demand nationally and protect the industry’s image.

In 1972, the Beef Industry Council (BIC) placed full color, full page ads in women’s magazines with the theme “Nothing Beats Beef.” This type of campaign was a first for BIC, and several state beef councils contributed funding to extend the message locally. In addition to the colorful magazine ads, full color in-store displays were made available to retailers, and press releases and scripts for radio commercials were sent to food editors.

With support of the American National Cattlemen’s Association (ANCA) and the BIC, the American National CowBelles started the National Beef Cook Off in 1974 to generate publicity for beef. Early cook offs encouraged use of more economical cuts of beef from the chuck, round, and brisket, or ground beef, and entries were judged on appearance, ease of preparation, originality, and taste. In 1979, funding from the BIC made it possible to include contestants from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The successful national contest continued for four decades and resulted in tasty beef recipes that generated positive media attention and millions of impressions for beef.

In 1976, the BIC celebrated the 200 th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by creating the “Bicentennial Beef Cookbook,” which featured beef dishes from America’s first 200 years and reached 100,000 consumers. In addition to recipes, the

book featured historical information about the cattle industry, tips on preparation and storage, as well as nutrition information. The release of the cookbook generated positive publicity for beef in newspapers across the country, and industry organizations used the book for special campaigns and promotions.

During the 1976 National Beef Promotion Workshop, the first “Sizzler Award” competition took place, with state beef promotion programs competing for bragging rights. States submitted their most effective campaigns, which were judged on originality and effectiveness. The Oregon Beef Council’s “Beef Gift Certificate” campaign received the first top “Sizzler” nod.

Educating both consumers and health professionals about beef’s nutritional profile also started to take center stage. Full page advertisements in professional journals brought the beef nutrition message to physicians, nutritionists, dietitians, and home economists. In addition, consumers were reached through ads in magazines such as Reader’s Digest, Time, Newsweek, and Better Homes and Gardens. Focusing on beef’s positive nutritional attributes, the ads reassured consumers that beef is the food they’re “right to like.”

Later in the decade, there was a drive to initiate the first national Beef Checkoff assessment. While 56 percent of producers voted in favor of the measure, in a 1977 referendum, it failed to earn the required ⅔ approval to pass. A second referendum also failed, by a more significant margin, with only 35 percent voting in favor of the program. It would take nearly ten more years before the national Beef Checkoff came to fruition, but that’s a story for next month.

For more information about the Federation of State Beef Councils, visit www.ncba.org/federation. Next month we’re going back to the future to the ‘80s when the Beef Checkoff began and big hair was in.

Outdoor Billboards Making a Comeback. It takes a lot to capture a driver’s attention as they are speeding down the highway, but when a larger than life sign tells onlookers, “Don’t Drive Hungry. Eat Beef.” people notice. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is always looking for new and exciting ways to educate today’s consumer about beef’s taste, nutrition, and versatility. While outdoor advertising may not be a new method for sharing beef’s positive

message, new technology is bringing billboards back to the marketing mix.

“We rely on consumer research and insights to help us determine the best advertising tools to promote beef, and in what markets,” said Martin Roth, NCBA’s executive director of digital media. “We also need to track results to be sure we are using Checkoff dollars effectively and efficiently.”

In the past, understanding the impact of outdoor advertising was cumbersome at best, with limited data available to measure success. With today’s traffic tracking technology, geo-location services, and mobile data, gathering results is much more accurate.

Traditional advertising like outdoor billboards, whether static (printed) or digital (electronic), target beef’s message in metropolitan markets across the country where consumers live, work, and play. Extending the message to a wide audience also helps reach consumers who may not otherwise learn about beef.

Outdoor billboards made a return during the 2022 Summer Grilling campaign, promoting the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. brand in Cleveland, Dallas, Nashville, Phoenix, and St. Louis. There were 24 billboards, which featured

pictures of tasty beef and catchy taglines, that caught the attention of drivers along busy thoroughfares in these markets and generated nearly 38 million impressions.

Beef was also the focus of 15 billboards along major highways in Kansas City, Minneapolis, Orlando, and San Francisco, this past holiday season, reminding consumers that beef is “The Gift of Flavor.” With state beef council support, an additional billboard was installed in Indianapolis, and six more boards were posted in Jackson, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville. The billboards generated nearly 10 million impressions, with an additional 6.2 million impressions in Indiana and Tennessee.

“We are receiving positive feedback from state beef councils and from producers who are seeing the billboards along major highways in their states,” said Cullan McNamara, associate director of marketing at NCBA. “It is exciting to see these outdoor billboards performing so well, giving us one more tool to reach consumers.”

Outdoor advertising will continue in 2023, reaching even more markets from coast to coast. Look for Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. billboards popping up in a city near you promoting beef throughout the year.

Cattlemen’S BeeF Board update

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects New Officers at 2023 Winter Meetings

Cattle producers Jimmy Taylor, Andy Bishop, and Ryan Moorhouse are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). This officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff throughout 2023.

Taylor, Bishop, and Moorhouse were elected by their fellow Beef Board members during their Winter Meetings, held during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana. Taylor, the 2022 vice chair, will now serve as the CBB’s chair, while Bishop

will transition from his role as the 2022 secretary-treasurer to become the 2023 vice chair. Moorhouse is the newest member of the officer team, taking on Bishop’s former responsibilities as secretary-treasurer.

Chair Jimmy Taylor and his wife Tracy run a commercial Angus herd near Cheyenne, Okla., consisting of approximately 600 females on 12,000 acres. Their ranching efforts have earned them the 2011 Certified Angus Beef Commitment to Excellence Award and

2023 Spotlight iSSueS Schedule

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

2023 Reserved Spotlight Issues

JANUARY CHAROLAIS

FEBRUARY FORAGES

MARCH ANGUS

APRIL ---------------

MAY BRAHMAN

JUNE HEREFORD

JULY ---------------

AUGUST SIMMENTAL

SEPTEMBER SANTA GERTRUDIS

OCTOBER WAGYU

NOVEMBER BRANGUS

DECEMBER ---------------

For more information about your breed’s Spotlight Issue, contact:

the 2013 Oklahoma Angus Association Commercial Breeder of the Year. The use of artificial insemination, proper nutrition, genomics, and other new technologies play a large role in obtaining the operation’s goal: to create a good eating experience for the consumer. Taylor has also served on several local and state boards.

“As 2023 gets underway, demand for beef continues to be strong, both domestically and internationally,” Taylor said. “However, ongoing drought and economic uncertainty continue to challenge our industry. As the new chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, I’m looking forward to working with our dedicated members and contractors to develop plans and initiatives designed to advance our industry and build upon the momentum generated during 2022.”

Vice Chair Andy Bishop and his wife Meagan are raising their four children on their registered Angus seed stock operation, Fairfield Farm, near Cox’s Creek, Kentucky. Bishop began his career teaching agriculture to students and eventually moved into the field of agriculture lending in 2007. Bishop is the former chair of the Kentucky Beef Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Young Cattlemen’s Conference. Bishop also served as a

member of the Long Range Planning Task Force and as president of the NCBA Young Producers Council and the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Young Producers group.

Moorhouse grew up on his family ranch, a cow/calf and stocker operation in North Central Texas. After graduating from Texas A&M University, he went to work for Continental Grain Cattle Feeding (now Five Rivers). He is currently the general manager for Hartley Feeders, a Five Rivers Cattle Feeding operation. Moorhouse also operates his own stocker operation back home on part of the family ranch. Moorhouse and his wife, Colette, have two sons and reside in Amarillo, Texas.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to have experienced producer leaders like Jimmy, Andy and Ryan to guide the CBB throughout the next year,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “These gentlemen understand the challenges and opportunities currently facing the beef industry, and each has a unique perspective to share. I’m confident their leadership will help the CBB and the Beef Checkoff achieve new levels of success in 2023.”

To learn more about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information, and safety, visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com

Agriculture Council of America Announces 2023 National Ag Day

The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) will host National Agriculture Day on March 21. This will mark the 50 th anniversary of National Ag Day, which is celebrated in classrooms and communities across the country. The theme for National Ag Day 2023 is “Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.”

On March 21, the ACA will host a virtual Ag Day event and events in Washington, D.C. Additionally. The ACA will bring college students to Washington “virtually” to deliver the message of Ag Day to the Hill. A core leadership team of college students will attend events in Washington, D.C.

These events honor National Agriculture Day and mark a nationwide effort to tell the true story of American agriculture and remind citizens that agriculture is a part of all of us. Many agricultural associations, corporations, students, and government organizations involved in agriculture are expected to participate.

National Ag Day is organized by the Agriculture Council of America. The ACA is a nonprofit organization composed of leaders in the agricultural, food, and fiber community, dedicating its efforts to increasing the public’s awareness of agriculture’s role in modern society.

The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

• Understand how food and fiber products are produced

• Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant, and affordable products

• Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy

• Acknowledge and consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, and fiber industry

In addition to the events on March 21, the ACA will once again feature the Ag Day Essay Contest. The winning essay will be presented on National Ag Day.

Blueprint – Targeted nutrition without excess for peak performance. Blueprint was designed for results oriented producers feeding animals at any stage of life. It provides targeted nutrient levels that have been identified through university research and further substantiated by large ranch demonstrations. With Blueprint, animals can now reach peak performance while avoiding the unintended consequences of over-supplementation, which is commonly associated with inorganic trace minerals.

So, how is this new? Some may be inclined to point out that making a supplement with 100 percent organic trace minerals is not a new concept, which is true. However, what makes Blueprint unique is the level of trace mineral supplementation associated with feeding these products, at roughly ⅔ of National Research Council (NRC) recommendations.

The relatively high bioavailability of Bioplex trace minerals — included in all Blueprint products — allows us to supplement at a lower level while still improving animal performance over any level of inorganic trace mineral supplementation.

What about the higher cost of organic trace minerals? Organic trace minerals have been around for more than 40 years, but part of their slow acceptance revolves around their increased cost over inorganic forms. Blueprint involves a lower yet more effective level of fortification, allowing this product line to come in at a relatively reasonable price point.

What’s wrong with excess? For example, with a typical four ounce intake mineral, 1,000 ppm copper would be considered 100 percent of NRC recommendations for a cow consuming 25 pounds of dry matter. Yet, it is not uncommon to find inorganic trace mineral supplements listing 2,000–4,000 ppm of copper, or even more — which is two to four times the NRC recommendation! With that much copper sulfate — a well known anti-microbial compound used in foot baths to help control foot rot — going into the rumen of a cow, is it any wonder that related research shows reduced rumen function in cows fed excess copper?

Many of us grew up in a culture where if a little is good, then a little more must surely be better. Inorganic trace

mineral fortification levels in the beef industry are a great example of this idea getting out of hand.

Organic trace minerals have a different mode or route of absorption and are minimally affected by trace mineral antagonists. As such, the lower fortification levels in Blueprint supplements are more effective.

So, what does Blueprint accomplish? Early on in animal nutrition, trace minerals were supplemented to remove the outward or obvious signs of a trace mineral deficiency. But as more research was performed, we began to realize that trace mineral deficiencies can hamper animal performance, even if there are no readily apparent signs. Through trace mineral supplementation, we quickly moved from simply correcting maladies and deficiencies to targeting above average performance.

Blueprint is the ultimate architect in helping producers accomplish their improved performance goals, consistently helping them achieve a better bottom line through better reproduction and calf health and performance.

More calves - University research conducted on nearly 2,000 head of Blueprint fed cows showed an increased pregnancy rate (from 92.6–95.3 percent) — a 2.7 percent increase in a herd that already had a very respectable conception rate. The ROI here was calculated at 3:1.

Heavier calves - In addition, several trials across the U.S. have shown a roughly 24 pound weaning weight advantage for Blueprint fed herds. The ROI here was calculated at 4.4:1.

Healthier calves - Large ranch research on nearly 4,500 head of cows showed a 2.5 percent reduction in preweaning calf mortality rate. The ROI here was calculated at 1.6:1.

Confirmed pregnancy timingUniversity research also documented improved fertility indicators in replacement heifers. Heifers on a Blueprint program reached puberty nine days earlier in year one and 41 days earlier in the second year. Similarly, those heifers were confirmed pregnant eight days earlier in year one and 18 days earlier in year two.

Some of these performance increases are additional, while some contribute to one another. In a combined effort to pull this information together, two large ranches calculated their combined ROI on all aspects of the Blueprint program over

multiple years. They found ROIs of 4.9:1 and 7.1:1.

If applicable, I would invite you to look back 10, 20, or even 30 years on your cattle enterprise. How much change have you seen in the way we receive information and data? How different are the trucks, tractors, and harvesting equipment of today compared to when you got started? They can now essentially drive themselves.

So, isn’t it possible that your herd’s nutrition program might need a refresh, too? Blueprint supplements are truly the latest advancement in trace mineral nutrition, enabling producers to get a tangible return on the investment in their herd.

About Hubbard Feeds. As part of the

Alltech family of companies since 2015 and in business since 1878, Hubbard Feeds has a long history of providing research based nutrition products and innovative support services. We are driven to provide our customers with products and answers that will improve their profitability, increase their competitive advantage, reduce their risk, and simplify their lives.

Through improved nutrition and continuous scientific innovation, we are committed to improving the value and quality of feedstuffs, providing a nutritional platform for animals to achieve their inherent genetic potential, and, ultimately, supporting producers as they deliver more plentiful, safe, and nutritious food for us all.

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

Cattle Receipts: 17,461 • Previous Month: 12,247

Feeder supply - 25% steers • 45% heifers • 29% bulls

First Generation Cattleman Makes His Mark in the Show Cattle World. Hard Work, Passion, and a Great Mentor Are the Foundations of Casey Hilmes’ Success. Do you have to be part of a multi-generation ranching family to get a start in the cattle business? Nope. Just ask Casey Hilmes.

What you do need is passion, a work ethic, and mentors. That’s the triad that Hilmes employed to grow into a successful seedstock producer.

Hilmes and his family run around 200 Simmental and SimAngus cows in Southwest Oklahoma, around Fort Cobb. The core of his operation is purebred Simmental and SimAngus cattle, which account for about a quarter of the herd. The rest are commercial cattle used as recipients. “We run an embryo transfer operation and depend heavily on that and artificial insemination for our breeding program,” he explains.

And, as of this writing, he’s been at it for all of ten years. “First generation and started from nothing and working our way up.”

Hilmes focuses on producing high end show heifer prospects and bulls bound for commercial herds. Originally from Durango in Southwest Colorado, his interest in seedstock and show cattle began when he joined the livestock judging team at Redlands Community

College in El Reno, Oklahoma. From there, it was on to Oklahoma State University, where he continued his livestock judging career.

“I just developed a passion (for the cattle business) through networking, meeting friends who are in the business.” One of those friends, Jered Shipman, a Simmental breeder from Grandview, Tex., became a mentor and partner in Hilmes’ growing cattle enterprise. “I would say he’s got as much to do with it as anybody,” Hilmes says.

Junior livestock shows are popular in Oklahoma, Texas, and other states, and that’s where Hilmes focuses his marketing. And show heifers coming from his operation have seen success.

“We were supreme in the Oklahoma Youth Expo back to back in ‘18 and ‘19,” with a heifer shown by one of his customers. Now that his daughters, ages 8, 9, and 10, have begun showing, they’ll hit the show circuit themselves. In fact, his oldest daughter was successful with a heifer in 2020, getting slapped as supreme at county shows and holding her own at the national level.

Year ‘round Effort - Hilmes calves twice a year, with his “spring” calving season beginning in January. “We wrap that up about April, then get a good break through the summer where we work the show cattle and halter-break and prepare the spring calves for the fall sale season,” he says. “We wean about August or September and sell those cattle from October to November.”

September is when the fall calving cows start delivering their calves, “And we just repeat the process,” he says. “Start prep on those small heifer calves around February or March and sell them in April and May. So it’s around the calendar continually; either calving or breeding cows or prepping sale cattle. We don’t get much of a break except for the dead of summer.”

Squeezing the Most from Low Quality Forage - Ah yes, the dead of summer when it’s hot, dry, and pastures fade quickly. “We’re pretty sandy where we’re at,” Hilmes says. “We don’t have great soil. A lot of Bermuda grass and then native grasses.”

Even in a good year, the sandy soil lacks enough nutrients to grow great forage. In drought years like the recent past, the forage is even thinner. And when you’re selling show heifers, body condition and a shiny, full coat are essential.

That’s where the orange Riomax tubs entered the picture. In fact, it was Shipman who turned Hilmes onto Riomax.

“We’ve got a few partnership cows,” Hilmes says. For several years, Hilmes ran some open heifers for Shipman and sent them home as bred heifers. “The last time he sent some up here, he also sent some tubs and said, ‘Keep those out for those gals and treat them like you would normally treat them.’”

That piqued Hilmes’ interest. “He told me the benefits he had seen in his operation and from people who had told him about it. So I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet, give it a whirl and reap the benefits myself,” he says.

In fact, he was so impressed with the results he was getting with his cattle on Riomax that he became a dealer like

Shipman.

“I try to run as close as I can to a commercial operation, keeping dollars and cents at the forefront, and trying to develop low input, easy keeping type cattle, as well as implementing a low input management system,” he says. “So even though we’re raising specialized cattle, and that’s our market, and that’s the audience we present our product to, we still need to keep in mind those dollars and cents that we’re spending every day. “So I guess that’s the big thing. We try to keep it as commercially minded as we can.”

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

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

Cattle Receipts: 12,615 • Previous Month: 6,632 Feeder supply - 31% steers • 45% heifers • 22% bulls

FEEDER CLASSES

Beef Promotion and Research Program

PRIVATE TREATY SALES CHECKOFF INVESTMENT FORM

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

Today’s Date: ________________

Seller’s Name: ____________________________

Buyer’s Name: ____________________________

Address: Address:

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

Seller’s Signature: _________________________

Buyer’s Signature: _________________________

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

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

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

* State of Origin of Cattle:

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

Send Report and Remittance to:

SOUTH CAROLINA BEEF COUNCIL

P.O. Box 11280

Columbia, SC 29211

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

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

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

John Deere offering HarvestLab 3000 Grain Sensing for combines. John Deere now offers HarvestLab 3000 Grain Sensing on 2018 or newer John Deere S700 Series Combines. Grain Sensing continuously measures and monitors protein, starch, and oil values in wheat, barley, or canola in real time as the combine is harvesting. This site specific data can then be viewed in the combine or in the John Deere Operations Center.

“When a farmer has site specific data on a field’s harvest quality, they know if the wheat coming out of the field is of baking or fodder quality,” said Christopher Murray, marketing manager for John Deere. “This knowledge gives them the ability to store their grain in separate batches according to quality and then market that grain more selectively.”

Site specific data helps farmers precisely document the harvest as the grain quality is recorded at each individual point in the field. “This level of detail lets them compare varieties or confirm if machines were properly set,” Murray said. “They are also able to see areas of the field that most successfully converted nutrients into yield, protein or oil, so next season’s fertilizer plan can be adjusted.”

Grain Sensing is the fourth application of John Deere HarvestLab 3000. For years, farmers have successfully used HarvestLab for constituent sensing on John Deere self propelled forage harvesters, for manure

sensing on liquid manure applicators, and as a stationary desktop unit to analyze forage and samples.

“This fully integrated John Deere solution helps small grain farmers be successful at every production step, from tillage, planting, protecting and nurturing, to harvest,” Murray said.

As the combine moves through the field, a motor driven auger pushes grain in front of the HarvestLab 3000 near infrared sensor. Together with the StarFire receiver, site specific data is generated on the Generation 4 Display and sent to Operations Center via JDLink. Farmers can use Operations Center to review harvest results and field profitability with different tools that include Analyze and Field Analyzer. Farmers can also pair information in Operations Center with partner software to gain additional insights or to create application maps for fertilizer or other inputs.

John Deere Operations Center users can now import SmartApply System sprayer data. John Deere recently announced that SmartApply Intelligent Control System users can now seamlessly flow their SmartApply data into the John Deere Operations Center to monitor and manage work and to maximize profits of their farms. This change helps growers easily and efficiently analyze past work, helps guide future business decisions, and can help them document savings realized by using

the SmartApply Intelligent Spray Control System, which can be added to and elevate the performance of most any blast sprayer, regardless of make or model.

Operations Center is an online farm management system growers can use to access their farm information anytime, from anywhere. Tools in Operations Center can be used to analyze, edit, and make collaborative decisions from the same set of information to improve yields and reduce input costs.

“From machine performance to field management to data analysis, growers can depend on John Deere precision ag tools to monitor, manage, and maximize their farm operations,” said Greg Christensen, marketing manager for John Deere. “Combined with its complementary suite of mobile apps and the power of live connections such as JDLink, which is now standard equipment on 5ML and 5EN specialty tractors, Operations Center brings more efficiencies to an operation and helps growers do the best job possible on every pass in every season, while improving profitability.”

In December 2020, John Deere entered into an allied distribution agreement with Smart Guided Systems to sell its SmartApply Intelligent Control System for use with John Deere tractors in high value crop applications.

Promoting an electric tomorrow, John Deere launches first all electric residential zero mower. John Deere, a global leader in innovative and powerful turf equipment, is expanding its portfolio of products designed for the future by introducing the all new Z370R Electric ZTrak Residential Zero Turn Mower.

The John Deere electric residential zero turn mower is targeted toward property

owners who want to maintain their yard appearance easily with reduced maintenance, simplified use, and increased operator comfort due to less noise and vibration while mowing. The new Z730R Electric ZTrak provides landowners with options when evaluating their lawn care needs and delivers the high level of quality customers expect in a John Deere mower paired with an extra jolt of energy to lead customers into the future.

“Everyone has different needs when it comes to their land, and we understand that one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to energy solutions. That’s why it is important for us to provide our customers with a broad range of mower options without compromising performance from gas machines,” said Eric Halfman, go-tomarket manager, riding lawn equipment, John Deere. “Customers are demanding more from their equipment, and since no one knows our customers or their work better than we do, we are prepared to deliver like no other, starting with the Z370R Electric zero turn mower.”

The Z370R Electric ZTrak boasts strategically designed features and technologies, making for simplified, cleaner mowing without sacrificing the mowing experience when compared to a traditional gas mower. Promoting an easy adoption of electric solutions, the Z370R can be charged without removing the batteries by using a standard outdoor extension cord and a 110 volt grounded outlet. This helps eliminate the need for external chargers and extra storage space. Additional design features include large front and side frame rails, increasing machine durability, performance, and appearance, as well as a 42 inch Accel Deep mower deck that delivers superior cut quality at faster ground speeds. The Accel Deep mower deck also provides owners with industry exclusive John Deere MulchControl technology, resulting in reduced grass clippings and a healthier lawn.

Extending the John Deere Z300 platform and standing out from competitive models, the Z370R Electric ZTrak features an integrated, sealed battery and onboard charging to supply power to the unit. The fully sealed battery allows for mowing in wet and rainy conditions. The 3.56 kWh maximum capacity battery is backed by a five year manufacturer’s warranty and enables customers to mow up to two acres.

Further enhancing the zero emission mowing experience, the Z370R Electric ZTrak features a large LCD screen used for monitoring battery levels with three modes, allowing operators to adjust settings based on preference and yard conditions. Making for an easier mow, the integrated park brake is activated when the control levers

are pushed outward, and a push button start quickly turns on the machine, getting it mowing ready in seconds. In addition, the integrated Bluetooth system enables owners to remotely monitor the mower’s charge status and battery level through the MowerPlus app.

Lastly, customers can benefit from reduced maintenance associated with the Z370R Electric ZTrak. Without the need to refill gas and change oil, filters, and belts, customers can get to work faster and stay up and running longer.

John Deere earns three 2023 AE50 Awards for innovative product engineering from ASABE. John Deere was recently presented with three 2023 AE50 Awards for outstanding innovations that improve production agriculture. The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) annually recognizes the 50 most innovative product engineering designs in the food and agriculture industry with AE50 Awards, as chosen by international engineering experts.

Winning products are recognized for their role in bringing advanced technology to the market. These engineering developments help farmers and food processors increase efficiency, enhance quality, improve safety, and increase profitability. This year John Deere received AE50 Awards for the following innovations:

Transmission (EVT)

• 800R Floater

“AE50 Awards recognize the great work being done by our staff of engineers to bring incredible products and technology to market for the benefit of our customers,” said Joel Dawson, manager of production and precision agriculture marketing for John Deere. “No other agricultural company spends more money, time, and energy on research and development than John Deere. Our commitment to innovation ensures customers have the absolute best tools and technology possible as they work to feed, fuel, clothe, and develop infrastructure for a growing global population in the most productive and sustainable manner possible.”

Last March, John Deere introduced See & Spray Ultimate technology that enables targeted spraying of non-residual herbicide on weeds among corn, soybean, and cotton plants. This technology has been shown to reduce non-residual herbicide use by more than two-thirds. In addition, the dual product capability of See & Spray Ultimate allows farmers to combat herbicide resistance by using two independent tank mixes in one pass and avoiding antagonism in more advanced mixes.

Also introduced last March was the John Deere EVT for 8 Series Tractors. The EVT has electric motor generators in place of the hydrostatic motors on an

infinitely variable transmission (IVT) to provide the variable input. The EVT is the industry’s only transmission that enables electric power generation (up to 100kW). By using this electricity, farmers could power implement fan drives that take the place of implement hydraulic pumps or assist the tractor by powering the implement’s axles. This is similar to the proven technology John Deere currently uses on construction equipment.

Agricultural implements with powered axles are already successfully being used in Europe to help push the tractor from behind while working in the field. EVT technology offboards electricity from the tractor to provide added power to the implement and can reduce wheel slip, improving uphill performance.

The third 2023 AE50 Award John Deere received was for the 800R Floater. The floater can be equipped with air boom, updated dry spinner spreader, and liquid systems. Compared to the previous John Deere F4365, the 800R helps operators cover more acres per day with less fatigue and improves serviceability by reducing attachment changeover times.

For more information, visit JohnDeere.com

About John Deere. Deere & Company is a global leader in the delivery of agricultural, turf, construction, and forestry equipment. We help our customers push the boundaries of what’s possible

in ways that are more productive and sustainable to help life leap forward. Our technology enabled products, including John Deere Autonomous 8R Tractor, See & Spray, and E-Power Backhoe, are just some of the ways we help meet the world’s increasing need for food, shelter, and infrastructure. Deere & Company also provides financial services through John Deere Financial.

Check the Classifieds in this issue!

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

Keep your Newborns Healthy with Vita Charge. For livestock producers, there is nothing better than seeing newborns on your operation. Calving, lambing, kidding, and farrowing are all the efforts of your well planned genetic matings. You’ve provided the females with extra care and optimal nutrition while anxiously awaiting a new crop of progeny.

A healthy crop of progeny is ultimately the goal for any producer; however, the best laid plans are often squelched by Mother Nature or some other external force. Make sure you have the resources available to keep your newborns and their mamas healthy, thriving, and performing.

Vita Charge is a line of fast acting, multi-specie livestock products for support before, during, and after stressful times. Parturition is stressful for both the mother and her offspring – consider coming out of a warm, protected womb into a cold, damp barn or pasture. Vita Charge is powered by AO-Biotics Amaferm, a prebiotic research proven to enhance digestibility. With 70 percent of the immune response found in the digestive system, keeping the animal healthy starts there, which is why getting Amaferm in an animal’s system is so important.

Vita Charge has three products ideal for both newborns and mothers recovering from giving birth. All three products are for cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. They all contain Amaferm and MOS

that helps normalize gut microflora and support the immune system.

• Vita Charge Gel is for all livestock and is designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune systems. It works fast to support appetite and hydration. This gel comes in two sizes: 60 mL and 300 mL, for the convenience of all sizes of operations. Some producers give a dose of the Vita Charge Gel to every newborn when processing to jump start their digestive system and make sure they stay healthy.

• Vita Charge Clench Gel is designed to support normal digestive function during occasional diarrhea or scours, both likely to happen in newborn situations. In addition to Amaferm and MOS, the Clench Gel contains electrolytes to support rehydration.

• Vita Charge Liquid Boost is designed to provide immediate support to the animal’s digestive and immune systems. It can be given as a drench, mixed in water, top dressed on feed, or administered through a medicator. Vita Charge Liquid Boost contains flavoring to help drive intake of feed or water.

Make sure your new livestock mamas and their offspring get off to the healthiest start possible this year. Stock your nursery with products from the Vita Charge line to give your newborns the rapid resilience they deserve. Keep them eating and drinking and keep them healthy. To locate a dealer or learn more about these fast acting, multi-specie

products, visit www.biozymeinc.com.

About BioZyme Inc. BioZyme Inc., founded in 1951, develops and manufactures natural, proprietary products focused on animal nutrition, health, and microbiology. With a continued commitment to research, BioZyme offers a complete line of feed additives and high density, highly available vitamin, mineral, trace mineral, and protein supplements for a

variety of animals, including cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, horses, and dogs. BioZyme brands include AO-Biotics ® , VitaFerm ®, Gain Smart ®, Vita Charge ® , Sure Champ®, Vitalize®, DuraFerm®, and Backyard Boost ®. With headquarters in St. Joseph, Mo., the company reaches a global market of customers that stretches into countries across five continents. For more information about BioZyme, visit www.biozymeinc.com

Norbrook broadens extensive antibiotic line with addition Tulieve. New generic Tulathromycin injectable available in exclusive plastic bottle and four different sizes. A practical and economical generic alternative of tulathromycin injection is now available from Norbrook. The company has introduced Tulieve to its comprehensive and extensive portfolio of anti-infective products available to veterinarians for use in food animals.

According to Eric Moore, DVM, director of technical services for Norbrook, Tulieve is a rapidly absorbed, long lasting, single shot antibiotic that has proven highly effective against a broad spectrum of bacterial pathogens that affect beef cattle, non-lactating dairy cattle, and swine.

“As president of the Duplin County Cattlemen’s Association and a fellow cattleman, I encourage you to take five minutes of your time to speak with Donna Byrum. She introduced me to a program that I knew nothing about, and within six months she was on my doorstep with a check. The PRF program has been a blessing amid the changing climate and different extremes that all our farming operations have experienced.”

~ Joey Carter

“Tulieve, like other tulathromycin injectables, is a semi-synthetic macrolide class of bacteriostatic antimicrobials that disrupts protein synthesis of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria,” says Dr. Moore. “That’s what makes this class of antibiotics so effective against a broad spectrum of diseases, especially respiratory diseases in cattle and swine.”

Dr. Moore notes that Tulieve can be administered in a low volume dose and has a short 18 day withdrawal time for beef and a 5 day withdrawal for swine, giving veterinarians and producers more flexibility and options when it comes to managing sick animals. Those options also include four different sizes of Tulieve: Exclusive 1 liter, 500 mL (both in hanger bottles), 250 mL, and 100 mL. “Tulieve, from Norbrook, is the only generic tulathromycin available in plastic bottles, making it easier for veterinarians and producers to handle while reducing the risk of product loss due to breakage.”

With the introduction of Tulieve, a macrolide, Norbrook adds a fifth class of chemistry to its anti-infective portfolio, making it the most comprehensive line of antimicrobial treatment options available from one company.

For more information on Tulieve, contact your local animal health provider or visit Norbrook.com

About Norbrook. Established in 1969 by the late Lord Ballyedmond, Norbrook is one of the largest privately owned veterinary pharmaceutical companies in the world. With more than 40 years’ experience delivering trusted, quality brands for our customers, we are continuing to drive the business forward through new product development, substantial investment, and increasing revenue in all our main markets.

Zoetis and Select Sires Inc. Partner to Help Cattle Producers Apply Data for Strategic Decision Making. Data from Performance Livestock Analytics software and competitive grid marketing access from GeneNet help beef producers market the value of their cattle. Zoetis is excited to announce its partnership with Select Sires Inc. to help cattle producers gain more from data. The partnership provides a grid marketing service, GeneNet, which will provide Performance Livestock Analytics customers with a designated marketing platform to communicate and promote the value of their cattle. Select Sires’ farmerowners will gain value with access to the Precision Animal Health portfolio from Zoetis, including beef genetic testing and Performance Livestock Analytics software.

The GeneNet grid marketing service negotiates fed cattle pricing based on carcass characteristics, including quality

and yield grade. With this partnership, Performance Livestock Analytics customers will receive an exclusive offer to use GeneNet’s competitive marketing grids and gain bargaining power for the quality cattle they raise, plus carcass data on those cattle.

“This partnership creates a winning opportunity for producers,” said Justin Sexten, head of Industry and Network Partnerships, Precision Animal Health, Zoetis. “GeneNet allows cattle feeders to leverage their animal data from our management software to strategically market their investment in quality genetics and exceptional management. This information arms them with collective negotiation power on GeneNet’s marketing grids to communicate to buyers the value of their cattle.”

Cloud based software developed by Performance Livestock Analytics, part of Zoetis, helps digitize cattle

records and turn data into actionable insights to inform strategic decisions regarding health, genetics, marketing, and financials.

Sandra Utter, GeneNet manager at Select Sires Inc., said the collaboration with Zoetis will help drive better genetic and management decisions to breed and market quality cattle.

“Because Select Sires is positioned at the front and back end of the beef production chain, we can help beef producers capture and analyze data that allows them to create, measure, manage, and make changes to increase profitability from conception to consumption,” Utter said. “Data captured in Performance Beef can help us evaluate cattle performance in the feedlot and provides the necessary history and genetic makeup critical to successfully marketing on GeneNet grids.”

Through this partnership with Select Sires, Zoetis will begin the development of connecting the carcass data to the digital ecosystems for Performance Livestock Analytics and BLOCKYARD to enable more seamless management and genetics decision making tools. This integration will provide participating customers access to valuable carcass data within their current platform for Performance Beef. This will help minimize data entry and also provide producers insights into how their use of elite genetics is performing on the rail and adding value.

Select Sires customer Trent Winter of Wintergreen Farms in Clifton, Kan., has benefited from marketing cattle through GeneNet. He emphasized the need for data to make good marketing decisions.

“Without the data, it’s hard to see the progress or know the areas to improve,” Winter said.

From the carcass data Wintergreen Farms received from GeneNet, they made sire selection adjustments to improve their cattle’s marbling ability and ultimately optimize both premiums and yields on the grid.

For Zoetis and Select Sires customers interested in learning more about competitive and profitable marketing opportunities for their cattle, visit GeneNetBeef.com

Over the Counter to Prescription Change for Antimicrobials Signals

Shift for Livestock Producers. Zoetis provides perspective and resources to make a smooth transition for June 2023. Livestock producers will start noticing a change in how they access specific antimicrobial products, as some products will be switching from over the counter (OTC) to prescription (Rx) only status as a result of U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) Guidance for Industry (GFI) #263. The guidance calls for animal drug manufacturers to change medically important antimicrobial drugs from OTC to Rx status by June 11. Now is the time to plan for a smooth transition, and Zoetis is actively working with veterinarians and producers in this time of change to help ensure continued access to the company’s animal health products.

“We have long been committed to working with veterinarians and livestock producers to help them establish veterinarian-client-patient relationships [VCPR] that put the animal’s best interests at the center of the conversation,” said Mike Lormore, DVM, Head of U.S. Cattle & Pork Technical Services at Zoetis. “Now more than ever, it is important to ensure that a VCPR is in place, and revisiting treatment protocols and where products are available will be keys to success.”

Antimicrobial products from Zoetis that will be affected include:

• Albadry Plus (penicillin G procaine and novobiocin sodium intramammary infusion) Suspension for cattle

• Albon (sulfadimethoxine) Boluses for cattle

• Lincomix (brand of lincomycin injection) for swine

• Liquamycin LA-200 (oxytetracycline injection) for cattle and swine

• Terramycin (oxytetracycline hydrochloride and polymyxin B sulfate ophthalmic ointment) for sheep, cattle, horses

• Terramycin (oxytetracycline HCl) Scours Tablets for cattle

The FDA has requested that label changes for these products be in place by June 11.

“This change matches with our industry goal of helping veterinarians and producers be good stewards of antibiotic products through judicious use,” Dr. Lormore said. “Once the guidance is in effect, it is important that these products are used under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian going forward.”

Antibiotic stewardship and judicious use are keys to successful disease treatment and helping to provide the best possible animal health outcomes. Zoetis supports the livestock industry through a One Health approach for the responsible use of antimicrobials. This approach includes advocating for the health of animals and those who care for them; innovating and investing in research that provides enhanced solutions; and collaborating with leaders in veterinary, human, and public health as well as the food industry to preserve animal health and welfare.

“We strongly encourage producers

to talk to their veterinarian about these changes to avoid surprises in where and how they can access animal health products,” Dr. Lormore said. “Don’t be caught unaware. Have a plan. Additionally, our commitment to supporting veterinarians and the livestock industry as a whole is unchanged, and we are providing resource materials and educational pieces on products that were previously available over the counter.”

This switch should prompt positive producer-veterinarian conversations that allow for revisiting animal health treatment protocols. Putting a plan in place now will help ensure access to the products needed later in the year.

Questions to keep in mind for those conversations:

1. What prevention and treatments are recommended for operation specific disease pressures?

2. Will the antimicrobials I am currently using be affected by the switch?

3. How can affected products be accessed after June 11?

4. Are there disease prevention protocols that could be implemented to help reduce disease risks before they occur and increase my operation’s success?

For more information about this transition, visit with your veterinarian and local Zoetis representative.

Zoetis Releases New Implant Applicator Exact10. New ergonomic design gives beef producers an upper hand. Zoetis has announced a new advanced implant applicator designed specifically for user ease and precision. The Synovex Exact10 applicator features multiple design improvements* that allow

for user comfort and ease, no matter what type of cattle operation. The Exact10 is compatible with every Synovex implant cartridge and makes the implantation process efficient and productive.

“We recognized the need for an applicator that was highly efficient and comfortable for extended use,” said Paul Parker, senior marketing manager, Zoetis. “Zoetis is committed to beef producers and innovation across the industry, so creating a tool that beef producers enjoy using was a top priority. The Exact10 applicator was crafted for comfort and ease of use without compromising precision.”

The Synovex Exact10 applicator is specifically designed for implantation success and user satisfaction. The highlights of this design include:

• Ergonomic grip to give comfort and grip to all hand sizes.

• Balanced handle placement to reduce strain while maximizing control with ease.

• Pull back t-handle that lets the user cock and advance without switching hands.

• Ambidextrous design allows users to operate the applicator with their preferred dominant hand.

• Retractable needle that reduces error and guesswork while implanting.

• Automatic last dose alert to let the user know when it is time to change implant cartridges.

• Universal product usage across the entire Synovex implant portfolio.

The Exact10 complements the comprehensive line of Synovex implants offering growth enhancement options for every production phase, from suckling

calves to stockers to fed cattle.

For more information on how the Exact10 applicator and Synovex implants fit your operation, consult your nutritionist and visit with your Zoetis sales representative. Find out more about Synovex implants and the Exact10 applicator at www.synovex.com

Refer to individual labels for complete directions for use, precautions, and warnings. Reimplant only if and as directed in labeling.

*As compared to the SX10 Precision Applicator from Zoetis.

About Zoetis. As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven

by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After 70 years of innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide - from livestock farmers to veterinarians and pet owners. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $7.8 billion in 2021 with approximately 12,100 employees. For more, visit www.zoetis. com

Carolina Cooking

Irish Beef & Beer Stew

Total Cooking Time - 4 Hours

2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

1 onion, diced

½ pound button mushrooms, sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 12 ounce can dark beer

1 parsnip, diced

1 turnip, diced

1 pound red skinned potatoes, diced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

3 cups beef stock

Season beef chuck roast cubes with salt and black pepper to taste. Heat oil in a large stockpot over high heat. Sear cubes until brown, about 5-6 minutes. Remove cubes from the pan and set aside.

Turn heat down to medium; add onions, mushrooms, and garlic to the pot and cook until lightly browned, about 4-5 minutes.

Pour beer into the pot and stir, scraping up and dissolving any browned bits of food into the liquid. Stir in tomato paste, thyme, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, salt, and pepper. Add back in beef cubes and add enough beef broth to cover all ingredients, about 3 cups.

occasionally.

Remove the cover and raise the heat to medium-high. Bring stew to a low boil and cook until stew has slightly thickened 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley, if desired.

Makes 5 servings.

Bring stew to a gentle simmer, stirring to combine; reduce heat to low and cover pot. Simmer stew until beef is fork tender, about 2 hours, stirring Irish Beef & Beer Stew

Three

Questions With a Cattle Nutritionist and Veterinarian. Know the basics about vitamins and minerals and their importance to cattle health. When you were a kid, would your parents remind you (daily) to take your vitamins? Like they were important to your upbringing, they’re important for your herd, too.

For about 35 years, Chris Cassady, Ph.D., Technical Sales Field Manager at BioZyme, and his family have raised Angus cattle in Illinois. They sell seedstock, bulls, and a lot of show heifers, he said. When asked about the importance of cattle supplements – and his best piece of advice to fellow cattlemen, based on his own operation – he said: “You’ve got to have a goal and match your genetics to your environment, but don’t cut corners on your nutritional regimen or supplementation. Doing so will cost you

in the long run.”

As we continue on into the winter months, Dr. Cassady shared how winter is especially not the time to cut corners on nutrition.

“When temperatures drop in the winter, their requirements for maintenance are going to go up biologically. Cold weather can clearly stress cattle; that’s where supplementation becomes even more important,” Dr. Cassady said.

1. What is the importance of vitamins and minerals for cattle? “The importance of cattle supplements is broad and very multifaceted,” Dr. Cassady said. “We know that the nutritional requirements of these animals change pretty drastically during different stages of production, whether they are in lactation, pre-calving, or breeding season. If you are at a time where your animal

has a biological ‘extra requirement’ for some nutrient – whether that be protein, energy, mineral, or vitamin – and they don’t receive it via supplementation, there can be negative impacts such as health, reproductive efficiency, or lack of performance. And all of those things combined are going to affect your bottom line. Minerals are key. There are links for zinc and reproductive efficiency. There are links to copper and immune health. There are links to zinc and immune health. I could go on and on.”

Of health concerns relating to nutrient deficiency, there are many, states Tony Hawkins, DVM, Technical Service Veterinarian at Valley Vet Supply.

“If an animal is too thin, they are in a state of cachexia and breaking down their own body to support their bodily functions,” warns Dr. Hawkins. “This situation makes their immune system weak. Many trace minerals are important for immune function. Deficiencies in any one mineral will cause a decrease in immune function. Nutrient deficiencies also can cause weak hooves, cracks, and a decreased ability to fight off any problems that arise.

Regarding reproductive efficiency, I have been involved in a herd workup with a severe copper deficiency. The herdsman noticed decreased reproductive success and severely compromised immune systems, which manifested as cattle that were predisposed to health conditions and unable to fight off minor illnesses.”

2. How are vitamins and minerals for cattle absorbed? “They’re absorbed in a multitude of different ways,” explained Dr. Cassady. “You can’t just provide a mineral in the elemental form. There are organic sources and inorganic sources, and because of that, they all have different bioavailability. And what that means is if they are able to be utilized by that animal in the blood system or in circulation, then they are bioavailable. They have gone across the intestinal wall and are available to the animal. Because of rumen fermentation, some of those products are delivered and broken down by microbes, so they no longer become available. But mostly, the higher quality, more bioavailable ones are able to escape that degradation process and are absorbed in the small intestine.”

3. Do all classes of cattle benefit from supplements? “Whether your cattle are commercial or show, they’re still biologically similar,” shares Dr. Cassady. “A ruminant is a ruminant, and the way the science has designed these products allows us to use them across all different breed types and purposes, whether they are exhibition bound or they are commercial cattle. Whether you’re

hauling a show heifer to Oklahoma City for the Cattlemen’s Congress or you’re weaning a stocker calf, you incite some level of stress. These products help cattle to get eating and drinking again, because that’s really the important part.

When animals get stressed, there are a lot of different blood metabolites that fluctuate, and one of the most common things that they do when they are stressed is to go off feed. They don’t eat. They don’t drink. And when there’s no constant flux of substrates and constant regulation of rumen fermentation, we start to see some pretty big challenges on gut health. Having that mineral balance is very critical because we don’t want those animals to suffer from a performance standpoint.”

Keep these thoughts in mind to help your herd, and learn more at ValleyVet. com

About Valley Vet Supply . Valley Vet Supply was founded in 1985 by veterinarians to provide customers with the very best animal health solutions. Building on over half a century of experience in veterinary medicine, Valley Vet Supply serves equine, pet, and livestock owners with thousands of products and medications. With an in-house pharmacy that is licensed in all 50 states and verified through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), Valley Vet Supply is the dedicated source for all things horse, livestock, and pet. For more information, please visit ValleyVet.com

New WOTUS Rule Revives Decades of Uncertainty

As many families were relaxing between Christmas and New Year’s, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was hurriedly finalizing a new “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) rule and adding to the regulatory uncertainty that has plagued cattle producers for decades.

“The timing of this rule could not be worse,” said NCBA Chief Counsel Mary-Thomas Hart. “It’s bad enough that the EPA unveiled this rule when many farming and ranching families are enjoying the holidays, but the Supreme Court is currently considering Sackett v. EPA, which will likely impact the WOTUS definition. The EPA’s final rule seeks to directly preempt ongoing Supreme Court litigation, leaving farmers and ranchers with more questions than answers.”

The release of this new WOTUS rule in the midst of a Supreme Court case has only added to the uncertainty cattle producers have faced the last 50 years. On average, the federal government has changed the definition of WOTUS every 3.8 years since the Clean Water Act passed in 1972, leading to decades of confusion.

“The Sackett case is an opportunity to finally solidify the EPA’s proper jurisdiction,” Hart said. “NCBA has long fought for a consistent WOTUS definition that offers clarity for producers.”

The Biden Administration’s WOTUS definition is detrimental for cattle producers and landowners across the country. In an attempt to strike a balance between the 2015 Obama definition and 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, EPA only created new confusion for regulated stakeholders. Features like ephemeral tributaries that only carry water after a precipitation event or isolated features that do not contribute to downstream water quality are neither categorically jurisdictional or exempt. Instead, these features are subject to case by case jurisdictional determinations, creating a resource intensive and costly new burden for cattle producers.

While the new rule is highly concerning, there is one bright spot. EPA’s proposed rule, first issued in December 2021, included no jurisdictional exclusions for agricultural features — even following the use of these valuable carve outs in both the Obama and Trump era rules.

“NCBA worked quickly to tell the Biden administration how harmful the loss of these agricultural exclusions would be,” Hart said. “We also encouraged our members to speak up ,

and their comments to the EPA were crucial for retaining the exemption. Our producers’ voices were heard loud and clear.”

The final definition excludes many important agricultural features, including prior converted cropland, certain ditches, and stock ponds. The final rule also contains a definition for prior converted cropland, attempting to align USDA and EPA standards and reduce confusion.

However, without a clear definition, cattle producers are left with the most concerning aspect of this new WOTUS rule: case by case determinations. This approach — a failure to tell regulated stakeholder what is “in” and “out” — requires cattle producers to ask the government if they have a regulated water feature on their property instead of providing a definition that allows landowners to make the determination on their own. Without clarity, features that are dry for most of the year or with no impact on downstream water quality might suddenly have the same federal protection and permitting requirements as a large lake, river, or ocean. In the past, such ambiguity has led to landowners conducting activity on their private property, such as constructing a dam to establish a stock pond, only to be surprised by an enforcement action by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA. These “gotcha” violations can lead to years in federal court and thousands of dollars in unnecessary expense.

NCBA’s concerns about the final rule extend beyond its substantive impacts. EPA chose to issue this final rule while the Supreme Court is also actively considering the definition of WOTUS. On October 3, 2022, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Sackett v. EPA, a case that concerns a couple in Idaho who purchased lakeside property to build their dream home. While the facts of the case are not farming related, this case will have a significant impact on the future definition of WOTUS. This is the fourth time the Supreme Court has considered the definition of WOTUS — and the first time for six of the nine sitting Justices. A decision is expected in Spring 2023. NCBA requested that EPA pause its rulemaking until the Supreme Court issued its Sackett opinion. The Agency’s impatience will likely lead to more rulemakings on this important issue in the next two years.

Throughout last year, NCBA encouraged members to send letters to the EPA calling for a clear WOTUS definition and explaining how WOTUS impacts

farms and ranches outside of Washington, D.C. More than 1,700 cattle producers from 44 states submitted feedback to the agency. NCBA also mobilized cattle producers to share their stories at EPA

and Army Corps listening sessions and participate in agency roundtables. These events provided policymakers with the cattle industry’s perspective on the new WOTUS rules.

Case IH Celebrates 100 Years of Farmall, The One For All. Tractor introduced in 1923 celebrates its 100 th anniversary. Case IH kicked off celebrations honoring the 100 year anniversary of the Farmall tractor on February 1. The iconic Farmall model was introduced in 1923 as the all purpose tractor designed to revolutionize the agriculture industry. Over the last century, Farmall has evolved to meet farmers’ needs across the globe with each milestone, making it “The One For All.”

“In 1923, we set out to design a tractor that could replace horses, and today, our Farmall still serves as the workhorse on farms across the globe,” said Scott Harris, Case IH global brand president. “Generation after generation, Farmall has been a symbol of modern farming, and we’re excited to bring these stories to life over the course of 2023.”

During the year long celebration, Case IH will be giving away a brand new Farmall 75C tractor to one lucky winner who shares their passion and story about how Farmall has helped shape their farm over the years or how it’s become part of the family. The contest launched during National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Trade Show on February 1, and the winner will be announced at the National FFA Convention on November 1.

Major milestones for Farmall include:

• 1923 - International Harvester engineer Bert R. Benjamin designs the first Farmall prototype

• 1931 - The F series is presented for farmers with more acreage

• 1939 - Second generation Farmall designed by Raymond Loewy

• 1941 - Farmall introduces the world’s first diesel row crop tractor

• 1947 - The one millionth Farmall rolls off the line

• 1958 - The most popular tractor in the U.S., the Farmall 560, is introduced

• 1965 - Farmall is the first 2WD row

crop tractor to exceed 100 horsepower

• 1974 - Case IH sells its five millionth Farmall – the first tractor to ever reach that number

• 2003 - Case IH continues to expand the lineup of products spanning from 31105 horsepower

The legacy of Farmall continues today with more than 30 models to choose from, and this iconic tractor series will continue to evolve alongside the customers who made this milestone possible.

“Even before this anniversary, the team at Case IH was always reminded of the passion for Farmall from customers and dealers. Iconic only begins to describe it,” remarked Kurt Coffey, Case IH vice president of North America. “We are proud to have 100 years of Farmall as our legacy. It’s a tractor that’s been revolutionary to farms of all sizes across the globe. Well worn, well loved: this is a tractor like no other.”

For more information on the year long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Farmall and the contest details of a Farmall tractor, visit Farmall100.com

About Case IH. Case IH is a global leader in agricultural equipment, committed to collaborating with its customers to develop the most powerful, productive, and reliable equipment — designed to meet today’s agricultural challenges. With headquarters in the United States, Case IH has a network of dealers and distributors that operates in over 160 countries. Case IH provides agricultural equipment systems, flexible financial service offerings, and parts and service support for professional farmers and commercial operators through a dedicated network of professional dealers and distributors. Productivity enhancing products include tractors, combines and harvesters, hay and forage equipment, tillage tools, planting and seeding systems, sprayers and applicators, and site specific farming tools.

NCBA News

South Dakota Cattleman Becomes

New NCBA President. Todd Wilkinson, a South Dakota native, cow/calf producer, and cattle feeder, became the new NCBA president during the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention. Wilkinson, along with his son, operates Wilkinson Livestock in De Smet, South Dakota. He has also practiced law for almost four decades and specializes in business transactions, estate planning and probate, real estate matters, and agricultural law.

“If you run into me across the country, one thing that I will say time and again is if you’re going to be in the industry don’t just talk the talk, you need to walk the walk. My philosophy going into this next year is that I’m going to put on boxing gloves and I’m going to be swinging for the industry,” Wilkinson said. “I’m going to bring the same level of passion that I bring for my own family and business to this organization. I think it’s important to fight back and protect this industry from the people who want to put us out of business. I also think this is something that will unite cattle producers in the future.”

The 2023 NCBA officer team, approved by the NCBA board of directors, took office at the end of this year’s convention. Mark Eisele of Wyoming was named president-elect, and Buck Wehrbein of Nebraska was elected vice president. Brad Hastings of Texas was named NCBA treasurer. Virginia cattleman Gene Copenhaver was elected chair of the NCBA Policy Division. Tim Schwab of Indiana was elected policy vice chair. Clark Price of North Dakota and Dan Gattis of Texas were elected as chair and vice chair of the NCBA Federation division, respectively.

Wilkinson’s focus during his time as president will be pushing back on issues that threaten the livelihoods of cattlemen and women across the country while bringing people together to stand as a united front.

“Aside from the cost of doing business being a challenge for us right now, I’m looking down the road at the regulatory environment that could pose a real threat,” he said. “We have to unite on these big issues and some common themes. If we don’t, we are going to get squished.”

Wilkinson will make sure NCBA

works to protect its members from regulatory attacks under Waters of the United States, the Endangered Species Act, and emissions reporting, to name a few. The Farm Bill will be a large focus for NCBA in the coming year as the organization works to secure reauthorization of animal health provisions, expanding the accessibility and funding of risk management and disaster relief programs while protecting voluntary conservation programs. Tax issues are also top of mind in the coming year. Wilkinson’s expertise in this area was critical to backing down harmful tax proposals from the Biden administration last year.

“Part of the reason that I’m doing this is to make sure that this industry is here for my grandchildren and their grandchildren. I want them to have the opportunity to come back on this piece of ground and run cattle 100 years from now. I’m passionate about NCBA and I won’t back up an inch on my commitment to this organization. As long as I am walking this earth, I want to make things a little bit better and NCBA is one of those ways that I think I can do that,” Wilkinson said.

For more information, visit www. ncba.org

NCBA Announces 2023 Policy Priorities. The NCBA executive committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show, with a focus on advancing animal disease preparedness, protecting voluntary conservation programs, and defending producers from regulatory overreach.

“Our focus is helping to create opportunity for America’s cattle producers and fighting to make sure the federal government does not damage our industry,” said NCBA PresidentElect Todd Wilkinson. “Cattle producers have been caretakers of the land and livestock for decades and are committed to conserving this country’s natural resources while producing high quality beef.

NCBA’s policy priorities include:

• Securing reauthorization of animal health provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill and advocating for expanded funding of the National Animal Vaccine and

Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB) to protect against foot-andmouth disease (FMD).

• Protecting and funding EQIP, CSP, and other voluntary conservation programs that incentivize science-based, active management of natural resources.

• Protecting the cattle industry from regulatory attacks under Waters of the United States, the Endangered Species Act, emissions reporting, and more.

“One of the biggest opportunities to help cattle producers in the coming year is passing the 2023 Farm Bill with continued investment in our national vaccine bank to protect the U.S. cattle herd from the threat of foot-and-mouth disease. Recently, we have seen other countries deal with the realities of animal disease outbreaks. American cattle producers are not going to be caught flat footed – we are laser-focused on reducing risk and having the strongest response with a stockpile of vaccines that we have been building up since the 2018 Farm Bill,” Wilkinson said.

NCBA Statement on Launch of the Cattle Contract Library Pilot Program. NCBA Senior Director of Government Affairs Tanner Beymer recently released the following statement on the launch of the Cattle Contract Library pilot program:

“We have been looking forward to the launch of the Cattle Contract Library pilot program and will review the product to determine if its current format provides value to cattle producers. We will continue engaging with officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and providing feedback on this resource.”

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

NCBA

PresideNt’s rePort

By DON SCHIEFELBEIN National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

Resilience and Reflection

Over the past year, it’s been my honor to serve as president of NCBA. It’s been a year of trials and triumphs, and I’ve been proud to represent an industry of cattlemen and women that continue to demonstrate resilience and an understanding that unity is the best way to achieve our mission.

As farmers and ranchers, we often find ourselves fighting the odds physically and mentally to endure the challenges that Mother Nature and other factors outside of our control hurl at us. As I write this column, I’m reflecting on a recent example of rancher resilience as many of us dealt with brutal winter weather conditions before the Christmas holiday, braving wind chills and pushing through snowdrifts, hauling hay, and caring for livestock. Weather events always present unique challenges for us, but we do everything we can to prioritize the health and well-being of our animals. It’s year round work and something we need to continue to share with consumers and policymakers alike.

This past year was defined by record high inflation, a frustrating labor market, food supply chain challenges, and regulatory uncertainty. But it was also defined by the commitments farmers and ranchers make to conservation, animal welfare, technological innovation, and product quality. I’m proud of the story we continue to share and the stance we took on the issues.

The hits from Congress, corporations, and regulatory agencies focused on climate policy came quickly at the beginning of the year, but we were ready. NCBA made sure the interests of the cattle industry were front and center when it came to attempts of regulatory overreach focused on water, the environment, and greenhouse gas emissions. NCBA engaged in several issues related to endangered species and notched a win in federal court when a judge in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted us intervenor status in a case challenging the delisting of the gray wolf. We also saw the President of the United States sign a National Security Memorandum recognizing that food security is national security. This is 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.

NCBA has gone toe to toe with multinational companies, federal regulators, Congress, and deep pocketed animal rights groups. We punch above our weight, but the work will never be done, and we appreciate you having our back by being an NCBA member. You understand the need to have an association working on your behalf on the real issues that threaten our way of life. Those threats include the potential for a crippling cattle disease outbreak or the looming issue of

cell cultured and fake meat that might soon mimic the look, texture, and even flavor of our real beef.

NCBA is celebrating its 125 th anniversary this year. Since 1898, this organization has been a forum for cattle producers in every sector and region to discuss issues and build consensus. In my family’s operation, we all come with different perspectives, but we talk together, debate, and move forward with

a united front. NCBA policy is set the same way. We each have vastly different business practices, and we face different regional conditions, but we all come together to drive policy forward. Through collaboration, we send a powerful message to policymakers. Our industry is strongest when we band together and fight collectively. This year, I was honored to lead that charge and am looking forward to fighting the good fight for years to come!

Dealing With High Grain Prices and a Short Hay Supply

By TINA HORN, HILLARY POPE, REID MILLER, & AMBER STARNES Clemson University

High grain prices and a short hay supply have left many cattle producers wondering what feeding options are available that are economical. Several feeding and management strategies must be considered when producers are faced with these challenges. Some strategies include allocating stored forage based on animal needs, supplementing poorer quality forages, purchasing additional stored forages, and making culling decisions based on animal productivity. Developing a plan that helps control costs and maintains optimal animal performance is vital to dealing with these challenges and remaining profitable.

Forage quality is an important factor to consider. Forage testing is the only method to determine the quality of stored forage. One way to mitigate waste associated with lower quality hay is to feed at a slower rate and supplement with higher quality feedstuffs. In addition, stored forages should be allocated based on forage quality and cattle stage of production. For example, a lactating cow’s nutritional requirements are much higher compared to a dry cow. To ensure

2023 South Carolina Sale Barn Cattle Receipts

that an operation has enough stored forage on hand, producers should take a hay inventory and projections based on daily cattle dry matter needs. Remember, cattle will consume 2-3 percent of their body weight on a dry matter basis.

If you are currently short on stored forages or anticipate a shortage, act now and begin allocating higher quality forages to animals with the greatest nutritional requirements. In many areas, locally grown forages intended for hay are in short supply. In addition to acquiring more hay, it is also a good idea to look for alternative forages, such as cover crops, cotton gin trash, and other byproduct feeds. Reserve poorer quality hay and feedstuffs for dry cows. Ensure that these forages have been tested and that rations are correctly balanced and fed based on animal needs. As an additional management strategy, plan to harvest small grain and ryegrass silages in the spring and consider selling marginal or less productive animals. For additional management options to combat high grain and a short hay supply, please contact your local livestock and forages agent.

A MessAge froM the Ceo

By COLIN WOODALL National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

125 Years of the “Association of Associations”

As you look south out of the windows of NCBA’s headquarters office in Centennial, Colorado, you see a lot of rooftops. Those rooftops, however, sit on land that was once the ranch of John W. Springer. In the late 1800s, Springer was a rancher and member of the Livestock Committee of the Denver Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade who was keenly aware of the challenges facing livestock producers across the United States. He understood the importance of a national voice to address issues such as range wars, cattle diseases, railroad monopolies, the packer trust, and the U.S. Government. As a result, he and the Denver Chamber envisioned a permanent national association that would be an “association of associations” in its representation of livestock of all types. From January 25-27 of 1898, 1,185 delegates came to attend the National Stock Growers Convention in Denver.

At the opening session of the convention, J.G. McCoy of Kansas exclaimed, “organize or perish.” The hook was set, and the National Live Stock Association of the U.S. was formed, with John Springer selected as president. The first state to join was the Colorado Stock Growers Association, now the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, followed by the Cattle Raisers Association of Texas, now the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association. The association has had many names over the years. In 1906, the name was changed to the American National Live Stock Association. From 1952 to 1977, we were known as the American National Cattlemen’s Association before the name evolved to the National Cattlemen’s Association. After the merger with the Beef Industry Council of the National Live Stock and Meat Board, we became known as the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association in 1996.

While the name of the association has changed over the years, the issues remain familiar. In his inaugural address, Springer talked about the need to improve the way

cattle were raised by stating, “Under our new methods of raising livestock we can lay down as our chief axiom, take care of your livestock and your livestock will take care of you.” NCBA’s work in managing and implementing the Checkoff funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program is a direct result of that commitment made in 1898. He went on to state that the second axiom would be “breed the best in every class and you will own better farms, better barns, better homes...” Once again, the association set the stage for the decades of work that has been done to

improve the quality of cattle and the beef eating experience. Springer referred to the association as being a “new regime” that would allow the industry to prosper as never before.

When it came to the Federal government, Springer’s comments on laws meant to provide “…the least amount of governmental interference compatible with the public good” and that “we need to be largely left alone, from a legislative standpoint…” resonate with NCBA’s position today of working to keep the government out of your business. They talked of “the stamping out of contagious diseases,” much like we are talking about our Farm Bill priority of continued funding for the Foot-andMouth Disease (FMD) vaccine bank. They talked of rail transportation issues, much like we are working on maintaining our ELD exemption, expanding hours of service, and trying to increase truck weights and lengths. They mentioned the need for trade and of our ability in “feeding millions of consumers beyond the seas.” Even in 1898, our work to protect livestock access to federal lands was at the forefront of the issues discussed.

As I have read the transcripts of the early National Live Stock Association’s meetings and the history of our association in Charles Ball’s book Building The Beef Industry, I remain amazed at the ability of cattle producers to come together and build an organization that has stood the test of time. It was no easy feat, and the issues we have confronted throughout the past 125 years have tested every seam of this association. I believe the issues we must confront over the next 125 years will be even more challenging. Can we make it 250 years? The foundation is solid, but we will have to fight every day to stay on the land and keep beef in the center of the plate.

Springer said, “The men, or set of men, who are continually looking backward for inspiration; who are chuck full of calamity forebodings; who thrive on opposition to any and all measures; who are constantly quoting ancient history, are not fit to lead progressive, enterprising, 20th century Americans.”

I believe his words are as applicable today as they were in 1898, and keeping them in mind will help ensure that those attending the 2148 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show will equally admire what we are doing today.

RECAP

The Good Times Were Rolling in New Orleans. Nearly 7,000 cattle producers, industry partners, and stakeholders gathered in New Orleans for the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. The convention, the largest in the beef industry, offered education, engagement, and entertainment on February 1-3.

This year’s event kicked off with Franki Moscato, winner of the 10 th Annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, singing the “Star Spangled Banner.” Buzz Brainard, host of Music Row Happy Hour, returned as convention emcee and introduced surprise guest Archie Manning, patriarch of a professional football legacy and former quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan joined remotely to welcome cattlemen and women from across the country.

Over the following few days, convention participants gained insights on market trends and weather forecasts during the CattleFax Outlook Seminar, learned about the industry’s commitment to protecting environmental resources, supporting communities, and creating an economically viable future during the Sustainability Forum, and heard an update on the beef business climate in the United States and around the globe.

Annual meetings of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, American National CattleWomen, CattleFax, and National Cattlemen’s Foundation also took place. In addition, the 2022 Environmental Stewardship Award regional winners were recognized at a special reception. Before activities concluded on Friday, the Closing General Session celebrated the Beef Checkoff funded Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) Program and BQA award winners and featured inspirational keynote speaker Chris Koch.

The award winning NCBA Trade Show provided opportunities for producers to network, learn, shop, dine, and connect with friends, both old and new. It featured more than 350 exhibitors and displays across eight acres under one roof, along with a variety of educational opportunities.

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

The popular Stockmanship & Stewardship Demonstration Arena returned with stockmanship experts providing low stress cattle handling demonstrations, BQA educational sessions, industry updates, and facility design sessions. The Chutes and Scales Showdown offered a side by side comparison of equipment, where producers watched cattle run through chutes, then got hands-on experience.

New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz, and entertainment was around every corner. The Secret Cow on Thursday night transported guests back to 1920s New Orleans for jazzy music, good food, and great company. The country trio Chapel Hart combined their Mississippi roots and Louisiana spice in a special performance during Closing General Session. Convention will wrapped up Friday evening with “Party Gras” featuring the country music group Midland and special guest Neal McCoy.

Cattlemen’s College Draws Big Crowd in New Orleans. Cattle producers from across the country gathered in New Orleans for the 30 th Annual Cattlemen’s College, held prior to the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention & NCBA Trade Show. Cattlemen’s College, sponsored by Zoetis, is one of the cattle industry’s premier educational events and features live animal handling demonstrations and sessions with industry leaders tackling innovative topics.

Cattlemen’s College sessions highlighted trending hot topics, the latest in grazing as well as live cattle handling demonstrations. Six educational tracks and 18 sessions provided attendees with valuable information about reproduction technology, herd health, practical nutrition management, better beef business, sustainable grazing, and the latest in

genetics. The event concluded with a keynote presentation from Ray Starling, executive advisor for Aimpoint Research.

Starling discussed the power of knowledge and how producers should remain informed about current issues impacting the industry. He also talked about the value of teamwork and the importance of being involved with state and national cattle organizations.

Cattlemen’s College educational sessions included perennial favorites as well as innovative trends. A brand new topic this year was silvopasture, a grazing practice that integrates livestock, forages, and trees. Dr. Rocky Lemus and George Owens shared the science behind this sustainable grazing method and real world perspectives on managing a silvopasture system.

“Cattle Behavior in the Real World” was a popular draw with Dr. Dean Fish and Dr. Lily Edwards-Callaway providing practical solutions for producers to take back to their operations to improve stockmanship and enhance animal welfare.

Another well attended breakout was “Are You Brave Enough to Attend This Session?” featuring Rural Minds founder Jeff Winton who addressed the mental health crisis in rural America and provided solutions for producers to prioritize mental health, care for themselves, and check in on neighbors.

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

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

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

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

“I’m not trying to imply that doing away with La Niña fixes everything. An El Niño can cause drought across the northern states. There is no win-win for everyone in any weather pattern,” Makens added. “But moisture conditions should improve for the West in the second half of this year.”

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

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

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

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

Good forecast the average 2023 fed steer price at $158/cwt., up $13/cwt. from 2022, with a range of $150 to $172/cwt. throughout the year. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, and prices are expected to continue to trend upward. The 800 lb steer price is expected to average $195/cwt. with a range of $175 to $215/ cwt., and the 550 lb steer price is expected to average $225/cwt., with a range of $200 to $245/cwt. Finally, Good forecast utility cows at an average of $100/cwt. with a range of $75 to $115/cwt., and bred cows at an average of $2,100/cwt. with a range of $1,900-$2,300 for load lots of quality, running age cows.

When looking at domestic beef demand, the U.S. economy will be a driving factor going in 2023. CattleFax said inflation, rising interest rates, and general economic uncertainty will

continue to impact consumer purchasing decisions as many look to limit spending. Inflation reached a 40 year high in 2022, triggering the U.S. Federal Reserve to raise interest rates seven times last year with intentions for further rate increases until inflation falls. Though the Federal Reserve hopes to accomplish a “soft landing” and avoid recession, the U.S. economy is expected to slow in 2023, with most economists calling for a mild recession in the second half of the year.

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

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

Global protein demand has continued to rise around the world, and tighter global protein supplies should broadly support prices in 2023. After more than 20 percent of growth across the last two years, U.S. beef exports are expected to moderate, declining 3 percent in 2023 to 3.5 billion pounds. Japan and South Korea remain the top U.S. beef export destinations, with stable exports in 2022. Meanwhile, Chinese demand has continued to grow, with tonnage up 20 percent last year, likely with continued room to grow.

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

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

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

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

Forum Reaffirms Beef Industry’s Commitment to Sustainable Future.

Annual Cattle Industry Convention

Showcases Sustainability Efforts.

Every day cattle producers across the

country reaffirm their commitment to protecting environmental resources, supporting communities, and creating an economically viable future through effective management practices. The “Beef Sustainability Forum – Continuing our Commitment to a Sustainable Future,” sponsored by Elanco, highlighted the industry’s sustainability efforts.

Moderated by National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall, the panel discussion included opening remarks from Katie Cook, Elanco’s vice president of global farm animal innovation & U.S. farm animal marketing, and will feature John Ferry, co-owner of JY Ferry & Son, Inc., in Corinne, Utah, the 2021 national winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program; Tom McDonald, senior vice president of environmental affairs & sustainability for Five Rivers Cattle Feeding; Drake Yon, farm operations manager at Yon Family Farms in Ridge Spring, S.C., the 2008 national winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award Program; and Sara Place, Ph.D., associate professor and feedlot systems specialist at Colorado State University.

“Sustainability continues to be a top priority for NCBA and is an issue at the forefront of the entire beef industry,” said Josh White, executive director of producer education and sustainability at NCBA. “This special event included cattle producers from each sector discussing strategies that have improved sustainability on their own operations, and how those efforts can enhance sustainability for the entire industry.”

In addition to the Sustainability Forum, convention attendees found sustainability focused educational sessions on the NCBA Trade Show floor in the “Cattle Chats” area. During these brief presentations, industry leaders shared the latest trends in sustainability and other issues impacting the beef cattle industry. From cowherd nutrition and record keeping to animal health and alternative financing, these unique sessions provided producers the resources needed to develop a lasting legacy.

management programs,” said NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane. “NCBA will continue building relationships with USDA leadership so we can work together on addressing the issues facing the cattle industry.”

As a part of the third general session of the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh spoke on a wide variety of topics, including rural broadband access, foreign animal disease, international trade, and sustainability. Deputy Secretary Bronaugh discussed the implementation of broadband improvements across rural America under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Additionally, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh highlighted USDA’s foreign animal disease response strategy and the importance of the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (NAVVCB), the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP), and the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN). Finally, the Deputy Secretary reaffirmed the critical role of USDA in opening new markets for U.S. beef exports and countering non-science based,

subjective trade barriers that hamper the sale of American beef worldwide.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate in this year’s Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show to highlight the important work we’re doing at USDA to support hardworking farmers and ranchers across the country,” said Deputy Secretary Bronaugh. “From creating more, new, and better markets that allow producers to increase their bottom line, to mitigating the spread of foreign animal disease, to deploying every tool in our toolbox to enhance competition in agricultural markets, to investing in the rural communities many farmers and ranchers call home, USDA is committed to ensuring farmers and ranchers have every opportunity to succeed.”

Prior to her appointment at USDA, Deputy Secretary Bronaugh served as the 16 th Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services from 2018 to 2021. She also worked as Virginia State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA) from 2015 until 2018. Deputy Secretary Bronaugh took office on May 17, 2021.

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. Simply

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.

Cattle Industry Convention.

USDA Deputy Secretary Shares Updates at

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Dr. Jewel H. Bronaugh to the 2023 Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show.

“We appreciate the working relationship NCBA has with Deputy Secretary Bronaugh, especially as our focus turns to reauthorization of critical components of the Farm Bill like animal health, voluntary conservation, and risk

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

Black Crest

VENTS

ANGUS

Mar. 4 — Barnett Angus Ranches Spring Production Sale, Washington, Ga.

Mar. 17 — 50th Annual S.C. Angus

Association Annual Meeting & Banquet, Clemson, S.C.

Mar. 18 — 50th Annual Carolina Angus Futurity, Clemson, S.C.

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 19 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale Open House, Wytheville, Va.

Mar. 25 — G&E Virginia Premium

Assured Heifer Sale

Mar. 25 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 1 — Grassy Valley Angus 30th Annual Production Sale, Greeneville, Tenn.

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 8 — Southern Synergy 16th Annual

Female Production Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring

Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Angus Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Apr. 30 — Barnett Angus Ranches

Georgia Angus Female Sale, Washington, Ga.

May 6 — Whitestone Farm 30th Annual

Pasture Performance Tested Angus

Bull & Female Sale, Aldie, Va.

Sep. 30 — Biltmore Angus Field Day & Fall Sale, Asheville, N.C.

Nov. 4 — Barnett Angus Ranches

4th Annual Bull Sale, Washington, Ga.

Nov. 4 — SimAngus Solution

15th Annual Sale, Burlington, N.C.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total

Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

Dec. 23 — 48th Annual Union County

Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

2024

Jan. 6 — 15th Annual EBS Select

Bull & Female Sale, Monroe, N.C.

brahman

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

brangus

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Charolais

Mar. 19 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale Open House, Wytheville, Va.

Mar. 25 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced

Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred

Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 20 — JMar Genetics New Beginning

Charolais Bull & Heifer Sale, via DVAuctions

Oct. 12 — JMar Genetics Quality Over Quantity Charolais Bull & Heifer Sale, via DVAuctions

GELBVIEH

Mar. 18 — C-Cross Cattle Company

Spring 2023 Bull & Female Sale, Snow Camp, N.C.

Mar. 19 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale Open House, Wytheville, Va.

Mar. 25 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced

Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred

Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring

Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total

Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

Dec. 23 — 48th Annual Union County

Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

HEREFORD

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 19 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale Open House, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 8 — Knoll Crest Farm’s Spring

Bull & Female, Red House, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Hereford

Female & Bull Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

May 12 — N.C. Hereford Association

Annual Banquet, Statesville, N.C.

May 13 — 55th Annual N.C. Hereford

Classic Sale, Union Grove, N.C.

May 29 — White Hawk Ranch Beefmaker

Female Sale, Buchanon, Ga.

Dec. 1 — Knoll Crest Farm Total

Performance Bull Sale, Red House, Va.

limousin

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

RED ANGUS

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 19 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale Open House, Wytheville, Va.

Mar. 25 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced

Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred

Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Apr. 29 — Blackwater Cattle Company

Inaugural Replacement Female Sale, Wadley, Ga.

santa Gertrudis

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

Apr. 13 — Santa Gertrudis Breeders of the Carolinas 50th Anniversary Sale, Monroe, N.C.

SIMMENTAL

Mar. 18 — March Madness Cattle Sale of the Carolinas, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 19 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale Open House, Wytheville, Va.

Mar. 25 — Southwest Virginia Performance

Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced

Virginia Premium Assured Plus Bred

Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 1 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope

Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Sale, Oxford. N.C.

Oct. 21 — Fred Smith Company Ranch

Extra Effort Fall Sale, Clayton, N.C.

Dec. 23 — 48th Annual Union County

Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

Livestock market sales

Mar. 1 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Mar. 1 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, 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. 8 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, 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. 15 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, 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. 22 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Mar. 27 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Mar. 29 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Mar. 29 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 3 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 4 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video

Auction, via macsvideo.com

Apr. 5 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 5 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 10 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 12 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 12 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 17 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 19 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 19 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

Apr. 18 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales

Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Apr. 24 — Harward Brothers Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Apr. 26 — Stanly County Livestock

Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Apr. 26 — Wilkes Livestock Exchange

Weekly Sale, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

OTHER EVENTS

Mar. 16 — Feeder Calf Producer Meeting, Albemarle, N.C.

Mar. 18 — North Carolina Beef Field Day, Bahama, N.C.

Mar. 21 — National Ag Day

Apr. 8 — WNC Spring Fling Junior Livestock Show, Fletcher, N.C.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo Q4Q Bull Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo VCA

Female Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 14 — Virginia Beef Expo VQA

Commercial Female Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 15 — 2023 Wolfpack Roundup Sale, Raleigh, N.C.

Aug. 5-6 — S.C. Junior Beef Round-Up, Clemson, S.C.

Aug. 12-13 — N.C. Junior Beef Round-Up, Fletcher, N.C.