The Carolina Cattle Connection - Volume 39, Issue No. 3 (MARCH 2025)

Carolina Cattle C onnection

ANGUS

THE CAROLINA CATTLE CONNECTION

Volume 39, Number 3 • MARCH 2025

The official publication of the North Carolina & South Carolina Cattlemen's Associations.

Sales & Publication Office

2228 N. Main Street

Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526

Phone: 919-552-9111

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.

MILO LEWIS

Manager, S.C. TRAVIS MITCHELL

Editor & Advertising Director CASEY HINNANT

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 is published monthly by the N.C. Cattlemen’s Association.

A complementary subscription is included with membership to each state’s association. Non-member 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

N.C. Cattlemen’s Association Leadership

President - BRANDON BOWMAN

1st Vice President - JIM LEDFORD

2nd Vice President - JOEY CARTER

3rd Vice President - KEITH MURPHY

Immediate Past President - RYAN CLARK

Secretary/Treasurer - EVERETT JOHNSON

NCBA Policy Division Director - JOHN LANGDON

N.C. Beef Council Director - BROOKE HARWARD

Beef Board Director - BRIAN WARREN

Directors At Large

MATT POORE • NEIL BOWMAN • TODD SEE

Executive Director - MILO LEWIS

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 Leadership

President - JOE OSWALD IV

1st Vice President - GENE CRIM

2nd Vice President - ASHLEY MILLS

Immediate Past President - TIMMY BENTON

Secretary - CAROL HENDRIX

Treasurer - ERIC SEYMOUR

Board of Directors

JOHN LEWIS, Chester • JOE OSWALD IV, Allendale

RYAN WHITEHEAD, Union • TERRY KIRKLAND, Batesburg

LLOYD BAXLEY, Georgetown • JOE DAVIS, Westminster

MICHAEL HALL, Abbeville • RICHARD SOX, Lexington

CAROL HENDRIX, Westminister • JAMIE DRIGGERS, Hamer

BONNIE CANN, Abbeville • ASHLEY MILLS, Blair

HASKEL SEXTON, Sparanburg • GENE CRIM, St. Matthews

AL McCLAIN, Anderson • ERIC SEYMOUR, Columbia

TIMMY BENTON, Walterboro

Executive Director - TRAVIS MITCHELL

P.O. Box 207 • Saluda, SC 29138

Phone: 803-609-2828 • Email: twmitch@clemson.edu

Website: www.sccattlemen.wildapricot.org

S.C. Beef Council Executive Director - ERIN DOLL

P.O. Box 11280 • Columbia, SC 29211

Phone: 803-734-9806 • Email: edoll@scda.sc.gov

Website: www.sccattle.org

Inside Connection

SPOTLIGHT ON ANGUS

2024 Distinguised Woman, by Megan Silveira ............................... Page 19

52nd Annual Carolina Angus Futurity Page 11

American Angus Association President’s Report, by Jonathan Perry ................................................................................. Page 10

American Angus Association Update Page 20

Bridging the Gap — The Brown Family, by Cortney Holshouser .......................................................................... Page 14

Certified Angus Beef News Page 24

Common Ground, by Mark McCully .................................................. Page 18

Memories & Thoughts on the Cattle Business..., by Bette Laursen ...................................................................................... Page 8

S.C. Angus Futurity Sale Dedications Page 12

Serving on the NJAA Board of Directors, by Mary Wood .............. Page 6

MONTHLY FEATURES

Amazing Grazing, by Dr. Matt Poore ................................................. Page 30

Cattle & Carbon, by Alan Franzluebbers ............................................. Page 36

Clemson Corner, by Hannah Conover & Hunter Taylor ................... Page 45

Director’s Report, by Travis Mitchell ................................................... Page 5

E.B.’s View from the Cow Pasture, by E.B. Harris ......................... Page 34

Focus on Forages, by Christopher LeMaster, Jr. & Dr. Liliane Silva ................................ Page 46

Have You Herd, by Thomas Dollyhite ................................................. Page 40

The Chaplain’s Corral, by Tommy Earl Hutchins ............................. Page 39

You Decide!, Dr. Mike Walden ............................................................. Page 42

STAY CONNECTED TO YOUR BREED

ABBA Executive Vice President Update, by Paul Maulsby ........... Page 66

American Brahman Breeders Association News Page 64

American Gelbvieh Association News ............................................ Page 56

American Hereford Association News Page 50

American Simmental Association News Page 61

International Brangus Breeders Association Update ............... Page 54

North American Limousin Foundation News Page 62

Red Angus Association of America Update ................................... Page 58

The Simmental Trail, by Jennie Rucker ............................................ Page 60

NCBA IS WORKING HARD FOR YOU!

A Message from the CEO, by Colin Woodall ................................... Page 126

Beef Checkoff News Page 87

Beef Quality Assurance News Page 82

CattleCon 2025 - San Antonio Recap ............................................. Page 132

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Update Page 84

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association News ............................. Page 124

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President’s Report, by Mark Eisele ...................................................................................... Page 131

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR STATE?

2025 Clemson Bull Test Sale Recap, by Lindsey Craig .................. Page 74

2025 South Carolina Sale Barn Cattle Receipts Page 82

Aaron Blackmon Extends Roots in Support Agriculture, by Lea Hart ........................................................................................... Page 88

Insights From the 2025 January Cattle Inventory Report, by Matthew Fischer & Brian Beer ......................................................... Page 73

N.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, & Prices ........................................... Page 113

New NCCA Members for 2025 Page 76

Pasture Management “Mile of Fence” Update ............................. Page 78

In Loving Memory — Recent Cattle Family Losses Page 90

S.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, & Prices ............................................ Page 119

THE DAIRY CONNECTION

National Milk Producers Federation News Page 98

EDUCATION, OPINIONS,

Observations — Forage Checklist, by Josh Baker ...............

115 Genetics For a Better Cow Herd, by Julie Harker ......................... Page 103 Potential Use of Hemp Plant Material as Cattle Feed Page 111

Reproductive Strategies, by Bob Larson, DVM, Ph.D. ................... Page 118

Rumen Degradable Protein with Distillers Grains — Is it Necessary?, by Phillip Lancaster, Ph.D. ................................... Page 96 Time to Rethink Deworming the Beef Herd, by Eric Meusch ...... Page 56

Trending in Food & Media Page 85

Understanding Beef Quality Grades ............................................. Page 115

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TBy TRAVIS MITCHELL, S.C. Cattlemen’s Association

Director’s Re port

Learning Together

he 2025 S.C. Cattlemen’s Association Annual Meeting and Trade Show took place on January 31. Members in attendance received two great presentations from Dr. Troy Rowan, assistant professor and state extension specialist at the University of Tennessee. Dr. Rowan presented on improving your herd through enhanced genetic selection. The meeting concluded with a joint awards banquet with the Clemson

Bull Test. The S.C. Cattlemen’s Foundation awarded six youth scholarships during the banquet.

We would like to thank each of our Prime, Choice, and Select members for putting on an outstanding trade show and for their financial support to make the annual meeting a huge success. Be on the lookout in next month’s issue of The Carolina Cattle Connection for photos and awards of excellence winners.

SPOTLIGHT on Angus

Serving on the NJAA Board of Directors

By MARY WOOD, NJAA Chairman

Greetings! What an exciting opportunity to write to the Angus breeders and enthusiasts in my home state of North Carolina.

Over the last year and a half, I have served on the National Junior Angus Association Board of Directors. Throughout this time, I have traveled from coast to coast to attend and assist with Angus shows, conferences, and meetings. The experiences shared with my team and the junior membership of the NJAA has been a once in a lifetime opportunity.

I have been blessed to work alongside some of the best leaders of our generation and to have been inspired by the future leaders within the NJAA. This past July, I was elected to serve as the chairman of the board during my second and final year on the board. Taking on this position has been an exciting journey, as I am excited to be a servant leader within our team and to the junior membership.

With this responsibility, I am asked to communicate with the American Angus Association board of directors and staff about the activities within the NJAA and our board. I am also responsible for organizing leading meetings as well as serving as the co-chair of the bylaws committee.

Knowing the great potential of our organization inspires each of us on the board to develop ideas and policies that are beneficial to the juniors and the generations to come. We each recognize the strengths of the NJAA and are excited to build onto the areas of growth as well.

My own personal goal throughout this year in this

role has been to serve as an encouraging member of the board and to ensure that we each are following through with ideas and opportunities to make the NJAA as impactful to our juniors as possible.

Wearing the green jacket has been an honor and privilege so far, and I plan to continue to make the most of it with my team!

SPOTLIGHT on Angus

Memories & Thoughts on the Angus Business...

By BETTE LAURSEN, Goose River Farm

“Memories…what a good time I have had in the cattle business.”

Our introduction to the cattle business began in 1980 when Doan told me I needed to take a year off from the teaching that I loved. I was surely exhausted; teaching four classes of chemistry and one of physics at Webb High School was a big load, so I reluctantly agreed to a year’s break.

Five years before, we had purchased 80, mostly wooded, acres of land and my dream home — a farmhouse built in the 1840s. From childhood, “farm” was an enchanted word to this city girl, and still is.

Now I had time to spend on our farm.

“You could raise Holstein steer calves,” said Granville County Livestock Agent Charlie Gantt. He gave me a fistful of literature and told me to go over to NCSU to see the folks in the Dairy Science Department for more information.

“Now don’t get but two or three calves to start with because they aren’t easy to raise,” he cautioned.

Six or seven weeks later, Charlie visited our farm and all 36 of my Holstein calves were thriving, and so was I! Over the next couple of years, I raised hundreds of dairy calves, selling them at about 500 pounds; and, truly, it was one of the best experiences I could have had for learning about cattle diseases, treatments, signs of health and sickness, choices of feeds, and handling cattle.

But it was hard to make a dollar with Holstein calves.

The esteemed, and now late, Robert Davis, manager of the internationally known dairy at the Masonic Children’s Home in Oxford, kindly answered each of my questions as I learned. One day he told me, “You need to raise registered Angus cattle. I know someone who does, and he’s making some money.”

That was all I knew when I bought my first two beautiful, wonderful registered Angus cows — older cows to learn on — from well known, highly regarded cattleman Jim Smith at Janastci near Butner. Robert Davis told me that to be competitive I needed to learn A.I. and that a Select Sires workshop was soon to be held near Oxford that I could go to in order to learn.

I went.

Never having seen A.I. work done, and hardly ever, if ever, having touched a mature cow, I was shaking and not only from the cold! I waited for instructions under the breezy shed, where about 20 huge black and white Holstein cows milled around.

“Catch yourself a cow and tie her up,” said the leader.

The other “students” began to grab halters and tie up their choice of cow, but I stood there with my heart in my throat and panic on my face.

“Do you want me to catch a cow for you?” a sturdy coverall clad young woman said. (Being about 45 at the time, I must have seemed ancient to her.)

“Yes, yes, please!”

To shorten this story, let me just tell you that after getting over the shock of finding out that I had to put my arm in the cow all the way to my shoulder and getting kicked so hard I fell over backward, I passed the course and enjoyed breeding cows for our herd and other herds until 2001.

And I never went back to teaching.

Every fall in the ‘80s, the American Angus Association published a printed Sire Summary. Breeders awaited the book with great anticipation because here was the data that would determine the direction of their herd. When the thick book — about 18×12 inches in size — arrived in the mail at Goose River Farm, it became a fixture on the dining room table for weeks. Each evening I pored over the pages, studying the bulls, their maternal and growth traits, and number of progeny, marking off the bulls I was not interested in, circling those still in the loop. No EPDs existed to help with the choices at that time. Finally, I would make my decision…Shearbrook Shoshone, Early Sunset Emulous 60E, Traveler 23-4...and more.

What a difference between then and now! Boot up the computer, click on the Angus.org icon saved on your desktop, check the data that interests you, make EPD selection criteria, and in minutes all the bulls that meet your criteria pop up. Very quick and very easy, but I learned a lot those nights poring over those thick Angus Sire Summaries and dreaming.

In those days, as now, producers chose bulls that fit the direction they aspired to go. Breeders kept our A.I. bull choices to ourselves. At our farm, the genetic choices and direction of the herd was totally under my control. Not only was Doan employed in a demanding job,

but he was not the slightest interested in genetics or bulls. Therefore, I didn’t bore him with my searches or my decisions.

Some never believed that.

J.R. Fowler of Wakelon Angus Farms near Zebulon and D.S. Moss of D.S. Moss Farms near Enfield were the greatest of friends and had a wonderful competitive yet friendly relationship, but wild horses couldn’t have pried the names of their A.I. bulls from them each year.

One day at a sale, always up to mischief, they cornered Doan, and D.S. said, “What bulls is Bette going to use this year, Doan?”

“I have no idea,” said my good partner, and that was true.

“Yes, you do!” said J.R. vehemently, and he never believed otherwise.

Our condolences go out to the family of Bette Laursen, a lady who made quite an impact on the N.C. Angus Association. Bette served as executive director of the NCAA from 1988–1996. She stayed active and contributed for many years to our success. Bette was inducted into the N.C. Angus Hall of Fame in 2000. We hope you enjoyed the above article, one of many that Bette contributed to our N.C. Angus News magazine series “Now and Then: Memories and Thoughts on the NCAA and the Angus Business…” Our thoughts and prayers are with Doan and her family.

USDA

Abattoir and Processor

President’s Report

By JONATHAN PERRY, American Angus Association

American Angus Association Members,

The American Angus Association Board of Directors met on February 10-13 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Along with virtual committee meetings held before the board meeting, we had lots of great discussion on some important topics.

One of the most important topics was looking at our long range objectives and the associated assumptions about the direction of our

industry over the next 3–5 years. These are important guiding principles for our board and staff. In the coming months, we will also be surveying the membership and seeking feedback from industry stakeholders.

Several changes to the National Cattle Evaluation will take place this May, along with the annual updates. Functional longevity, teat, and udder EPDs will move from research to production EPDs and will be included in maternal weaned calf value ($M). Being able to enhance these tools has been a goal of the board for years and is only

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possible through the commitment breeders have made to whole herd reporting, where we now have nearly 170,000 females enrolled.

The Certified Angus Beef team shared an extensive supply analysis, including trends affecting brand acceptance. To remain relevant to the industry as carcass sizes continue to increase, we voted to increase the CAB ribeye specification to a maximum of 17 square inches — up from 16. The change will go into effect as soon as coordination with industry partners can be completed.

Communications efforts are ramping up in a number of areas. BEEF Academy has launched a pilot program with ag teachers to teach the curriculum in classrooms across the country. We plan to launch to all classrooms this fall. The communications team will refresh the national advertising campaign in the coming months with continued focus on registered Angus and the tools available to your commercial cattlemen customers.

AngusLink cattle continue to earn premiums, particularly driven by Association members who are looking for premiums for their customers. We saw data from National Beef on the AngusLink cattle harvested through their program thus far. The quality level was amazing with 43.7 percent of the cattle grading USDA Prime and 87 percent grading CAB or higher. To help our members use AngusLink with their customers, a seedstock toolkit was launched last fall to make it easier for breeders to promote the program.

Collection of phenotypic data remains a top priority. As an incentive for those breeders who collect valuable data, the team is developing an AHIR recognition program.

It is always encouraging to hear about the progress AGI is making on a number of fronts, particularly in the area of research. The heart health initiative continues with a goal of better understanding the role genetics plays in bovine congestive heart failure in the feedlot, with the potential of developing a selection tool to reduce its risk. AGI is also working with the University of Illinois on a validation project for $Values. This effort will allow head-to-head comparisons of a large Angus based cowherd with significant phenotype collection to ensure that the bioeconomic indexes continue to accurately reflect current industry conditions and producer profitability.

Last fall, AGI led an important industry discussion between breeders, allied industry and researchers at the Imagine Forum. One result of that meeting was a recently released a white paper, “Exploring Next Generation Phenotyping that Drives Profitability,” written by Dr. Troy Rowan, University of Tennessee. I encourage all involved in the industry to read it, as it discusses the important future of collecting phenotypes. Angus leadership in the area of data collection and novel trait development is key in advancing the breed and maintaining access to genetics for our breeders.

One important update surrounded an effort of the AGI team to improve service to members. The team is working on a new parent discovery process which leverages an animal’s full genomic profile and will streamline the parent verification process. This also opens opportunities for the commercial sector, allowing us to link more data to accurate pedigrees.

We heard about the important improvements being made with GeneMax Advantage. The team updated us on the implementation of $Values into GeneMax, along with increased promotion of the product to commercial producers. In the coming months, the team will release

GMX Herd Intelligence reports that will help users interpret their data. The NJAS schedule has changed to accommodate the addition of a junior and intermediate showmanship contest on Monday. Bred and owned females and bulls will show on Wednesday, cow/calf pairs on Thursday, followed by PGS females and bulls. Friday morning will begin with steers, owned females and National Showmanship finals. Saturday will round out the last of the owned females.

The board reviewed and discussed a member letter regarding the genomic data sharing policy. We also reviewed the election procedures and delegate determination formula. No action was taken on either topic.

Thank you for your interest and feedback on these important topics for the Angus breed and association members. I would also encourage you to listen to the Angus Conversation podcast, where we recorded a special episode to discuss these and other boardroom topics. Feel free to reach out to me or any member of the board with your questions.

52nd Annual Carolina Angus Futurity

Make plans to attend the 52nd Annual Carolina Angus Futurity on March 15. The sale is sponsored by the S.C. Angus Association and will take place at the T. Ed Garrison Cattle Complex 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, Georgia, and Alabama.

We’d love to see you in person on the day of the sale, but if you’re unable to attend, feel free to 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 14 in Clemson. Everyone is welcome, and payment will be accepted at the door.

If you’d like a catalog or need more information, please contact any of the sale staff. Join us on March 14–15 for this great Angus event!

Sale Consignors

221 Cattle • Aynor Angus • Black Springs Farm

Chessie Creek Farm • Clinton Farms • Diamond L Elite Cattle Company • Lawler Farms • Paul Boyd Angus Kevin Renwick • Rocking W Angus • Rose Myrtle Farm

Seventy-Six Cattle Company • Duane Thompson

Two Rivers Cattle Company • Steve Waggoner Watts Angus Farm • Yon Family Farms

Sale Staff

Sale Manager – Zach Moffitt – 336-736-6340

Sale Chairman – Lee Clinton – 704-913-6127

SCAA President – Donnie Watts – 803-315-6439

SPOTLIGHT on Angus

S.C. Angus Futurity Sale Dedications

EVELYN

EDMUNDS

Evelyn Gettys Edmunds, owner of Circle E Farm in Clover, S.C., was born on November 13, 1928. She married John Wesley Edmunds in 1949. Together, they started a turkey farm on 163 acres and had a family of six children. In 1968, she obtained 15 head of Angus cows, became an Angus breeder, and began raising Angus cattle.

Evelyn joined the American Angus Association as a lifetime member in 1968, as well as the S.C. Angus Association where she became a vital officer serving on the Board of Directors, secretary for 17 years, and as a voting delegate to the North American Livestock Exposition in Louisville, Ken., for 11 years. She continuously strived to increase association membership and promote Angus cattle and beef throughout the Southeast.

She was also instrumental in the formation and organization of the S.C. Junior Angus Association in 1968 and served as an advisor for 19 years. Her three oldest children were charter members of the SCJAA, and all six children served as officers and showed Angus cattle throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s as SCJAA members. In 1984, she was honored as the National Junior Angus Association Junior Advisor of the Year.

Evelyn assumed sole management of Circle E Farm with both turkeys and cattle after her husband passed in 1978. In 1983, her son returned to manage the turkey operation, and Evelyn turned her full attention to her Angus herd. She became active in cattle and farm groups during a time when only men served in such organizations However, she quickly gained the respect of her male peers and was the first woman to hold leadership positions in the S.C. Cattleman’s Association as a director and treasurer and the S.C. Farm Bureau as a director and financial services chair.

Evelyn joined the American Angus Auxiliary in 1980 and served as membership chairman of the scholarship committee, and judged several of the NJAA Cook Off competitions. She was chosen as an honorary member of the Clemson University Block & Bridle Club in 1981.

The S.C. Angus Futurity was dedicated to Evelyn in 1986 in recognition and appreciation of her 17 years of dedicated service. In 2007, she was inducted into the S.C. Angus Hall of Fame for her faithful support of the Angus breed and her leadership of numerous youth in Angus activities in South Carolina.

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In 2015, Evelyn received the Order of the Palmetto from South Carolina Governor, Nikki Haley. This award is the highest civilian honor that can be awarded by the governor, granted to those who have displayed significant achievement and service to the state.

In 2018, Evelyn was inducted into the Angus Heritage Foundation which celebrates innovators and visionaries who possess drive and wise decision making skills to better the breed and the industry.

She participated in the Clemson University and Edisto Bull Test programs, and the S.C. Junior Beef Round-Up. She served as a York County 4-H Livestock Club leader for 23 years and was a member of the Clemson Extension Advisory Council. Evelyn shared her love for Angus by positively impacting future generations as she encouraged and helped the youth raise and show Angus cattle. One can attest, the name of Evelyn Edmunds of Circle E Farm is synonymous with the Angus breed in South Carolina.

Evelyn died on June 27, 2023, at the age of 94. She had planned her funeral and was buried in a farm work shirt and jeans with her cattle belt on, lying on a green blanket to represent a pasture of grass.

W.R. “BILLY”

McCLEOD

William Richard “Billy” McLeod was born in Sumter, S.C., on February 24, 1931. He graduated from Edmunds High school in 1949 and the University of South Carolina in 1954. After graduation, he entered the U.S. Air Force. Billy was stationed in Texas and resided on a cattle ranch near the base. He assisted in ranch operations before and after his duties on the base, and this is where his interest in cattle began to grow.

Sadly, in 1955, his father died at the age of 45. Billy, then 25, returned home from his Air Force assignment to run the family business, which consisted of two grocery stores. He transformed the business into a successful and thriving corporation, currently consisting of eight Piggly

Wiggly stores. Billy became an accomplished entrepreneur, recognized for his sound business decisions and philanthropy in his community.

In 1955, he purchased three Angus heifers and Black Crest Farm was formed. In 1957, he joined the American Angus Association. Throughout the years, there have been numerous breeds on the farm, but the black Angus has remained the one constant.

The Black Crest Angus herd has been in existence for 68 years. In the early years, Billy purchased cattle from across the United States to improve their genetics. Black Crest complements its A.I. program with herd sires from many top Angus programs as well as utilizing an embryo transfer program, which produces a percentage of the calf crop. As a lifetime member of the S.C. Angus Association, he served on the board of directors as well. He was a long time, consistent, and generous supporter of the S.C. Junior Angus Association. He was inducted to the S.C. Angus Hall of Fame in 2009.

In addition to raising cattle and crops, Billy raised three children, Ricky McLeod, Mark McLeod, and Melissa Bradshaw, six grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren. Billy passed away on April 2, 2024, leaving behind a legacy that will not soon be forgotten.

SPOTLIGHT on Angus

Bridging the Gap — The Brown Family’s Roots in Agriculture Evolve to Serve Their Community

By CORTNEY HOLSHOUSER, N.C. Angus Association

For N.C. Angus Association members Daniel and Alex Brown of Boone, serving their community just comes naturally.

Growing up, Daniel was an active member of the N.C. Junior Angus Association and involved in leadership roles. Daniel’s parents, Blake and Ann Brown, also served as NCJAA Advisors. In this role, they helped plan many events, fundraisers, and activities for the juniors. After aging out of the junior program, Daniel joined the NCAA, served on the N.C. Purebred Breeders Council advisory committee, and has even been an NCAA event sponsor. Alex shares her talents with the N.C. Angus Auxiliary. She has worked her way up through leadership roles and has been serving as Auxiliary president

for the past two years. Alex’s desire to provide opportunities for Angus youth is evident in the way she leads this group. Alex and Daniel have helped many Angus juniors find success in the show ring, and it’s only a matter of time until this passion comes full circle for their family as their two daughters, Meredith and Margo, become involved.

Daniel and Alex, along with Blake and Ann, run BFR Ventures, Inc., a family farming operation based in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. They have a core group of Angus donor cows with a twofold focus of show cattle and carcass cattle for their meat business, retail, and packing plant.

The family farm has grown to accommodate the inclusion of multiple generations of the Brown family. To keep the family’s farm alive, the Browns knew they must diversify. Today, the farm consists

Alex, Daniel, and Meredith at a cattle show helping their junior customers.

Daniel puts the final touches on a show heifer ready to hit the ring.

The

Carolina Cattle Connection

of a vertically integrated livestock operation encompassing cow/calf and yearling production, a feedlot, a USDA/FDA inspected packing plant, a distribution business, and a retail farm market. In addition to farming, the Browns also have Corbett’s Farm Markets, Shiners Stash Packing, Corbett’s Country Fixin’s, and Corbett’s Distribution. The Corbett namesake comes from Blake’s grandfather, and Daniel’s great grandfather, Corbett McNeil — a farmer and a pillar in his community and church. “Corbett” embodies the values the Browns hold dear — faith, integrity, trustworthiness, and hard work. Like so many mountain farmers during the first half of the 20th century, Corbett and his wife, Mirtie, raised beef, pork, chicken, eggs, and milk, which they sold to their neighbors. They also grew produce, mainly cabbage and potatoes, that he took “down the mountain” to sell in cities like Charlotte. The Browns still own and farm the land that Corbett owned and farmed. He was one of the first in the family’s lineage to move beyond subsistence farming and have products to sell to his community. It’s the Browns’ goal to continue that tradition of providing their community with the variety of high quality meat, fresh produce, and other farm products that would make Corbett proud.

retail side of the farm. Corbett’s Produce is more than just a place for the farm to market their meat and prepared goods. Corbett’s offers products from all over North Carolina and the Southeast. Before Corbett’s Produce opened, Alex and Daniel both worked within the produce industry, selling seeds and working in sales. When they decided to open a business that sells produce, they knew the only way to get the best and freshest produce would be to buy directly from the farmers. They take great pride in the relationships they have with their farmers all across North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia. Their goal is to buy every product they can direct from a farmer or artisan, so they can have a relationship with them and share their story with their customers. They make all of their prepared meals in their USDA/FDA manufacturing facility. Corbett’s is a Got to be N.C. Certified Roadside Stand. As one customer said, “They are beautifully disguised as a roadside stand, but are actually a gourmet grocery store.”

That same desire to build relationships with farmers and bridge the gap between farmer and consumer resulted in one of High Country’s biggest events of the year, held right in the heart of the Browns’ family farm. In the spring of 2022, Daniel set out to create Dinner in the Gap, a farm-to-table gala. Alex says, “In agriculture, we always hear about the gap between the farmers and the consumers, but there is also a gap between the chefs and consumers. We wanted to bridge the gap between farmers and chefs, chefs and consumers, and consumers and the farmer.”

Bridging the Gap continued on the next page

The diverse experiences of each family member have helped shape the farming business, with each family member specializing in a different part of the business. Daniel and Alex are currently raising the sixth generation on the family farm. They are continually searching for new ways to improve and better their family’s farm to ensure that the next generation will have the opportunity to enjoy the farm the same way they do. Their hard work is recognized by their community. Last year, Alex was nominated for the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce 4 Under 40 Award. Nominees were acknowledged for their business achievements, community and civic involvement, and other related activities.

In May 2022, Daniel and Alex opened Corbett’s Produce as the

Corbett McNeil, the inspiration and namesake for several BFR ventures.

Corbett’s Produce is a hidden gem in the heart of the High Country.

Bridging the Gap continued from the previous page

Dinner in the Gap is a local North Carolina food collaboration between local producers and the best chefs in North Carolina. Guests enjoy a nine course dinner prepared with local ingredients from around North Carolina. From sweet potatoes to charcuterie boards, the state’s best commodities are showcased in the most elevated way. Money raised from the event’s auction goes to support F.A.R.M. Café in downtown Boone, which works to feed everyone regardless of your means. F.A.R.M. Café was created in 2009 as a pay-what-you-can restaurant to serve the area’s unmet hunger needs, strengthening the High Country community. After receiving untold support from the local community and pioneers in the pay-what-youcan café movement, F.A.R.M. Café was able to lease space in Boone Drug Downtown, a 100-year-old building on Boone’s historic King Street in January 2012. For decades, Boone Drug’s soda fountain served the community as a social gathering place, and F.A.R.M. Café continues that tradition through its mission…to build a healthy and inclusive community by providing high quality and delicious meals produced from local sources, served in a restaurant where everybody eats, regardless of means. Their continued success is impossible

without the tremendous support and financial contributions of the community. The Browns are generous enough to do this through the annual live auction at Dinner in the Gap, benefitting F.A.R.M. Café.

When asked why they chose F.A.R.M. Café as the beneficiary of the fundraiser, Alex says, “We love their concept of using farm products to feed the community.” As a pay as you can eat restaurant, they are able to contribute a lot to folks in need.” Dinner in the Gap is a 400 seat dinner, and the event sells out every year. Over the past three years, over $30,000 has been raised for F.A.R.M. Café. The Brown family hopes the event continues to grow and that many beneficial partnerships evolve for the farmers and artisans involved. Alex says, “We hope that consumers leave the event with an accurate and clear message about agriculture.”

year’s Dinner in the Gap.

Many skills needed to execute an event of this size are carried over from Daniel’s involvement in the Angus breed. Alex says, “Daniel’s involvement in the National Junior Angus Association taught him the values of relationship building and networking, which is what this event is all about.” This year’s event is scheduled for July 27, and the family expects the event to only grow in size and impact.

The Blue Ridge Mountains serve as the perfect backdrop to host chefs and consumers for Dinner in the Gap.

Only the finest North Carolina ingredients are served at Dinner in the Gap. What a spread!

Ann, Alex, Meredith, Daniel, and Blake at last

Make Cattle Better in More Than One Way COMMON GROUND

By MARK McCULLY, American Angus Association CEO

“We just need tools to help us make the cattle better.”

This came from an Angus breeder I visited with this summer. Simple enough, right? But that statement has been bouncing around in my head ever since.

The charge seemed simple enough on the surface. After all, the first long range objective of the American Angus Association is to “drive breed improvement.” But, in the world of Angus cattle, the definition of “better” can be as diverse as the individuals who breed them.

Diverse perspectives – One of the joys of my role is talking to Angus breeders and learning about their breeding philosophy. For some, it’s first about the numbers, leaning heavily on expected progeny differences (EPDs) and dollar value indexes ($Values), and leveraging data driven decisions to the maximum.

For others, it’s a balancing act between numbers and phenotype, where the visual appeal and structural soundness of the animal take on equal weight to what’s on paper. Then there are those who largely prioritize phenotype above all, believing that the true art of breeding cattle lies more in the eye of the beholder.

I talk to breeders who are focused on propagating cow families and others who strive to develop total outcross genetic lines. There are so many different breeding philosophies across our membership, and I believe all have their rightful place.

Diverse environments – Angus cattle are raised in diverse environments, and that can also make defining “better” difficult. Differences in rainfall, soil productivity, temperature, growing season, available feed resources, and altitude all play a significant

role in defining the type of Angus cattle that best thrive in each operation.

Certainly, not all Angus breeders or their customers manage and market the same way. Some focus on selling at weaning. Others retain ownership and sell finished cattle on a grid. Some raise their own replacements, and others purchase what they need.

Some operate in a more confined area and can be more handson at calving, while others see their cows on a far less frequent basis. Then some focus on the show heifer market and selling heifer calves to juniors excited about the Angus breed. Each of these variations establishes different priorities and breeding objectives.

For the good of the industry – In the end, all these examples underscore that “better” is not easily defined. I am reminded of another conversation I had with an industry leader early in my tenure as CEO. His advice to me was also straightforward, “Always do what’s best for the beef industry.”

That charge is ultimately what Angus breeders and leaders have been doing for decades — keeping the consumer loving our product and keeping the cattle producer in business.

During the past few years, one focus of the association has been on tools to improve feet, longevity, and udder quality. Simultaneously, Angus has led industry collaboration to research bovine congestive heart failure and better understand the genetic influence of heart remodeling and heart failure.

While maintaining a focus on marbling and consumer eating satisfaction, Angus is also involved in the leadership of new ways to measure and improve red meat yield and carcass cutability. All of these things can be done at the same time, particularly in a breed as diverse as Angus.

While defining “better” may sound different depending on who you talk to, in the end, the Angus breed will stay focused on what is best for the broader beef industry. That’s been the idea throughout our heritage and will stay the focus into our future.

2024 Distinguished Woman

By MEGAN SILVEIRA,

Angus Journal

Cortney Perdue Holshouser has been recognized for her dedication to the Angus breed.

From Castalia, N.C., Cortney Perdue Holshouser was named the 2024 American Angus Auxiliary Distinguished Woman of the Year. Her passion for the Angus breed as well as her leadership, service, and contributions to the Auxiliary make her a phenomenal asset to the industry.

In 2013-2014, Holshouser served as the Auxiliary president.

She once said, “It is an honor to be a part of the organization that has helped shape my life and is continuing to influence the future of the breed.”

She has served in numerous capacities, including the role of chairperson for the Full Circle Online Auction. She has served as the N.C. Angus Association executive secretary since 2022. As a former junior advisor, she exemplifies the characteristics of a distinguished woman. Holshouser’s ability to mentor fellow members and youth at both the state and national level helps The Business Breed reach new heights.

In addition to her volunteer involvements, Holshouser is actively involved with her family in Hope Cattle Services. The operation has 100 purebred and commercial cattle, with a focus on providing recipients and management of embryo transfer calves for clients.

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.

4K FARMS

Richard D. Kirkman, DVM Siler City 919-742-5500 rdkirkman@spectrum.net

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

Facebook: Carson Family Farm

CHAPMAN CATTLE COMPANY

Gary, Isaac & Bryant Chapman Bryant Chapman - Manager Taylorsville 828-514-0526 bryantchapman21@gmail.com https://.m.facebook.com/chapmancattleco

CHESSIE CREEK FARM

Andrew Agostini

Scott Sell - Manager Walterboro, SC 912-3292411 scott@chessiecreek.com www.chessiecreek.com

FOUR S FARMS

Kim & Connie and Jason & Robin Starnes Luther Lyerly - Manager Salisbury 704-640-5875 kim-4sfarms@carolina.rr.com

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

Cortney Holshouser

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

HILL ANGUS FARM

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

JACK KNOB FARMS

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

LANE ANGUS

Roger & Bundy Lane Bundy Lane - Manager Gates 252-398-7705 (Bundy); 252-398-7719 (Marinda) 252-357-1279 (Office) bundylane@gmail.com laneangusbeef@gmail.com www.laneangusbeef.com

N.C. State University - E. Carroll Joyner Beef Unit Matt Morrison - Manager Raleigh 716-720-0227 mdmorri8@ncsu.edu

SMITH ANGUS FARM

Randall Smith Snow Camp 336-516-4558 smithangusfarm@yahoo.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

UWHARRIE RIDGE FARMS Mark Wilburn Asheboro 336-465-2417 uwharrieridgefarms@gmail.com

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

WINDY HILL FARMS, LLC Michael A. Moss Will Moss - Manager Ramseur 336-460-7451 • windyhillfarmsllc@gmail.com

WINSLOW GENETICS Ben & Kathleen Winslow Halifax 252-578-5487 bensbulls@gmail.com

UPDATE

AGI White Paper Looks at Future of Phenotyping, Commercial Data.

Angus Genetics Inc. releases white paper on next-gen phenotyping to drive commercial profitability. A new white paper, released by Angus Genetics Inc. (AGI) on January 28 with support from the Angus Foundation, discusses the future of phenotyping and expansion of data collection into the commercial sector. Written by Troy Rowan, assistant professor of beef cattle genomics at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, the paper examines industry research and results from Imagine: AGI’s Beef Genetics Forum, which took place September 25-26, 2024. The event was attended by professionals from academic, research, allied industry and ranching backgrounds.

One of the major themes of the paper is the numerous technological developments poised to affect phenotype collection. Examples include computer vision technology and wearable sensors.

“By using these technologies to measure traits on continuous scales rather than the categorical scales we currently use for traits like hair shedding or foot angle, we can increase precision of phenotype measurements and consequently increase the quality of EPDs (expected progeny differences) over time,” Rowan says.

Rowan also discusses in the paper the types of data most important and economically viable for the industry to pursue.

“We should work on developing genetic selection tools that capture all elements of commercial profitability, continuing to improve yield and the eating experience of our end product, while also making our cowherd more efficient, adapted, and productive,” Rowan says.

“Advancing terminal and maternal traits, health, and other challenging areas of production require data integration and more advanced tools,” he says in the paper.

André Garcia, senior geneticist with AGI, says AGI is uniquely positioned to help facilitate these conversations, and the white paper will help to advance discussions.

“We have a lot of discussion about the importance of commercial data, but the underlying question is how to make collection an easier process,” Garcia says. “It will take a coordinated effort to tackle these issues, on all fronts really — the technology development and application, costs, data sharing, use of the data, etc.”

Garcia says the Imagine genetics forum was the perfect catalyst to spark these discussions because of the involvement of breeders, researchers, and others in the industry.

“We want something the whole supply chain can benefit from and contribute to,” Garcia says. “For this, it’s valuable to gather everyone,

share, and listen. Then we can move forward and work together to make progress.”

With 80 percent of the U.S. cow herd being Angus influenced, according to the 2023 Industry Insights survey conducted by CattleFax, there’s no question the breed and users of Angus genetics will influence next steps.

“Angus has a long history of leading genetic improvement programs — from some of the first EPD calculations, to the integration of genomics, to single step evaluations,” Rowan says. “Moving forward, they are well positioned to be leaders in the adoption of new phenotyping technologies and innovative data structures.”

The complete white paper is available online at https://cd.angus. org/%EF%BB%BF-/media/1c13a4cd3fca4faa95538aad53cbc8a3. ashx. To join the industry conversation about next-gen phenotyping and driving commercial profitability, respond and tag Angus Genetics Inc. on LinkedIn.

ACattlemen’s Balancing Act. Cattlemen discuss the art of selecting traits for progress in their individual herds. Sometimes being a cattleman feels like walking up to a buffet with endless options. Where do I start? Should I focus on the big picture or the details? How do I focus on just one thing?

Through educational sessions sponsored by the Colorado Angus Association at the 2025 National Western Stock Show, industry experts and boots-on-the-ground cattlemen discussed the value of balancing trait selection to achieve forward progress.

The session kicked off with a presentation by Kara Lee, director of producer engagement at Certified Angus Beef (CAB), followed by a panel discussion. The panel was comprised of moderator Kevin Ochsner, host of Cattlemen to Cattlemen on RFD-TV, and industry perspectives including — David Brown of Montana Angus Ranch, Darrell Stevenson of Stevenson Angus, Anton Hermes of Hermes Livestock who is also an ABS Global representative, and Oakley Kelley, herd manager of Double RL Ranch.

The American Angus Association offers a suite of 30+ EPDs and dollar indexes to help measure an animal’s performance. But what’s top priority when given such vast information? For Stevenson, the nucleus of the herd is the cow, and every input should focus on her continuous improvement.

“I believe first and foremost, those females have got to look the part, and then we’ve got the advantage, the art, and the science and the genomically enhanced EPDs that makes things even easier,” Stevenson said. “Today, we can move these cattle farther and faster than ever before, we just need to know where to govern that out.”

When asked how producers can use particular EPDs to find optimums and maximums, Kelley encouraged his approach of finding a baseline before setting long term goals.

Kara Lee presents “Marbling, Feed, and Fertility.”

“As somebody who is really focusing on high quality ribeye, we have to have a baseline,” Kelley said. “You need to figure your baseline and then figure out how fast and how far you want to proceed and over how many years.”

In addition to EPD indexes, Association programs like Targeting the Brand, AngusLink, and the Genetic Merit Scorecard allow commercial cattlemen to capitalize on the marketing value of their product.

Stevenson remarked, his customer base magnetized to genetic testing and these programs because of their capabilities as a section tool, a scoring tool, a culling tool, and ultimately as a profiting tool.

“Customers latch on to the feeder calf marketing program and, for me, the AngusLink program, because it’s provided a tremendous amount of opportunity,” Stevenson said. “Start with genomic testing, whole herd or replacement type female selection and then tie yourself to a marketing program — these guys have seen tremendous results creating margin.”

Striking balance isn’t just for the seedstock procurers, commercial cattlemen can tap into it too.

“They want to get from calving season to weaning time to getting their check. It’s a bad cycle. We’ve got to change that mindset to where everybody is thinking about the future,” Hermes said. “When you want to be sustainable in the cattle industry, whether you’re a seedstock guy or a commercial cow/calf producer, you’ve got to take a balanced approach.”

Rest assured, this balance all serves a greater purpose — the consumer. After all, the demand for high quality beef drives our industry, Kelley said.

“They want taste, they want quality, they want consistency,” he said. “What we learned with our herd was we couldn’t just chase carcass, we had to go back to the female. The female had to make the herd, and I think that’s our emphasis now is building that maternal cow herd, but not sacrificing carcass traits.”

That inclusion of carcass traits leaves room for increased revenue for producers. Lee brought to attention the opportunity for marbling selection to increase profit, analyzing data showing it as largely the number one reason Certified Angus Beef brand candidates don’t make it across the finish line.

Producer panelistdiscussion.

“That’s why we talk about marbling so much, it’s not because we’re encouraging single trait selection,” she said. “We talk about marbling because it’s the number one place that we’re leaving money on the table.”

It does not have to be an either-or decision with maternal and carcass traits, Lee said. In particular, she also addressed recent concerns that emphasis on marbling has led to decline in fertility and foot structure. Lee referenced recent disposal code data from the American Angus Association showcasing animals removed for either fertility or foot structure purposes, which spanned a wide range of both high and low marbling cattle.

With the diversity in the Angus breed, balanced trait selection is possible, she said. It all comes back to the balanced approach, regardless of your industry sector. Balance in your selection criteria, balance in your focus level and balancing the ever evolving demands of the consumer.

“When we think about our customer first — whether you’re breeding bulls and thinking about your commercial cow/calf customers coming to buy those registered bulls, or you think about the end consumer — you’re thinking about the end in mind,” Lee said.

Angus

Media Hires

New Business Relations Manager. Kimberly Wilson to serve in the newly created role of business relations manager. Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has championed the success of Angus youth by investing in their education. In the past 27 years, the Foundation has awarded more than $4.9 million in scholarships, including $388,500 in 2024 alone. These scholarships help support students in their educational endeavors — whether pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or trade degrees. Applications are due by May 1, offering an opportunity for Angus youth to receive financial support for their education.

Connecting Angus producers with the greater ag industry has always been an overarching goal for Angus Media, but it’s an area that will now get more focus than ever.

Angus Media recently hired Kimberly Wilson to serve in the newly created role of business relations manager. She works out of a home base of Versailles, Kentucky.

“ We reimagined the traditional sales position because there are more opportunities for partners to connect with us than ever before — across all of our entities — and we wanted someone to champion those relationships for all of Angus,” says Benjie Lemon, Angus Media president. “We are thrilled to bring Kimberly on board, as she brings her roots in animal agriculture combined with her experience working in various facets of ag industry.”

Wilson holds an undergraduate degree from Morehead State

Kimberly Wilson

Angus News continued from the previous page

University and earned her master’s in animal science from the University of Arkansas. Her professional experience includes work as an extension agent, event sales and management, and, most recently, a role with Neogen.

Wilson’s passion for agriculture stems from growing up on a farm, where her family primarily raised tobacco, cattle, and show pigs.

“I love all industries in agriculture but have always been drawn more to cattle, and Angus is obviously the premium,” she says. “I can’t express just how perfect of a fit it is to what I want to do.”

Wilson says her first goal is to meet and listen to long standing partners and new customers.

“I want to get to know them and have relationships, then create a plan that is a solution that truly drives sales and make sense for their products,” she says.

The combination of interacting with businesses that serve agriculture, but all with the end goal of helping Angus producers, is a fulfilling mission, Wilson says.

“With this new hire, we’re building on a lot of momentum,” Lemon says. “We stand ready to assist anyone who wants to reach the most progressive set of cattlemen in the industry.”

To contact Wilson, email her at kwilson@angus.org or call the

G&E Virginia Premium Assured Heifer Sale

Angus Media office at 816-383-5200.

2025 Angus Foundation Scholarship Applications Open Now. Youth can apply for Angus Foundation scholarships until May 1 . Since 1998, the Angus Foundation has championed the success of Angus youth by investing in their education. In the past 27 years, the Foundation has awarded more than $4.9 million in scholarships, including $388,500 in 2024 alone. These scholarships help support students in their educational endeavors — whether pursuing undergraduate, graduate, or trade degrees. Applications are due by May 1, offering an opportunity for Angus youth to receive financial support for their education.

“Thank you to the Foundation for your unwavering commitment to supporting our aspirations and for fostering an environment that promotes growth and opportunity,” said Addison Cotton, a past Angus Foundation scholarship recipient. “Your generosity has not only given me the resources to pursue my educational goals but has also inspired me to strive for excellence in everything I do. While it may seem unconventional to aspire to be a registered nurse who raises cattle, I am excited to combine these passions into a fulfilling future where I can work hard at what I love.”

For many junior members, like Addison, the impact of the Angus Foundation extends beyond financial support; it helps to shape young leaders in the Angus breed. Whether it is exposing youth to unique career paths or exploring new opportunities, the Foundation’s support is felt far and wide.

“Raising the Bar and LEAD have allowed me to experience agriculture in different regions and form friendships with juniors from all over the country,” said Allison Davis, a past Angus Foundation scholarship recipient. “The Foundation scholarships are allowing me to attend an out-of-state university. I know that I would not be able to attend an out-of-state school and have the experiences I have without the support of the Foundation and its donors.”

The Angus Foundation undergraduate and graduate scholarship applications are available to National Junior Angus Association (NJAA) members through their American Angus Association login.

In addition to offering scholarship opportunities to NJAA members, the Foundation also offers opportunities to youth from a commercial cattle operation background, through the Commercial Cattlemen’s scholarship program.

The Foundation’s CAB/NJAA and commercial cattlemen scholarships can be accessed at angus.org/foundation and submitted through email. The website also offers more information about the scholarship program.

“This scholarship program is designed to support students with a commercial cattle background in the beef industry,” said Jaclyn Boester, Angus Foundation executive director. “Supporting youth in their education is an important part of the Foundation’s mission.”

Boester elaborated on the scholarship program, noting, “The Angus Foundation scholarships are one of the most prominent and consistent ways our donors support Angus youth. Our scholarships pave the way for a bright future for our industry by ensuring young people can reach their full potential.”

The Carolina Cattle Connection

Undergraduate and Graduate Angus Foundation 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 2025 undergraduate or graduate scholarship: the 2025 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

• Deadline - May 1

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

• Access to Application - Download application at angus.org/foundation

• Submission - Email to scholarships@angus.org

• Deadline - May 1

Commercial Cattlemen Scholarship — The Angus Foundation will award five $1,500 scholarships to undergraduates 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 past 36 months (on or after May 1, 2022) and must be considered commercial and not seedstock in their operation. The scholarship applies to any field of study.

• Access to Application - Download application at www.angus.org/foundation/apply-for-scholarships/commercialscholarships

• Submission - Email to scholarships@angus.org

• Deadline - May 1

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 $4.9 million in youth scholarships since 1998 and has also invested more than $1.4 million in beef cattle research in the past decade. For more information, contact the Angus Foundation at 816-383-5100.

ANGUS MEANS BUSINESS. The American Angus Association is the nation’s largest beef breed organization, serving more than 21,000 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.

Rob Shuey Joins Certified Angus Beef Board. Rob Shuey can’t help but walk through the meat department of every grocery store he enters. After working 41 years for IBP, Inc. (Iowa Beef Processors), and Tyson Foods, Inc. (Tyson bought IBP in 2001), his work knowledge and personal interests have converged.

Eyeballing merchandising techniques for new and innovative products, he owes it to his tenure in the beef and pork business. It started when the Ohio farm boy moved west to attend Oklahoma State University (OSU). Once he got to Stillwater, he quickly got involved with the meat and livestock judging teams, while working part time at the OSU Meats Laboratory.

NEWS

“It was a natural progression that led me to interview for an IBP internship the summer before my senior year,” Shuey says. “I spent the summer in Dakota City, Neb., at the corporate office. An incredible opportunity!”

After college graduation with a degree in animal science, he packed up and headed to Emporia, Kan., to work in the IBP processing plant in carcass merchandising, where he learned more about grading and meat quality.

He got to know the brand closely when he managed Certified Angus Beef (CAB) pricing and sales for IBP.

“ As a company, we initially struggled with selling [the Certified Angus Beef brand] at the volume we had envisioned,” Shuey says. “We didn’t know how to effectively sell or merchandise it.”

At the time, CAB supply was increasing; both companies had work to do. IBP had to reevaluate it’s pricing and sales and marketing strategies, while CAB needed to grow customer and consumer demand.

His solution was different from most at the time. After many brainstorming sessions between IBP and CAB, they found a way to be more competitively priced, which ultimately sold more product.

“We put the emphasis on selling more product to existing customers,” Shuey says. “And it worked.”

More CAB was sold, generating more revenue, which helped each business grow. The success cultivated strong relationships between Shuey and CAB. His perspective on mutual success made him a great partner throughout his career.

“Sometimes you don’t win simultaneously,” says John Stika, CAB president. “But over the long haul, his strategy is for everybody to

win by creating more value for everyone. Rob always understood that.”

Retired now, Shuey recently added another item to his resume when he accepted the industry representative appointment on the CAB Board.

“I’m in,” was his response to a call from Stika.

A packer on board – The right person for the job shares the same values as the brand and aligns with its mission to serve registered Angus producers, Stika says.

While the industry representative is a three year appointment, the last two who held the position served multiple terms. The late Bob Norton, a CAB licensed packer early on with the brand and owner of BioZyme, served 12 years.

Then Kip Palmer, Palmer Food Services CEO, provided guidance for 12 years. Palmer served during a time when the brand was working on better understanding the needs of its licensed end users. His foodservice knowledge was especially valuable during COVID-19, Stika says.

Shuey’s background provides a unique perspective to a board of Angus ranchers, especially as the industry is working through challenges from tight beef supply.

“The packer is our biggest partner and biggest competitor,” Stika says, adding to the timeliness to bringing Shuey on.

He knows the product and understands sales and how CAB partners view the brand. This extends internationally, given he retired from Tyson as the senior vice president of international fresh meats, lending him a global perspective for CAB’s licensed partners.

“It’s important for the industry to understand the entire supply chain and each other’s piece of it,” Shuey says. “I want to better understand the production sector, and while I’m learning that, I can help them understand the packer and processor perspective.”

History with the brand - He’s an avid reader of the Angus Journal and keeps up with genetic trends across multiple breeds. Every day he catches up on industry news — live cattle prices, feeder cattle supply, supply dynamics worldwide.

“It’s a matter of me wanting to stay involved in the business,” he says. “That’s mostly indirectly, so I just continue to read and have conversations.”

Now, he’s looking forward to getting back to his roots and working alongside cattle producers — another nod that he’s right for the role.

“I love the production side of the business,” he says. “So, the more I can get to know the guys and gals out there on the farms, ranches, and feedyards, the better.”

His first board meeting was in Wooster, Ohio, at the CAB office in December 2024, which brought back memories of his ties to the brand. When he lived in Columbus, he would sometimes shop the Renzetti’s IGA market, where the original pound of CAB was sold. He remembers when he worked the ring during the Colvin Scholarship

auction at the Annual Conference. Or the times he volunteered as a National Junior Angus Show CAB Cook Off Contest judge years ago.

“That’s how far I go back with CAB, and that’s why I love the brand so much,” Shuey says. “I just think there’s a great story behind it and a great story to tell.”

As for Shuey’s time with the board, he is ready to listen.

“We have to continue to keep our eyes and ears open,” he says. “We can’t get set in our ways. We have to listen. We have to be really good listeners, communicators, and innovators.”

From his first introduction to the brand, the goal is the same: continue to grow the Angus breed — from the ranch to the consumer.

Beef on the Beach. What does a Caribbean culinary festival have to do with your work on the ranch? More than you might think. Cayman Cookout, held at The Ritz-Carlton in Grand Cayman, is a premier culinary event that brings together renowned chefs, food enthusiasts and media from around the world to celebrate exceptional cuisines in a breathtaking Caribbean setting.

This year, CAB played a key role, with our chefs serving over 4,000 plates at signature events like the Barefoot BBQ, Beach Bash, and Sunday Brunch. From the jerk marinated sirloin flap grilled over an open flame on the beach, to an elevated brunch featuring New York strip steak, each dish highlighted the unmatched quality and flavor of the Certified Angus Beef brand.

Not only does Cayman Cookout strengthen our relationships with top chefs and culinary leaders, but it highlights consumer demand for high quality beef around the world. It reinforces the value of producing cattle that meet the highest standards of marbling, tenderness, and flavor. The genetics, care and dedication you put into raising cattle affect carcass quality, which helps create unforgettable dining experiences that keep consumers coming back for more.

Thriving With Shrinking Supply. Beef suppliers shift management to capitalize during shrinking cattle numbers. Looking back on 2024, how would you sum up the year in the cattle business? Even as the nation’s cow herd contracts, “more pounds” and “higher quality” have been common themes. Specific to commercial cattlemen: It still pays to focus on carcass merit, in addition to other economically relevant traits.

Weights buoy production volume - One of the most impactful metrics for the beef industry in 2024 was escalating weights in fed steers and heifers was. The feedlot and packing sectors each faced tighter supplies, influencing feedlots to further continue the trend toward extended days on feed while packers were, at times, content to capture more pounds per shackle with reduced head counts. The combined effects drove hot carcass weights to average 21 lbs heavier than 2023, including nine total weeks with 30+ lb year-on-year increases in the May–June and September–October periods.

Historically advantageous feedlot cost-of-gain values, mostly just north of $100/cwt, were couched against a fed steer live price near $187/cwt for the year. This, combined with widespread adoption of the latest feed technologies, incentivized feeders to add days on feed as the return to weight gain extended to previously unthinkable finished weights.

For 2024, federally inspected cattle harvest was down 3.8 percent, more than 24,000 head weekly. However, fed steer and heifer slaughter held at a much steadier pace with 2023, resulting in just a 0.5 percent decline. The remaining shortage in annual slaughter was highlighted by a 19 percent beef cow harvest reduction and 23 percent dairy cow decline.

Total beef production tonnage in 2024 was buoyed by fed cattle carcass weights. Despite dramatically reduced cow slaughter and a

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Certified Angus Beef News continued from the previous page

surprisingly small drop in fed cattle harvest, annual beef production dipped only 0.8 percent below 2023. But it was still 5.2 percent under the 2022 cycle high for production volume.

Quality rising again – Recent cattle feeding trends have boosted marbling, helping to elevate carcass quality. Annually, average feedlot stays elongated to average nearly 195 days, and record heavy carcass weights played a role in pressing the combined Choice and Prime quality grade average to 83.4 percent. This was punctuated by USDA Prime carcasses slightly surpassing the backlog driven record of 10.2 percent during 2020’s pandemic. While the latest annual record for Prime, 10.7 percent, was fueled by extra feeding days, it would not have been possible without decades of genetic improvement for marbling. For example, in the Angus breed, the average expected progeny difference (EPD) for the marbling trait has increased from +0.40 in 2005 to +0.91 in 2024.

Heavier carcass weights, coupled with the increasing Prime carcass share, marked a new record in overall Prime carcass tonnage, despite smaller fed cattle slaughter last year. The 6.2 percent Prime volume increase in 2024 is 3 percent higher than the prior record set in 2022.

Prime production has gone up notably since 2013 and has subsequently been met with exceptional consumer approval. The cutout premiums for Prime over Choice have found a modern trading range averaging $42.81/cwt in the past four years, exactly double that of the prior decade’s average. This happened concurrently as Prime carcass tonnage (total carcass weight) more than tripled, moving from an estimated 13.9 million lbs weekly to 45.3 million lbs in 2024.

The total USDA Choice grading percentage entered a stable, record high era in 2020, posting little variance in tenths of a point above 72 percent for the past five years. Last year saw just a 0.04 percentage point drop in the Choice percentage across 52 weeks, giving up that small ground to Prime growth. USDA Select, at its lowest point in modern history, comprised just 13.5 percent of fed cattle production, down from 14.6 percent a year ago. Coming off the record average $20.10/cwt Choice/Select price spread in 2023, the 2024 pattern held the spread narrower through the third quarter. Yet, the fourth quarter, powered by middle meat demand, featured a run toward the widest single week Choice/Select spread on record at

$38/cwt, boosting the year’s average to $15/cwt.

CAB supply trends – Calendar year production trends for the Certified Angus Beef brand followed superior marbling achievement to chart a record 37.3 percent carcass certification rate, a point higher than the prior year. The brand’s Prime product supply grew by a strong 15 percent over 2023, comprising a record large 13 percent of total certified carcasses at 771,000 head. With just a portion of licensed packing partners on board with the brand’s Prime label, sales growth in the most premium of the brand’s quality offering is not fully tapped.

As reported by Urner Barry, the CAB (premium Choice only) cutout premium, over USDA Choice, was $1.66/cwt smaller in 2024 with an annual average at $15.14/cwt. The CAB cutout premium shifted to range between $15 and $19/cwt beginning in 2020, breaking out of the $8–$10/cwt range of previous years. The cumulative grid premium value of USDA Choice, plus CAB has added between $80 and $100/head to Premium Choice CAB qualified carcasses in the past four years with a calculated $81/head average for 2024.

CAB growth challenges rest solely on supply constraints, much like the greater beef complex. Unique to the brand, however, are limitations brought about by record heavy carcass weights. Per the brand’s ten carcass specifications, cattle above the upper carcass weight limit of 1,100 lbs, those surpassing the ribeye area limit of 16 square inches, or having backfat thickness greater than 1 inch are disqualified. More carcasses have been excluded due to these reasons as weights and days on feed have advanced. Increased marbling deposition across Angus type carcasses was the offsetting factor in the brand’s ability to grow supply.

Prices up across the board – Total harvested cattle supplies continued to tighten in 2024, led by the dramatically smaller domestic cull cow harvest. This drove 90 percent lean beef trimmings to achieve a 22 percent price increase over 2023. This underpinned all beef prices due to U.S. consumers’ appetite for ground beef, comprising roughly 50 percent of average beef consumption. A spike in imports of lean grinding material partially offset the supply void but couldn’t alleviate inflationary effects of lagging domestic production.

With grinds underpinning prices, total beef demand continued

to chart a strong upward course across all beef offerings. Widely regarded as a leading expert on the topic, Glynn Tonsor at Kansas State University published a recent Beef Demand Index chart depicting a spike in the index from 89.5 in October 2023 to 96.6 in October 2024. Excluding the backlog supply calamity in the spring of 2020, the index has not achieved this strength since 2005.

Wholesale carcass cutout values pressed higher in 2024 as packers struggled to align sales revenue with escalating cattle and overhead costs. The comprehensive cutout value, describing all fed steer and heifer beef cuts regardless of quality or sales type, increased 3.7 percent over the prior year. The average for the year was $3.06/ lbs, with the weekly high of $3.24/lbs achieved in early July. The long term trend shows a steady inflationary wholesale cutout price trend, with a 39 percent increase over the recent five year period.

Further down the supply chain, the retail “all fresh” beef price was 4.6 percent higher in 2024 with a $7.94/lbs average across all cuts.

Like the wholesale trend, retail prices were up 37 percent since 2019.

Fed cattle prices responded to tighter supplies and leverage shifting from packers to cattle feeders, resulting in a 6.8 percent annual increase. This marked the live fed steer price average at $1.86/lbs. Since 2019, the five year trend has been much more dramatic, with a 60 percent rise in fed cattle values. However, much of the uptrend for the period can be attributed to recovery from devastatingly low prices that bottomed just under $1.00/lbs in July 2020 (pandemic backlog.) The largest movement occurred in 2022–2023 with a cumulative 44 percent price increase over two years. Early in 2025, significant price advances have given strong indications that another upward shift in the fed cattle trading range lies in store this year.

Looking ahead – Not uncommon to moving cattle cycles, beef and cattle prices have been resoundingly affected by shifts in supply. Drought cycles across important cattle production regions have generated lasting effects, currently slow to resolve. The supply chain has adjusted through changes in cattle management (i.e., weight targets) and the import/export balance. Yet, impressive consumer beef demand, while only casually analyzed in the cattle sector, is playing a significant role in the face of higher prices and further tightening supply.

It’s also clear that consumers, both domestic and international, continue to choose our product — it’s reliably the most preferred protein. The current cattle feeding economics driving record heavy weights have had an ancillary, favorable effect on marbling deposition. Rising proportions of CAB brand premium Choice and Prime product have provided a supply ballast against smaller harvest levels, continuing into 2025. Cattlemen throughout the supply chain should continue to apply thoughtful pressure on carcass quality, combining genetics and management toward continued consumer demand and economic success.

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.

 AMAZING GRAZING 

How much hay did you waste this year?

By DR. MATT POORE, N.C. State University

As we approach the end of the winter feeding season, it is a good time to reflect on one of the largest cost items for beef cattle producers — hay. Hay is what most beef farmers in our region use as the base for winter cow nutrition. Some farmers have developed a system where they stockpile a lot of forages during autumn and then graze them through the winter. Some may also use silage, cotton gin byproduct, or some other alternative cow feed. These practices may greatly reduce hay need, but for most farms, hay is still a major expense that deserves careful management.

Growing and making hay is an expensive proposition. Currently, a projected cost of over $150/ton to grow and make good quality grass hay is common. Many farmers don’t ever do the calculations to determine this, but if you add up your fertilizer, herbicide, twine/ net wrap, and equipment operating cost, you will often run over $100 a ton in out-of-pocket cash costs. Add the depreciation on your equipment, and it is hard not to go over that $150 mark. In many places in our region you can buy hay for $150/ton or less, so if you make all your hay, you might consider buying some or all of your needs.

Understanding your hay cost is the first step in improving your hay budget. Given that most hay is sold by the bale — not the ton, it is critical that you know what bales weigh. You can generalize that a 4×4 foot round bale will weigh about 500 lbs, 4×5s will weigh about 700 lbs, 5×5s and 4×6s will weigh about 1,000 lbs, and 5×6s will weigh about 1,200 pounds. There will be great variation due to the actual size of the bales, the crop characteristics, and the baler used. Weigh some bales whenever possible to get a better idea of what you are really paying for hay, whether you are making your own or purchasing it.

Once you establish that hay is expensive, think about the losses that occur throughout the haymaking, storage, and feeding program. If you make your hay,

you need to minimize hay making losses. This can be done by carefully monitoring the weather, making sure the hay is completely cured at bailing, not over tedding hay with legumes or very small particle size, and getting good harvest efficiency from the baler.

I will concentrate here on the hay losses we need to be concerned with during storage and feeding. Round bales are often stored outside without a cover or anything under them. As the season progresses, water will wick up into the bale from the bottom, and rain will soak into the top and sides of the bale. Research has shown that much of the loss is through wicking from the bottom of the bale, rather than soaking in from the top.

If you start with hay that costs $150/ton, and you experience a 25 percent storage loss, the remaining hay has a cost of $200/ton. If you have a 25 percent feeding loss when you feed the remaining hay, then what the cows actually eat would cost $267/ton. That is some expensive feed!

Minimizing Storage Losses – Storage losses are impacted by the way the hay is baled and the way it is stored. Reducing storage losses starts with baling. Uniformly tight bales without soft spots are more desirable than loose bales or bales with soft middles. In general, net

Round bales experience a variety of losses during storage and feeding. Mud in feeding areas compounds the problem.

wrapped bales hold up much better in outside storage than bales with strings. For string tied bales, plastic string will outperform sisal twine, which can rot due to ground contact. Also, larger bales have less surface area per ton, so spoilage losses are lower with larger bales.

As mentioned earlier, a major source of loss is due to moisture wicking from the ground, so a minimum for good outside storage is to elevate on a pallet, large gravel, poles, or tires. We have found plastic pallets to be especially effective. It is important to note that heavy textured soils lead to much higher wicking losses than sandy soils. Also, a well drained, south facing storage site will be better than a poorly drained one that gets a lot of shade.

One practical method that greatly reduces hay loss is to create three high stacks of round bales — pyramid style — elevated on pallets and then covered with a large tarp or 6 mil black plastic. This approach has been shown to greatly reduce losses in several research trials, approaching the minimal losses seen in barn storage. If you take care, a good hay tarp can last for five years, while black plastic may last up to two years. It is easy to ruin your plastic or tarp by driving over it with a tractor, so take care as you take hay from storage to pull back the cover and keep it in good condition. After the haystack is fed out, carefully fold the tarp or plastic and put it into covered storage where it is out of the sun.

The best approach for many farmers is to have a dedicated hay barn. Many producers repurpose old buildings or use a low cost structure such as a hoop shed or home built pole shed. Also, if you buy hay, and it is in covered storage, it makes sense to negotiate with the seller to take possession of the hay at the time it is needed rather than before the start of the hay feeding season. There seems to be little loss after the weather turns cold, so short term storage outside appears to lead to very little spoilage.

Economics of storage – Our research has shown that you can pay for a new shed over a reasonable time — 5–8 years — depending on how your bales might hold up in outside storage. Stacking and covering with plastic will generally pay for itself each year for most farmers.

A case study – While hay loss during storage is something many take for granted, you sometimes run across a producer who put a lot of thought into it and developed a great system. Our old friend J.I. “Jim” Smith from Stem, N.C., invited me to his farm one year to look at his hay storage system. He showed me bales that had been stored uncovered outside for two years with little spoilage. Bales stored one year showed nearly zero storage losses. I was very surprised at what I saw.

What is Jim’s secret? First, Jim stressed you need to make very tight net wrapped bales with a dense surface from side to side — no soft middles — where water might penetrate. Second, elevate the bales on a plastic pallet. Third, leave at least one foot clearance on all sides of the bale. This allows air to move between the bales, quickly drying them out after precipitation. Some recommendations are to butt the bales up end to end, but we have seen high losses with this technique unless the bales are butted up very tightly together. When I left Jim’s place that day, I realized that it is possible to store outside in our environment with a low level of loss if you take some care with baling, break contact with the ground, and leave space all around each bale for them to dry out.

Feeding losses – The second major loss of hay occurs during feeding. There have been a number of feeding experiments done to assess different methods, and a general understanding of losses with various methods has been developed. In general, feeding losses when round bales are placed on pasture without protection can approach

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December 6, 2025 • 12:00 noon Simpson Special Events Center • Monroe, N.C.

Amazing Grazing continued from the previous page

50 percent. Loss will be higher with poor quality hay because cattle will sort through it, taking longer to eat and scattering the hay where it is trampled. Loss will also be higher the more hay you put out at a time.

Using a hay ring with open slats on the bottom, or using a typical hay trailer, can cut loss to about 15 percent. Using a hay ring with a solid panel at the bottom, or with a tapered design, will further reduce loss to near 10 percent. Finally, a cone or cradle feeder where the bale is elevated and animals have to pull hay down before eating it can reduce losses to 5 percent or less. It is important to note that with some very tight rolls, it is possible to limit hay intake and animal performance with a cone feeder, so with any feeding system, be aware of target feeding rates and monitor hay disappearance.

While it has not been widely researched, the weight of the ring also matters, with light rings — such as a plastic pipe ring — having higher losses than heavier ones that are more difficult to push around and flip off the bale.

The other common method of hay feeding often seen is unrolling. In some mountain areas, this is the standard way of feeding hay. Losses will be highly variable, but many farmers successfully use this system. First, it is important that the amount of hay unrolled matches the daily need of the cattle. If the group in question needs a little more than a bale a day, it is easy to just feed them one and limit their intake, while if you feed more than they need, the excess will be bedded on and waste will be high. Finding that sweet spot can be difficult. Being able to unroll only part of a bale is critical to making this system work.

Hay quality also matters, with high quality hay being cleaned up a lot more readily than poor quality. I have found it useful to feed some lower quality hay out of rings, and unroll some high quality hay to supplement the cows. This way, the cows rapidly clean up the unrolled hay and then take more time to pick through the lower quality hay in the ring. During the wettest periods on heavy soils, unrolling can result in very high losses, and you need to be aware of this and adapt your feeding method to fit those circumstances.

Central vs. dispersed hay feeding – The last key topic impacting

loss is where you feed the hay. Why would this impact the amount of waste? When we measure hay loss, we really are trying to estimate how much hay the cows ate. In general, if you feed the hay in a central location — possibly with a stabilized feeding pad — as compared to going to further corners of the farm to feed, the hay intake by the cows — and thereby the hay not consumed — would theoretically be the same. The difference is that the feeding loss on the central location is truly a loss because these areas become heavily loaded with nutrients, making any wasted hay or manure deposited in that area unneeded for future plant growth. In extreme situations, there will be a cost associated with removing the manure and wasted hay from the feeding site, and reseeding with an annual to provide some growing forage crop.

In the more distant locations, the hay that is not eaten — and the manure that is dropped — benefits the soil and will grow grass in future growing seasons. This turns what is truly a waste in the centralized model into an asset in the dispersed hay feeding approach.

Dispersed feeding could be done by unrolling the hay, rotating feeding locations, or by using the bale grazing technique. Each will benefit areas of the pasture that need nutrients, and each has it’s selling points. Bale grazing is great for farmers who are pressed for time during winter and who have land that is difficult to access for winter feeding. We use a combination of unrolling and bale grazing at home, and typically target bale grazing for pasture that needs renovation and unrolling on areas where forage stands are good, as unrolling may result in less short term damage to sod.

New alternatives – We have farmers working with new approaches to storing hay, including plastic wrapping round bale silage, wrapping nearly dry hay — called sweet hay — or by wrapping dry hay. These approaches work to reduce storage losses, but are likely economically feasible only for the larger farms. — Extra equipment, labor, and increased inputs — plastic — make these approaches an expensive alternative that will fit some but not all farmers.

Understand how to reduce waste and improve your system at the same time – The best forage systems for beef cattle minimize winter hay feeding to about 60 days. If you feed much more than that, study your system and make sure you have an appropriate stocking rate. Learn to stockpile forages to extend your grazing season. We know how to reduce hay storage losses, so find the system that works best for you. Hay is expensive whether you make it or buy it, so know how much bales weigh. Hay also varies greatly in nutritive value, so make sure you test the hay so you can effectively develop a good feeding program.

Feeding method will impact feeding losses, so make sure you understand how to manage that as well. Finally, remember that each ton of hay will contain a lot of nutrients and organic matter that will help the soil if you feed in a dispersed system as compared to a central location. Learning how to minimize losses, and making sure the manure and wasted hay ends up where it is needed, will help you improve the welfare of your livestock and reduce your net cost of hay feeding.

E.B.’ s VIEW FROM  THE COW PASTURE 

Got to Draw the Line Somewhere

By E.B. HARRIS, Warrenton, N.C.

We have been putting bulls out with the cows the past few weeks. Just a few days later, Shane called and said the bull at his house had gone south. He was trying to be gentlemanly when he said this, but when we say a bull has gone south, that means that he is not able to perform. This gave me a deep sick feeling in my stomach because he was a real hoss of a bull in my opinion.

It was a new bull we had recently purchased. We have criteria when we look at a bull. He has to meet our eye appeal, have a lot of depth from the top to the bottom, rib capacity, a lot of thickness, good feet, short hair, frame size that will fit our herd, and a reasonably good disposition; then we look at the EPDs. If he meets all of these and does not have a pump handle tail, he is definitely a candidate for us.

We spend a fair amount of time selecting bulls because, the way we see it, when you put a bull out, there stands one half of your herd. Three years from now, his females will be part of the progeny that will be part of our herd, and two years from that, his steers will be at the feedyard. It’s a decision we don’t take lightly. This is our future for years to come.

What Shane was saying in a roundabout way was that we were going to have to get the bull up and bring him in. I was standing in

the shop, and one of the men who works here on the farm was in the shop as well. I told him we had a bull over at Shane’s that we needed to get up and bring in because he had gone south. I told him that by gone south, I meant it was broken.

He looked at me and said, “E.B., I do most anything you me ask to do around here. I don’t hesitate or mind doing it, and I have never refused to do what you have asked me to do. But if you want me to help put a cast on the bull where he has gone south, a man has just got to draw a line somewhere.”

I looked at him and said, “We are going to bring him in and see how bad he is and won’t end up putting a cast on him, but I appreciate your thoughts. I don’t much blame you for drawing the line. “

We have had this to happen before. If the injury was not too severe, they have healed on their own and went on to sire calves for several years. Sometimes all isn’t lost — this is what I am hoping will happen here.

When you don’t feel good, you want to be by yourself.

CATTLE & CARBON

The

Intertwining of Carbon and Nitrogen

By ALAN FRANZLUEBBERS, USDA-Agricultural Research Service

Protein is prime in the beef industry. Beef is an excellent source of protein that nourishes us. Meeting the nutritional needs of a growing animal requires a diet of nitrogen rich feedstuffs for the development of meat protein. However, simply offering nitrogen in elemental or inorganic form alone is not sufficient. Nitrogen must be bound in amino acids and proteins of feedstuffs for livestock to metabolize this nitrogen and constitute their own forms of protein in livestock tissue.

Like carbohydrates and lipids, the essential elements of proteins are carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, but proteins are the only macronutrient that contains nitrogen. Proteins are built from amino acids, which are arranged into 20 different forms in livestock around a carbon center. The key elements of amino acids are carbon,

hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. Some important amino acids in cattle are histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine.

Protein in beef cattle, like that in most animals, serves many purposes. Proteins support growth, maintenance, reproduction, lactation, and overall health by providing the building blocks for tissues like muscle, bone, and organs, as well as essential components for enzymes, hormones, and antibodies needed for various bodily functions. Protein is essential for the development and proper functioning of the animal throughout its life cycle.

In nature, the life cycle of each individual animal or plant is not complete until it undergoes decomposition by various life forms, including microorganisms. Breakdown products of decomposition feed other components of the ecosystem. This means that the elements in nature are cycling from production to decomposition in a continuous cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Along the way, daily animal excrement feeds a diversity of soil microorganisms with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, which are vital for their existence as well. Soil microorganisms are an important mediator for soil development through their consumption of organic matter and deposition of breakdown products into soil organic matter. Plant and animal tissues are transformed by these soil microorganisms into a variety of readily decomposable substrates that form the basis of biologically active soil organic matter, slowly decomposable substrates that require years to fully break down, and resistant substrates that linger for hundreds and thousands of years forming the basis of humic matter in soil.

The activity of soil microorganisms serves to decompose organic materials and recycle the basic elements to plants and other parts of the ecosystem. Another vital role of soil microorganisms is to simply leave behind residues of this decomposition process that eventually forms soil organic matter. Indeed, it may even be the dead carcasses of all these millions and billions of microscopic organisms that form what we see as the dark, rich surface soil containing enriched organic matter. Soil microorganisms gain their energy from the carbon contained in plant and animal tissues, but they also require nitrogen to build their own unique cellular amino acids and proteins.

Elemental composition of soil organic matter varies depending upon environmental conditions but typically contains 58 percent carbon, 20 percent oxygen, 10 percent hydrogen, and 5 percent nitrogen. Sunlight captured by photosynthesis in a green plant starts the cycling of life with the production of simple sugars containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There is good reason for soil organic matter to contain so much carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The high abundance of nitrogen in soil organic matter points to the element as vital to the unique biochemical functions it helps to create. Indeed, life would be simple, slow, and boring without the availability of nitrogen.

Although soils vary in elemental composition depending on types of minerals present, climatic conditions, and landscape settings, there is a general consistency that occurs in the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of soil. With 58 percent of organic matter as carbon and 5 percent of organic matter as nitrogen, the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of soil would be ideally 11.6 (58 / 5 = 11.6).

In the survey of grassland soils across North Carolina in 2023 (see the February issue), the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio averaged 12.4 at depth of 0–4 inches, 12.7 at depth of 4–12 inches, and 11.5 at depth of 12–24 inches. The age of organic matter was not determined in this survey, but generally age increases with increasing depth in the soil profile. Therefore, the slightly elevated carbon-to-nitrogen ratio nearer the surface suggests less processed organic matter present, since plant derived organic matter typically has a carbon-to-nitrogen

ratio exceeding 20.

The intertwining of carbon and nitrogen in soil organic matter is also important from a soil management viewpoint. If organic carbon is to be sequestered in soil with improved grazing practices, then nitrogen will be sequestered in this organic matter as well. As described in the February issue, carbon sequestration rate based on root zone enrichment calculations was 209–294 pounds/acre/year over a 50 year period. Assuming a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of 12.5 in the surface foot of soil, this would mean that 17–24 pounds/acre/ year of nitrogen was also being stored in soil organic matter.

One could consider nitrogen stored in soil organic matter as locked away, but it is also like an investment in the soil bank such that dividends are being distributed with a small release of nitrogen annually. Typically, 2 percent of the principal is often used as a general guide to estimate the quantity of nitrogen that might be released from soil organic matter. The average stock of total soil nitrogen in the top foot of soil in the survey of grasslands across North Carolina was 4,627 pounds of nitrogen per acre. Assuming 2 percent mineralization of nitrogen from this total nitrogen stock (i.e., principal in banking terms), then 92 pounds/acre/year of nitrogen would be mineralized and become available to plants for uptake. Assuming forage growth during the year might contain an average

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nitrogen concentration of 1.2 percent, the 92 pounds/acre/year of nitrogen would be able to produce 7,667 pounds of forage dry matter without external nitrogen inputs.

Knowing the amount of organic matter in your soils will be important to make better use of these generalizations. For example, if your soil only had 3,423 pounds of nitrogen per acre in the top foot of soil (value at the 20th percentile range in the North Carolina survey), then 2 percent mineralization would lead to 68 pounds/acre/year of nitrogen that might only produce 5,667 pounds of forage dry matter per acre per year without external nitrogen inputs. These calculations don’t assume losses of nitrogen that can occur in any ecosystem due to natural and management induced causes, and they assume a relatively low protein concentration of the forage produced (1.2 percent nitrogen is equivalent to 7.5 percent protein). With a target of 12 percent protein, soil with 3,423 pounds of nitrogen per acre in the top foot might only produce 3,542 pounds of forage dry matter

per acre per year without external nitrogen inputs.

From the survey of grasslands across North Carolina, the management controlled accumulations of soil organic carbon and total soil nitrogen over the past century or so were calculated. This is shown in Figure 1. Carbon and nitrogen are strongly associated in soil. This is because nature has inherent balances to maintain. Sequestering carbon in soil will almost always lead to greater storage of nitrogen. The fate of that nitrogen depends on management. Soil biological activity is an important factor in releasing this nitrogen, and this topic will be explored in the next issue.

The bottom line in these analyses is that there is a large quantity of nitrogen that is closely intertwined with soil organic carbon. This soil organic nitrogen can be of benefit to grassland managers to make good decisions about how to use this resource. Natural ecosystems rely on this intertwining of carbon and nitrogen, and sustainably managed grassland ecosystems can do so as well.

Figure 1. Association between root zone enrichment of soil organic carbon and total soil nitrogen from 648 samples across North Carolina (rank sorted means and standard deviations from groups of 36 samples shown here).

The Chaplain’s Corral

Expectant Prayer Mixed With Faith

By TOMMY EARL HUTCHINS, Cowboys for Christ Chaplain

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) — “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

The Bible says to set your mind on the things above. It states in Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV) — “Since then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Paul is telling us here that the people of God can now, daily, fulfill the command to display their attention towards spiritual things — the things above — because of our identification with Christ. Prayer is an essential way that we do this, and Jesus took time to teach his disciples how to pray. He tells them in Matthew 6: 9-13 (NMB) — “Pray therefore in this manner: “Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” By starting our days with prayer, we can set our minds on higher things for the day. When we do this, we can let God guide and direct our steps.

We are also told in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.”

When we live our lives with intimate contact with God daily, He promises to direct our paths towards a fruitful life begetting His endeavors. His favor is surrounding us. Goodness and mercy are always with us, as it says in Psalm 23:6 (RSV) — “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

When we start our day with prayer, we pray with faith and expectancy. We are reminded in Romans 8:32 (NLT) — “Since he did not spare even his own Son, but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else.” So then we can anticipate good things to happen and expect circumstances to change in our favor. Paul tells us of these good things in Ephesians 2:4 (RSV) — “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved.”

God wants us to get our hopes up when we pray. If we have faith, we will have hope. It says in Romans 5:5 (NLT) — “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

We have to confidently expect the favor of God. Expect prison

doors to open. God tells us in Zechariah 9:11-12 (NASB) — “As for you also, because of the blood of MY covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. Return to the stronghold, O prisoners who have the hope; This very day I am declaring that I will restore double to you.”

In order to expect things to change in your favor, start looking through your eyes of faith, even when your situation looks bleak. We are told in Job 42:1-2 (ESV) — “Then Job answered the Lord and said, “I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”

When you get discouraged or depressed, you must encourage yourself by praying. Stay in God’s word like your life depends on it. It will help you set your mind and trust the Lord, knowing God will give you what you need, and His purpose will be accomplished in your life!

Have

We Learned From the Processing Bottleneck Caused By COVID-19?

By THOMAS DOLLYHITE,

N.C. State University -- ANS 402 Beef Management

Many producers first felt the presence of a bottleneck, or congestion, in the typical processing pathway during the initial lockdown and sanctions following COVID-19 back in 2020. This can be observed in Graphs 1 and 2, due to the regulations that were in place to try to limit the spread and exposure of COVID-19. As a result of these limitations, various plants and abattoirs would be shut down for some time due to individuals being exposed, as well as the time it took for a sanitation team to come in and clean the facilities before the next shift or rotation of employees. This occurred at commercial operations across the country as well as local facilities.4 However, local facilities felt more of an impact due to their decreased adaptability and lower number of employees. The following months showcased a panic in consumers, as well as producers, because of the inability to obtain beef due to the increased number of consumers purchasing meat from grocery stores.7 This ultimately led to the increased need for animals being slaughtered at local processing plants. However, they were unable to due to the restrictions.

Panic ensued from the high demand for all cuts of beef, which led consumers to reach out to local producers to find possible new sources of beef, due to traditional supply processes, such as grocery stores, running out of supplies. 5 In some eyes, this had created a problem. However, for others, it created a path to generate profit during the confusing times. To accomplish the goal of being able to obtain various cuts to meet the demands of new customers, producers were calling and placing time slots at local processing plants to accommodate the new demand. This development created a domino effect that is still being felt now. The matter that truly affected the majority of producers was the availability of having their animals processed into their own desired cuts and supplies. At the initial surge, many producers had not been able to adapt to the sudden change. As a result, they had to wait over a year until they were able to have their products processed, due to the decreased harvest rate. This wait caused many individuals to start looking at the process and how to improve it.

Some of these individuals were a part of the USDA and

Graph 17

Graph 27

NCDA&CS. The USDA was looking through the eyes of the consumer and producers to ensure they were able to maximize the output of local processing facilities to increase customer satisfaction with prices and choices, support across the supply chain, and enable farmers and producers the ability to generate profits from different markets. This was done a few ways, but one of the impactful methods was through various grants that have been given out over the last five years. One of the most notable grants was known as the Increasing Meat Production and Capacity Grant. It was first distributed in 2021, all across the nation, including $17 million to 23 different facilities in North Carolina.5 This allowed facilities to increase their output by being able to hire more employees, improve equipment, and increase holding and hanging capacities.4 These improvements, as well as similar ones at even more locations across North Carolina, are due to the NCDA&CS and their guidance and assistance through the process such as application, review, and distribution of the grant both then and now with new grant applications being opened.

Producers were also analyzing how they needed to adapt to the changing demand. These producers can be separated into different groups based on their reaction to the shifting circumstances. One group can be labeled as the most reactionary. They went ahead and called processing facilities and ensured they had space and prepared their cattle for processing for their consumption. Another similar group also reacted fast and ensured they could have their cattle processed, but they looked at the possible opportunities that arose from the depleted inventory of grocery stores and other establishments.7 These producers were able to start directly marketing their cattle and beef to consumers.8 Both of these groups were able to react fast and adapt their business strategy. This allowed them to maximize their inventory, regardless of the circumstances, because of their previous planning. This included having a yearly system and plans in place to react to what was happening in order to adapt and ensure their survival.

However, there is one final group of producers. It includes the producers who were unable to respond to the changing situation. This group had losses in ways that may not have been quantified; such as the inability to have any products processed. They were unable to seize the opportunities. They had to make the choice between excess feeding of cattle that would have been slaughtered, which is a costly situation, or selling unnecessary cattle, which can lead to the loss of sufficient and effective cows and heifers in the herd. There are differences as to why this group was unable to respond to the situation, but there is one common occurrence in almost every situation: inadequate planning. Producers were unable to adapt to, or accept, a backup plan for the limitation and restriction of various inputs and outputs, such as changes feed deliveries and the ability to ship cattle out to be slaughtered or sold. 7 This is one of the reasons for the constant decline of beef cattle in North Carolina over the last few years, which can be observed in Table 1.

Producers in the last group had a high percentage of turnovers due to the complications of COVID-19. This caused many producers, extension agents, and members of the industry to examine how the different groups’ choices led to their results. In essence, there were choices that were able to help a farm survive and those that ended them. One of the choices for survival was being open minded

about new possible ventures, such as selling processed products to individuals in their communities. There are many individuals in the nation, as well as North Carolina, who were able to expand their farm into this business plan and have seen the profits from it.8 But this answer was only possible due to having a managerial strategy and planning to adapt to changing situations. This includes having a dedicated timeline, relationships with processors, feed suppliers, and veterinarians to ensure health and the future of the herd, and possible backup plans if and when problems occur. The ability to adapt, whether through listening to different industry leaders, pushing for improvements in the system, marketing, or managerial farm choices, helped these producers survive the panic that ensued and adjust to the bottlenecking. It will continue to assist them as they continue to produce.

References

1USDA NASS (2022) “North Carolina Agricultural Statistics.” www.nass.usda.gov.

2USDA NASS (2022) “State Agriculture Overview.” www.nass. usda.gov.

13USDA NASS (2022) “Cattle - Beef Cows County EstimatesUSDA NASS.” www.nass.usda.gov

4 Pitchford, Joey. (2022)“Impec Program Gives Processors Flexibility.” blog.ncagr.gov

5CEFS (2021) “Increasing Meat Production and Capacity Grant Program.” (2021) cefs.ncsu.edu/impec

6 USDA (2023) “USDA Announces Funding Availability to Expand Meat and Poultry Processing Options for Underserved Producers and Tribal Communities.” www.usda.gov.

7Whitehead, Dalton, and Yuan H. Brad Kim. (2022) “The Impact of COVID-19 on the Meat Supply Chain in the USA: A Review.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

8 Durant, Jennie L., et al. (2023) “Farm Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of California Direct Market Farmers.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

9 Marchant-Forde, Jeremy N., and Laura A Boyle.(2020) “COVID-19 Effects on Livestock Production: A One Welfare Issue.” www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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

Table 1

You Decide!

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

You Decide: What Is The Status Of North Carolina Manufacturing?

Manufacturing has a special place in our economy and is something people can easily relate to. The output of manufacturing companies, spanning a variety of items, from vehicles to clothing to chairs, are things people can directly see, touch, feel, and use.

Manufacturing also has an important place in our economy. In the 19th century, it surpassed farming as the dominant sector of the U.S. economy, and it became the employer of millions of workers. We clearly saw this shift in North Carolina, as the “Big Three” of tobacco, textiles, and furniture manufacturing led the state economy for a century. Indeed, in North Carolina there was a strong link between manufacturing and farming, as the key raw materials for cigarettes, clothing, and furniture came from the state.

The relative importance of manufacturing, especially traditional manufacturing, began to subside in the late 20th century. The main reason was foreign competition, especially from Asian countries, where manufactured products could be made more cheaply due to lower labor costs. Indeed, manufacturing is at the center of the current debate about bringing jobs to the United States. A major element of the debate over tariffs is linked to recovering manufacturing jobs.

With North Carolina’s history and continuing reliance on manufacturing, the status and future of manufacturing is an important issue for the state. As a result, for the last several years, I’ve devoted a column to the manufacturing outlook in North Carolina. Here is the 2025 version.

As always, there is a mix of good news and what I’ll call challenging news. Among the good news is that the value of manufacturing production in North Carolina has fully recovered from the pandemic and now exceeds pre-pandemic levels. Specifically, manufacturing production in North Carolina is 1 percent higher than in 2019, the year before the pandemic. However, this is much less than the 7 percent increase in manufacturing production in the nation over the same time period. In comparison, total economic activity in the North Carolina economy, including all sectors, jumped 16 percent between 2019 and 2024, much faster than the 12 percent increase in the total national economy.

Regarding jobs, from 2019–2024 manufacturing employment in North Carolina dropped 3 percent. In the nation, they rose 1 percent. However, all jobs in North Carolina increased 9 percent between 2019 and 2024, almost twice as fast as the 5 percent gain in the nation for all jobs. Interestingly, the average hourly wage rate for state manufacturing jobs surged 28 percent from 2019–2024, faster than the price inflation of 22 percent during the same time period,

and faster than the 23 percent increase in the average national manufacturing hourly wage rate.

I’ve presented many numbers here, so here’s a verbal summary of the current big picture of manufacturing in North Carolina. North Carolina manufacturing production has modestly increased the last five years, but this is in comparison to a much stronger increase in national manufacturing, and a much, much stronger increase in the overall North Carolina economy. Employment in manufacturing dropped slightly in the last five years, while national employment in manufacturing increased slightly, and overall employment in North Carolina increased twice as fast as total national employment. But increases in wage rates paid to manufacturing workers in North Carolina since the pre-pandemic year of 2019 more than kept up with inflation and were larger than the wage gains for manufacturing jobs in the nation.

This analysis leaves several key questions. First, if North Carolina manufacturing jobs have been dropping, why have pay rates in manufacturing jobs significantly risen? One answer is there are several thousand job vacancies in the state’s manufacturing sector. Numerous studies show that young people, especially, are not interested in jobs in manufacturing because they equate the jobs to being physically difficult and requiring long hours. Even if this perception is not completely accurate, with North Carolina being one of the fastest growing states in the nation, there are plenty of jobs available for young people in other sectors. However, manufacturing firms have tried to compete by significantly raising pay rates.

Second, why has North Carolina manufacturing production improved at a much slower pace than national manufacturing, and why has North Carolina lost manufacturing jobs while the nation gained those jobs? The answer appears to be in the unique composition of North Carolina’s manufacturing. Earlier in the column, I reminded you of the transition North Carolina has experienced in manufacturing by shifting out of tobacco, textiles, furniture, and related industries to sectors like technology and pharmaceuticals. In looking at the data from 2019–2024, this transition is still continuing. Production of tobacco, textiles, furniture, and paper all declined, while pharmaceuticals, technology, metal manufacturing, mining, and transportation increased. Also, the job losses in tobacco, textile, furniture, and paper manufacturing accounted for 90 percent of the state’s drop in manufacturing jobs between 2019 and 2024.

Third, and probably most important, what will the future hold for North Carolina manufacturing? My opinion is manufacturing will continue to be important to the state’s economy, but manufacturing

will also continue to change. Tech and pharmaceuticals will likely expand, as will relatively new manufacturing sectors in aeronautics, vehicle production, computer chips, and batteries.

There’s even some optimism that technology like artificial intelligence (A.I.) could help revive traditional manufacturing sectors such as textiles. Some think A.I. could streamline garment production to make domestic firms competitive with foreign firms on costs.

Hence, I’m optimistic about manufacturing’s future. Should you be, too? You decide.

You

Decide: What Will Be The Next North Carolina Economy?

North Carolina has gone through two major economic overhauls in the last 150 years. The first was the shift from a largely agrarian economy to an economy focused on manufacturing products using home grown farm outputs. The so-called “Big Three” were cigarettes made from North Carolina tobacco, textile and apparel products manufactured from cotton, and furniture and paper products using North Carolina trees and lumber. Much of this “Big Three” economy was located in small towns and rural areas in the state.

The second transformation occurred in the late 20th century. This was when globalization of the economy expanded. Two major trade agreements involving the U.S. occurred. The first was the North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The agreement lowered trade barriers between the three countries and shifted manufacturing within North America. The second event occurred when the World Trade Organization, which included the U.S., admitted China as a member. This allowed Chinese companies to access foreign markets — the most important being the U.S. — on more favorable terms.

Two of the three “Big Three” industries — textiles/apparel and furniture — were massively impacted by these trade agreements, and not in a good way. Foreign competitors, especially China, used lower cost labor to underprice North Carolina manufacturers and capture a large part of the U.S. market. At the same time, the tobacco industry was hard hit by the declining use of tobacco products, especially cigarettes. As a result, jobs in the North Carolina “Big Three” plunged. Rural economies in the state were especially hurt.

Fortunately, North Carolina was able to remake its economy over several decades around industries I have named the “Big Five.” The “Big Five” includes technology, pharmaceuticals, food processing, transportation production, and banking. Each industry grew for different reasons. Technology, primarily related to information technology, was attracted to the foresightful Research Triangle Park in the Raleigh-Durham region and the top universities located there. Pharmaceuticals developed for the same reasons, but also for its link to the state’s agriculture sector through bioscience. Food processing — mainly meat processing — was tied to the state’s farm sector shift to meat as its largest output. Transportation manufacturers, including parts and final products, took advantage of North Carolina’s competitive business costs and location in the expanding South. Lastly, banking has always been important to Charlotte, with its location straddling the two Carolinas. When nationwide banking was authorized in the late 20th century, Charlotte became the second largest banking center in the country.

Now, let’s look ahead. Many futurists expect emerging new

technologies like artificial intelligence (A.I.) will lead to a big economic shake up, including in North Carolina. Will we have another transition to a new North Carolina economy? Here are my thoughts.

Rather than creating a new economy, I expect A.I. and related technologies will transform our existing economy instead of transitioning it to something brand new. Indeed, some of our older industries may be revived in the future.

For the “Big Three” of tobacco, textiles/apparel, and furniture, tobacco related firms will likely continue to contract. This is because of the continued drop in smoking, particularly among young people, who are the consumers of the future.

However, the future may be the opposite for textiles/apparel. Some experts think the application of A.I. to textile/apparel production could significantly improve productivity for domestic manufacturers and consequently reduce the cost advantage of foreign competitors. Some think the same could occur for furniture manufacturing but to a lesser degree.

For the “Big Five,” continued growth is expected in technology,

You Decide continued on the next page

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pharmaceuticals, food processing, and transportation manufacturing. The one exception is banking, where there is uncertainty about how digital banking and banking alternatives could impact the financial sector.

Other sectors in North Carolina could emerge as much more significant to the economy in coming decades. One is mining and quarrying. Pure silicon is a key component of computer chips, and North Carolina has one of the world’s largest pure silicon mines in Mitchell County. Also, batteries are important to the continuing energy transition, especially for electric vehicles. Two minerals used for batteries are lithium and phosphate, and North Carolina has significant supplies of both.

Tourism is a multi-billion dollar industry in North Carolina. With the state’s marvelous beaches, spectacular mountains, hundreds of golf courses, and multi-faceted large cities, the tourism industry will likely become more important to the state’s economy in the future.

Predictions about the economy always have to be tentative and speculative. I see the future North Carolina economy growing, with some of our traditional industries prospering, while others face challenges. There will also be a third group of lesser known economic sectors who will be up and comers in the future.

Does this sound about right? You decide.

You Decide: What Can Egg Prices Teach Us About The Economy?

My wife is an excellent cook, perhaps because she came from a family of cooks. Her paternal grandparents ran a restaurant, and her maternal grandparents were bakers. By the time she was a teenager, my wife had taken over the cooking duties for her parents and sisters.

I, on the other hand, am not a good cook. Fifty years ago, when I was dating my future wife, I surprised her by preparing a meal of stuffed peppers. It was a disaster, but she was polite. Rather than telling me the meal was horrible, Mary discreetly took very small bites and moved the rest of the stuffed peppers around on her plate, finally announcing she was too full to eat anymore.

I do have one cooking specialty. It’s making omelets. I enjoy experimenting with different ingredients, and usually Mary approves. I’ve even made hot dog omelets that Mary eats. Often, when Mary has been too busy to prepare dinner, she turns to me and asks that I make one of my omelet inventions!

Obviously, omelets require eggs, and hence, I have been very aware of what has been happening with egg prices. But the upside, at least for an economist, is that the recent jump in egg prices serves as a good example of how the economy works. Here’s my reasoning.

In the past year, the price of a carton of eggs has risen over 100 percent. Most shoppers ask, “Why?” In economics, everything comes down to supply and demand. Indeed, when I was teaching, on days I gave a test, I told students never to leave an answer blank. Instead, I said that if they had no clue for the answer, write “supply and demand.” I would likely give them at least partial credit.

The big story for eggs is on the supply side. The avian flu has hit the chicken population hard and has resulted in the death of millions of hens. With a smaller number of hens, fewer eggs will be laid and supplied to sellers.

But with the intentions of buying eggs unchanged, the situation becomes one of buyers wanting to purchase more eggs than are available. But not all of these buyers have the same need to purchase eggs. For someone like me, who occasionally uses eggs for making omelets, eggs are not very important. But, for a bakery that uses eggs as a prime ingredient in many of their products, eggs are extremely important. Stated another way, the value of having an egg is much lower to me than it is for a bakery.

The result when buying intentions are unchanged — economists call this demand — but supply is much reduced, is that the price of the product rises. This always happens. In fact, we saw this principle occur after the pandemic. When the pandemic restrictions were lifted, people were ready to buy because they were restricted in buying for months. Consumers had what economists call pent up demand. Consumers also had the money to buy as a result of a variety of federal programs like stimulus checks, payroll protection program funds, and increased unemployment compensation. Yet, the supply of products was limited due to supply chain problems. With consumers trying to buy more than what was available, big price increases occurred, and the overall annual inflation rate exceeded 9 percent.

Some may respond that raising the price of something that is in short supply, like eggs, isn’t fair. Shouldn’t the producer — the farmer in this case — keep the price the same until supplies are replenished?

There are two answers to this viewpoint. First, if the price of eggs is the same when eggs are scarce as when eggs are plentiful, there is no mechanism for ensuring that the limited number of eggs are bought by those who value eggs the most. What if I get to the store first and buy all the eggs for my omelets? When the bakery owner arrives at the store, the eggs are gone, meaning the bakery can’t make many of the products that keep the company in business. For me, using eggs is just a hobby. For the bakery, eggs can make or break the business.

Hence, when there’s a shortage of eggs and egg prices rise, the higher price makes it more likely that those who buy eggs are the ones for whom eggs are very important.

A second benefit of higher egg prices is that the additional revenues help the producer offset losses from not selling as many eggs. The farmer can use some of those revenues to help rebuild their flock of hens. Even out-of-state farmers who escaped the avian flu are motivated to expand their flocks when prices are high. Once this occurs, egg prices will drop.

The avian flu, also called bird flu, is especially important for North Carolina because our state ranks fourth in the country in egg production, generating multiple billions of dollars in revenues.

When avian flu hits the hen flocks, losses are enormous and egg prices surge. Economists argue the higher prices are a natural result which actually helps farmers recover and ensures the remaining eggs go to those who have the most important uses for them.

Hence, when disease destroys much of the egg industry, could higher egg prices actually be a good thing, at least temporarily? You decide.

fertilizers more efficiently, reducing waste and saving money on unnecessary inputs.

Clemson Corner

Soil Sampling — Why is it Important?

By HANNAH CONOVER & HUNTER TAYLOR Clemson University

As we move into warmer months and begin preparing for the next growing season, it is important to know the conditions of your soil in order to achieve optimal grass growth. Soil is the foundation of a healthy forage stand, and understanding the nutrient content of your soil is key to ensuring your pastures or hay fields thrive. One of the most effective ways to assess soil health is through soil sampling. Proper soil sampling is crucial for getting an accurate analysis of the pH and nutrients present in the soil. The analysis will provide valuable insights into fertility and the overall condition of your soil, as well as specific recommendations based on those nutrients present when factoring in the soil type. From here, you can use the results to make informed decisions about fertilization and soil amendments.

The primary reason for soil sampling is to gain knowledge about the nutrient levels in your soil. For a forage stand to succeed, it requires a variety of nutrients, including nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), as well as an appropriate pH. For most forage grasses, a pH range of 6.0–6.5 is sufficient. Sufficient ranges of N, P, and K are dependent on your location and how the nutrients can move in the soil. A soil test reveals the current pH and nutrient levels of the area sampled. When the pH and nutrients are found to be at deficient levels, additional nutrients must be applied through liming and fertilization. On the flip side, excessive nutrient levels and high soil pH are possible. High pH must be lowered to allow nutrients to move freely through the soil and readily taken up by the grass. All of this to be said, a soil test allows you to make precise decisions on fertilization. Without soil testing, you may over fertilize or under fertilize, both of which can be detrimental to plant health and the environment. Economically speaking, soil testing can help you use

Taking a proper soil sample is critical to obtaining accurate results. A poor or incomplete sample can give you misleading test results, which in turn affects the recommendations for improving soil health. The first step in taking a soil sample is to identify the areas you want to sample. The Clemson University Agricultural Service Laboratory says that one soil sample can accurately represent up to ten acres. So, it’s a good practice to divide your property into smaller sections based on conditions such as varying grass types, purpose of the field, natural barriers or differences, or fence lines. To collect samples, a soil probe, spade, or shovel will get the job done, as you only need to sample about two to four inches deep for pastures. In order to get an accurate representation of your sample area, it is important to take about 10–12 subsamples from throughout the area. Subsamples should be placed in a clean bucket or container and mixed thoroughly to create the one sample for the area. Clemson’s Ag Service Lab requires about two cups worth of soil for one sample to be accurately tested. After your samples have been analyzed by a lab, you will receive a detailed report outlining the soil’s pH and nutrient levels, as discussed previously. For help with taking proper soil samples and analyzing your results, contact your local extension agent.

Soil sampling is an essential practice for producers interested in improving soil health, maximizing forage growth, and ensuring that their fertilization practices are effective and worthwhile. By regularly testing your soil, you can gain valuable insights that guide you in making decisions on soil management.

References

General Comments for Agricultural Crops. Clemson (SC): Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service; (accessed 2024 April).

Soil Test Rating System. Clemson (SC): Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service; (accessed 2024 April).

How to Collect a Sample. Clemson (SC): Clemson University Regulatory Services; (accessed 2025 February).

Focus on Forages

Alfalfa Establishment Checklist

By CHRISTOPHER LeMASTER, JR. & LILIANE SILVA, Clemson University

Before the widespread adoption of tall fescue and hybrid bermudagrasses, alfalfa was a prominent forage crop in the Carolinas. While it has a reputation for being the queen of forages, it also claims notoriety for high inputs and an increased level of management. However, with careful planning and a successful establishment, it can be a great return on investment, whether as a hay crop or simply incorporated into a grass pasture. Hybrid bermudagrass and alfalfa are great together and should be considered by anyone with a well established bermudagrass stand. The organic nitrogen contribution and improved forage value in a mixed stand can enhance production while offsetting the added management.

As with any forage crop, haying requires more inputs, so the preparations for a pure alfalfa stand versus mixed grazing/hay will look different. Recently, I put this checklist together for a horse hay producer in Upstate South Carolina planning to terminate a coastal bermudagrass stand for a fall planting of pure alfalfa. This checklist will be very similar for most alfalfa establishments, but it’s best to work with an agent to develop a plan tailored for you.

No-till vs. Conventional Tillage – For most forage crops, a notill establishment is recommended in the name of soil conservation. However, a pure alfalfa stand is better suited for conventional tillage and fall planting. Alfalfa seed is very small (like white clover seed), and conventional tillage allows better seed-to-soil contact and suppression of competitive weeds. Of course, no-till is best when overseeding alfalfa into an existing, desired bermudagrass stand.

Soil Sampling – Sample now to allow time to correct any deficiencies, as it takes up to eight months for changes in soil pH to occur. Soil samples for alfalfa should be collected at 0–8 inches (surface) and 8–15 inches (sub-surface) to ensure adequate pH and nutrient levels for the alfalfa taproot. Like other legumes, alfalfa requires pH over 6 to succeed, but it has further fertility requirements. In addition to managing phosphorus and potassium levels, alfalfa will require boron and molybdenum applications to support production and persistence.

Variety Selection – There are several factors to consider. Firstly, is this going to be grazed or hayed? Most hay producers will select a Roundup Ready variety. Alfalfa seedlings need 6–8 weeks before a hard freeze. Ask your agent to help you select a variety with an appropriate fall dormancy rating for your region’s earliest hard freeze. Some varieties have improved tolerance to drought and pests. Always make

sure you have the seed inoculated properly before planting. Availability at planting time is another thing to consider. Remember, mature alfalfa has an autotoxicity that prevents new alfalfa seedlings from germinating in the same acreage, so thickening a poor alfalfa stand with alfalfa is not an option. Be sure to get the necessary help for this long term decision and optimize the chances of getting a proper establishment and persistence through proper management practices implemented. Select an adequate area – Alfalfa prefers well drained soil, and if you plan to disc the ground, the land should be gently sloped to prevent excessive erosion. You don’t have to plant the whole farm right away. Try ten acres to get the hang of it, and adjust drying time for hay production, among other fine adjustments for the production cycle. However, much smaller plots can turn into deer food plots. Like other legumes, alfalfa is sensitive to deer pressure. Consider the deer population and some deterrent strategies. Herbicide history is critical. Residual herbicides such as Indaziflam (Rezilon),

You Decide continued on page 48

Focus on Forages continued from page 46

aminopyralid (GrazonNext, DuraCor, Milestone, Chapparal), and picloram (Surmount, Graslan), can be active for 12–18 months. Triclopyr can also prevent germination. Plan ahead and leave these out of potential alfalfa fields. Talk to your agent about conducting a bio-assay to determine if any residue is present before planting.

Kill existing forages and weeds pressure – This is done with a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate. Like other forage renovations, we need to kill the existing stand early to prevent seeds and mature plants. To kill hybrid bermudagrass, spray when it is actively growing and around 3–4 inches. Give yourself enough time to work the soil into a firm seedbed mostly devoid of vegetative debris, such as root structures from the previous crop. The seedbed should be firm enough to bounce a basketball on, and your boot should sink less than a quarter of an inch. For the sake of soil conservation, we don’t want to leave the soil exposed longer than necessary, so it’s a bit of a balancing act, allowing enough time for soil prep. Consider an additional glyphosate application after soil work to kill any new germination. Of course, if you are adding alfalfa to an existing grass stand, you will only need to suppress the dominant forage. Based on the planting method used, the seeding rate is between 20–25 lb of pure live seed (PLS)/acre for a pure alfalfa stand.

Plan your expenses – Ask your agent for an enterprise budget for

alfalfa establishment to help outline the increased costs of fertility and harvesting equipment. Leaf shatter and loss are big concerns in alfalfa harvesting, so consider if you need to update any of your harvesting equipment to minimize this loss. Be sure to develop a market for your product ahead of time. Even with the added management and inputs, don’t forget the value of alfalfa’s nitrogen fixation. The organic form of nitrogen has numerous positive effects on soil fertility, soil structure, and soil health while reducing your nitrogen fertilizer requirement and lowering protein requirement for purchased feed across the farm.

Conclusion – This checklist isn’t complete, but hopefully, it gives you some points to consider as you create an establishment timeline. A successful establishment begins many months before sowing. Talk with your extension agent or specialist to help tailor your establishment plan. Also, visit Clemson Extension’s Land Grant Press website at www.lgpress.clemson.edu for articles on alfalfa establishment and management.

References

Silva L., Marshall M.W., Greene J.K., Aguerre M. Alfalfa Establishment and Management. Clemson (SC): Clemson Cooperative Extension, Land Grant Press by Clemson Extension; 2022 Aug. LGP 1152. https://lgpress.clemson.edu/publication/ alfalfa-establishment-and-management/

4B FARMS, LLC

Shelby, NC

Bryson Westbrook Ed Soto (Manager) 980-230-4868 - Bryson 704-974-1407 - Ed brysonw@thewestbrookco.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

E. CARROLL JOYNER

BEEF UNIT

Raleigh, NC

Matt Morrison 716-720-0227

FIVE J’S

BEEF & CATTLE COMPANY

Clayton, NC

Jody & Angela Standley

828-320-7317 - Kim jodystandley@gmail.com

HEREFORD HILLS

Greensboro, NC

Bill Kirkman III 336-382-9635

ST Genetics Representative

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 336-399-9884 kevrob1@aol.com

LOVE FARMS

Blowing Rock, NC

Jim Love 828-266-1458 cell • 828-295-4236

P and J FARMS

Monroe, NC

Andy Smith 704-400-3436 pandjfarmsherefords@gmail.com

PRESTWOOD BEEF CATTLE

Lenoir, NC

Kim & Lori Prestwood 828-320-7317 - Kim 828-432-7434 - Lori brownloriclyde@yahoo

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 terracefarms@gmail.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

WHITEHEAD

CATTLE COMPANY

Lewiston Woodville, NC

Austin & Jodie Whitehead Austin - 252-370-5647 Jodie - 252-642-3435 austinlwhitehead@yahoo.com

WILL-VIA

POLLED HEREFORDS

Mooresville NC

Lavette Teeter 704-662-5262

Johnson Joins AHA as Commercial Marketing Representative. Trevor Johnson of Centerville, S.D., joined the AHA as a commercial marketing representative on Jan. 2. Johnson is a lifelong Hereford enthusiast and a southeast South Dakota native. He holds

a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from Kansas State University (K-State), where he was also a member of the national champion meat animal evaluation team and involved with the Center for Risk Management Education and Research and the Beef Cattle Institute. Johnson completed two internships with Adams Land and Cattle, working in both the cattle operations and the corporate office.

He found a passion for the commercial cattle industry at a young age, with help from the National Junior Hereford Association and programs like the Fed Steer Shootout. Upon graduation from K-State, Johnson returned to his family’s seedstock, feedlot, and row crop operation.

In his role with the AHA, Johnson will work alongside Association staff to advance the Hereford breed in the commercial sector through multiple outlets. From identifying and expanding marketing opportunities for feeder

Fowken Farm

cattle and commercial females, to developing relationships with cattle feeders, order buyers, and auction market representatives, Johnson will work to strengthen Hereford’s place in the commercial beef industry.

“It is an honor to work alongside Team Hereford in serving commercial producers utilizing Hereford genetics,” Johnson says. “As the cattle industry navigates changes such as the national cow herd inventory or emerging sustainability based revenue streams, I am optimistic that the breed is well poised to find opportunity for producers and remain a leader. I look forward to building connections with and serving commercial producers and breeders alike.”

Additionally, Johnson will represent the AHA at video sales, sale barn feeder specials and other industry events.

“We are excited for the opportunity to work with Trevor to develop and grow opportunities within the commercial industry,” says Trey Befort, AHA director of commercial programs. “I look forward to having such a bright young mind with a passion for Hereford genetics as a part of the team.”

Johnson can be reached at tjohnson@hereford.org.

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.

UPDATE

Genetic Merit Audits. Kyle Caldwell, Director of Field Services and Strategic Projects, is proud to announce this new tool available to all IBBA members and their bull customers. It is an excellent tool to help you and your bull customers evaluate the performance of their bull battery and what you can do to help them achieve their operational goals and keep you in tune with their needs and expectations

How it works – A list of bulls in your customer’s active bull battery, PHN’s, and registration numbers are obtained and a catalog export on those bulls is pulled from the REGSTR database. From there, each trait is segmented into either “Growth and Carcass” or “Maternal and Fertility.” Average the entire battery’s EPD percentile ranks together and categorize each trait into “Elite,” “Good,” “Above Average,” “Below Average,” and “Needs Improvement.”

The information is then presented to the bull customer. No matter their goals, we can work together to help them achieve those goals and evaluate how their bull purchases can help them move in a positive direction.

Reach out to Kyle Caldwell at kcaldwell@gobrangus.com for a free Genetic Merit Audit for you or your customer!

Breeder Directory Map. Don’t forget to sign up for our breeder map, a valuable tool that can help connect you with potential customers and increase your exposure. By adding your farm or ranch to the map, you’ll be able to showcase your Brangus cattle and breeding program to a wider audience. This is a fantastic opportunity to get your name out there and expand your network of contacts. Let’s work together to promote the Brangus breed and grow our community of breeders.

Signing up is easy and only takes a few minutes, so don’t wait any longer! View the map at www.gobrangus.com/breeders/breederdirectory-map . Build your own profile at www.gobrangus.com/ breeders/create-breeder-profile.

2025 Committee Applications! IBBA is now accepting applications for its 2025 committee positions. The deadline to apply is March 21!

If you’re passionate about the Brangus breed and want to make a difference in the industry, this is your chance to get involved. Committee members play a crucial role in shaping the future of the association by contributing to breed improvement, marketing, education, and industry outreach. Here are more reasons to apply:

• Network with fellow breeders and industry leaders

• Influence the direction of Brangus programs and initiatives

• Gain valuable experience in association leadership

Let’s work together to promote and enhance the Brangus breed! Don’t miss out on this opportunity — apply now!

About the International Brangus Breeders Association . The IBBA, headquartered in San Antonio, Tex., strives to provide the commercial cattle industry, domestically and internationally, with the best genetics possible. Founded in 1949 as the American Brangus Breeders, the organization has since evolved into the IBBA. The IBBA’s purpose is to enable its members to produce quality beef for the commercial cattle industry and its consumers. For more information about IBBA, visit www.gobrangus.com

Time to Rethink Deworming the Beef Herd

By ERIC MEUSCH, University of Missouri

The use of commercial livestock dewormers has paid off in terms of animal health and productivity, but it has also resulted in resistance among parasite populations.

“As dewormers lose effectiveness, producers need to develop a broader strategy for managing internal parasites in their livestock,” said Eric Meusch, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist.

Resistance to deworming products – A recent study, funded by Merck Animal Health and led by Eric Bailey of the University of Missouri, conducted fecal egg count reduction tests in beef herds across the state, finding resistance to macrocyclic lactone dewormers — avermectin type dewormers. The benzimidazole class of dewormer — “white” dewormers — still showed efficacy above the threshold for effective deworming, which is 90 percent. The results of the Missouri study are consistent with a larger data set compiled by Merck Animal Health.

The dewormers losing efficacy are products commonly used in pour-on and injectable forms and have become popular due to cost and ease of administration.

“The popularity and frequency of use of these products has likely led to resistance,” said Meusch.

Understanding the enemy – To manage parasites, it is important to understand their life cycle, said Meusch. Stomach worms must complete several life cycle stages, both inside the gastrointestinal tract of cattle and on the pasture. The cows can only be infected by consuming grass from infected pastures, and pastures can only be infected by cows carrying adult stomach worms.

Worms that are resistant to a dewormer — less than 90 percent are killed by the treatment — survive and lay eggs that are deposited in the pasture. Over time, the percentage of resistant larvae increases in the pasture until the animals are infected with worms that can no longer be controlled with the product.

Manage the problem strategically – Better grazing and pasture management can limit the exposure of cows to parasites on pasture, Meusch said. Rotational grazing can allow cows to avoid times when the most larvae are emerging on the grass. Because the larvae remain lower in the grass surface layer to keep from drying out, leaving a higher residual when grazing can help avoid exposure to the larvae as well.

Strategic deworming is another concept that can help avoid exposure to parasite larvae on pasture. This is basically timing deworming treatments to take advantage of when the worms on the pasture are dormant and not reinfecting animals. When temperatures drop to 28ºF a few times, it can be a good time to deworm because it isn’t likely that cattle will be reinfected from the pasture after that point. This allows them to go through the winter without stomach worms, ensuring they benefit the most from supplemental feeding. It also ensures cattle aren’t depositing more eggs on the pasture over the winter.

The parasites infecting pastures will become active again in the spring when temperatures regularly exceed 50ºF. As the eggs emerge into larvae and advance to the third stage, the cows will be infected again. The next strategic time to deworm is about six weeks after the

springtime temperatures exceed 50ºF. At this time, the cows will have been reinfected but are not yet depositing eggs in the pasture. This extends the time that eggs aren’t being deposited and helps reduce the parasite burden on the pasture.

It isn’t always possible to visually identify which cows are carrying the heaviest worm loads, but culling cows that chronically show symptoms of a heavy parasite infection can also benefit overall herd health.

“By managing grazing and strategically deworming cattle to avoid further pasture contamination, producers can keep their animals healthy and productive, as well as help ensure the long term efficacy of deworming products,” said Meusch.

For more information about deworming strategies or assessing the worm load in your cow herd, contact your extension center, or email Eric Meusch at meusche@missouri.edu.

Electronic Checks Now Available.

We are pleased to announce that electronic checks are now available as a convenient method for members to pay their account balances. Offering this option will provide greater flexibility and convenience for our members.

Credit cards and the fees associated with them have become a standard part of business operations. A company has two options when credit cards are used: absorb the fees and raise prices for services rendered to compensate for them, or pass these fees on to the customer by adding a charge for every credit card transaction. Since AGA began accepting credit cards, it has been absorbing these fees.

This has become a significant line item expense in the AGA’s budget.

A 3.5 percent fee will be assessed for all credit and debit card transactions made online or over the phone. These fees started on February 17. We understand this change may present some inconvenience, and we sincerely appreciate your understanding and

cooperation in this matter.

To provide alternatives and accommodate our members, we will continue to accept mailed checks as well as offering an electronic check option when you provide your bank account and routing number. No different from credit card payments, this option is now available both online and over the phone. This payment method does not incur any additional fees.

The AGA remains committed to providing excellent service to our members while ensuring the sustainability of our organization. Should you have any questions or require assistance with the electronic check payment process, please contact us at info@ gelbvieh.org or by calling 303-465-2333.

Prepare For Success — Completing 2025 Female Records. Success is built on preparation. By completing your female records by the March 15 deadline, you set your herd up for success when it comes time to submit your calf data to the AGA Online Registry Service. Start by administering herd assessments on your females who are 13 months of age or older, and disposing of the females you won’t be recording progeny out of for the year. The annual fee for Herd Assessments of $30 per head acts as a one rate fee that allows for members to administer records on the female’s calf, including recording of data and transfers. Members are encouraged to complete herd assessments prior to the March 15 deadline to avoid late fees.

AGJA 7th Annual Frozen Fundraiser Online Auction. We are back for another year and would love to have your help supporting our

juniors and their fundraising efforts! The American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) 7th Annual Frozen Fundraiser Online Auction is scheduled to open on March 29 and close on March 30.

Any members interested in donating semen and/or embryo packages to the AGJA for the fundraiser should contact AGA staff at 303-465-2333 or info@gelbvieh.org, or any current junior board member, no later than March 7.

Donation incentives include:

• FREE marketing of each lot with AGJA social media platforms. (over 2500 followers!)

• Farm/ranch name recognized on the AGJA webpages.

• Farm/ranch name listed on auction contributors’ banners and show programs for the 2025 AGJA Grand Ole Gelbvieh Classic in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Note: ALL semen and embryo donations must meet the requirements of the American Gelbvieh Association for registering progeny before they can be listed in the sale.

About the American Gelbvieh Association. AGA, started in 1971, is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing approximately 1,000 members and approximately 45,000 currently active Gelbvieh, Balancer, and Gelbvieh influenced cows assessed annually in a performance oriented total herd reporting system. The Gelbvieh breed is well known throughout the industry for their maternal strengths and superior growth. With these attributes, Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle fit well into a crossbreeding system

UPDATE

RAAA Highlights New Fed Cattle Grid Pricing System. The Red Angus Association of America hosted a reception on February 6, following the conclusion of the NCBA Trade Show at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas. More than 50 attendees gathered to learn about an innovative fed cattle grid pricing system that offers competitive premiums for upper ⅔ Choice Angus carcasses.

Tom Brink, RAAA CEO, shared that Sustainable Beef LLC, a new beef processing plant slated to open in April 2025 in North Platte, Nebraska, will implement the innovative grid. Notably, the grid is unique in that it equally rewards Red Angus, black Angus, and smoky cattle.

“This grid pricing system could have a ripple effect throughout the industry, starting with the feeder calf market,” Brink explained. “Backgrounders and feedlots supplying cattle to Sustainable Beef can confidently pay the same amount for Red Angus and black hided feeder cattle, knowing they will be rewarded equally for quality.”

Brink emphasized that Sustainable Beef’s grid will be among the most competitive in the industry for finished Red Angus influenced cattle. He also underscored the strong partnership between RAAA and Sustainable Beef.

“We are committed to helping Sustainable Beef source high quality Red Angus cattle and ensuring their success,” he stated.

Kelly Smith, RAAA director of commercial marketing, detailed the organization’s efforts to prepare for the anticipated demand resulting from Sustainable Beef’s opening.

“Our commercial marketing team has been building a feeder cattle network to connect Red Angus feeder cattle with feedlots that market their finished cattle to Sustainable Beef,” Smith explained. “North Platte is ideally situated for a beef processing plant, at the heart of cattle feeding territory and with all the necessary resources.”

Smith illustrated this point by referencing a map showing a 500 mile radius around North Platte. He also noted that cattle enrolled in the RAAA’s Feeder Calf Certification Program are well suited for Sustainable Beef. All cattle processed at the plant will be required to have an EID tag, and FCCP tagged cattle meet the genetic verification requirements for the Angus label.

Mark Nelson, director of cattle procurement for Sustainable Beef, articulated the company’s commitment to a sustainable model for producers. “We, in the beef industry, aren’t going to let anyone else define sustainability for us,” Nelson said. “We believe sustainability encompasses economic, environmental, and community components.”

“Cattle producers have a long history of economic sustainability and environmental stewardship is inherent in their practices,” he continued. “Sustainable Beef meets community sustainability standards by providing an exceptional work environment. With one

Carolina Cattle Connection

shift, a spacious workspace, and state-of-the-art facility, we’ll be the best packing plant work environment in the country.”

Nelson also detailed Sustainable Beef’s procurement specifications. “We have two things that go on our label at retail: Angus and Choice. To us, Angus is Angus. It doesn’t matter if they’re red or black, both will qualify.”

The company’s grid will begin discounting heavy carcasses at a lower weight than the industry standard, favoring cattle with more moderate carcass sizes — a natural fit for Red Angus cattle.

“Since we’re targeting the lighter half of the population and preferencing upper ⅔ Choice cattle, our grid should be the best market out there for Red Angus fed cattle,” Nelson said.

The relationship between RAAA and Sustainable Beef represents a significant step forward in recognizing the value of Red Angus cattle and providing producers with a rewarding market for high quality animals. This collaborative effort promises to enhance the beef industry’s focus on quality, sustainability, and producer profitability, ultimately benefiting consumers with a superior product.

For more information about the Red Angus Association of America or marketing programs for Red Angus influenced cattle, visit www.RedAngus.org.

About the Red Angus Association of America. The RAAA serves the beef industry by enhancing and promoting the measurable advantages of Red Angus and Red Angus influenced cattle. The

RAAA provides commercial producers with objectively described cattle by implementing new technologies and using scientifically sound principles that quantify traits of economic importance to beef producers in all segments of the beef industry. For more information, visit www.redangus.org.

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

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

The Simmental Trail

By JENNIE RUCKER, N.C. Simmental Association

Clemson Bull Test Sale The 49 th Clemson Bull Test Sale was held on February 1 at the Garrison Arena in Clemson, South Carolina. Simmental genetics were very much in demand. Three purebred Simmental bulls grossed $21,750 to average $7,250. Seven SimAngus bulls grossed $54,500 and averaged $7,786. A SimAngus bull consigned by Owens Family Farms in Whitakers, N.C., topped the sale at $13,000. This SimAngus bull is sired by YON Teardrop J365 and is out of a YON Sierra Cut A149 daughter.

A purebred Simmental and another SimAngus were the second top selling bulls at $9,500. The SimAngus bull was consigned by Broadway Cattle Farm in Monroe, North Carolina. This bull is a son of JBS Big Casino 336Y and is out of a BCIV Black Magic 4564 daughter. The purebred Simmental bull was consigned by Shuffler Farm of Union Grove, North Carolina. This bull is sired by TJ Gold 274G and is out of a TNT Dual Focus T249 daughter.

Another top seller was a SimAngus bull consigned by Cook Cattle Services out of Buckhead, Ga., and he sold for $9,250. This bull is a son of 4CLF Cowboy Cut J1016 and is out of a KBHR High Road E283 daughter.

New DNA Testing Requirement for Natural Service Sires. During the 57 th Annual Membership Meeting, Rule Amendment No. 1 passed. Effective immediately, any natural service sire born on or after January 1 must now meet the same DNA requirements (GGP100K testing) as A.I. sires and donor dams before any of their progeny can be registered.

To help clarify the rule change, see the examples below:

• Example Scenario 1 – On April 5, 2026, Mr. Smith registers bull calf 1P. The calf is the result of natural service. The calf’s sire was born on March 20, 2021, and is not DNA tested. Even though this natural service sire hasn’t been DNA tested, Mr. Smith is able to register the calf because his sire was born before January 1, 2025. Only natural service sires born on or after January 1, 2025, are required to be DNA tested.

• Example Scenario 2 – In 2028, Mr. Smith applies for registration on bull calf 1S. The calf is the result of natural service; however, this time, the calf’s sire was born February 1, 2025, and is not DNA tested. Mr. Smith is not able to register bull calf 1S because the rule change requires natural service sires born on or after January 1, 2025, have the same DNA requirements as A.I. sires and donor dams. 1S cannot be registered until his sire meets the current DNA requirements.

ASA encourages breeders to test any bulls born after the first of this year that they anticipate will be used as natural service sires or A.I. sires. This proactive step will help ensure compliance with the new requirement. Contact the DNA Department at dna@simmgene. com with any questions or test requests.

Hydrops Update. ASA has been investigating a developing genetic condition that causes hydrops pregnancies in a certain line of Simmental genetics. Continue reading for an update regarding this research:

All confirmed hydrops pregnancies thus far have been in WS All Aboard B80 (ASA# 2852207) daughters, All Aboard paternal granddaughters (daughters of All Aboard sons) or recipients of these embryos. Thus far, there is no evidence that healthy calves born to females with All Aboard in their pedigree are at risk.

Our hypothesis remains that this is a dominant mutation that is only expressed in a fetus that inherits the variant from the female parent. Following this hypothesis, if an All Aboard daughter or paternal granddaughter produces a healthy calf from a healthy pregnancy, that calf is genetically normal and safe for breeding. The dam of said calf may still be a carrier herself, but the calf is likely free. All Aboard and his sons are at risk for silent transmission of the variant, but they do not directly produce affected calves. It is not necessary for the sire and dam to be related for the calf to be affected.

Early detection and termination of pregnancy is the best approach to prevent loss of the dam with the calf. Affected dams have dramatic abdominal enlargement during late gestation and, when palpated, the uterus is extremely distended and tense. Ultrasound of the pregnant uterus in affected dams may identify swelling of the uterine wall as early as 90 days of gestation, although this may not be apparent in all cases.

For more information about hydrops, visit the Hydrops Information Center through www.simmental.org

NEW: DMI & $Gain Now Published on Every Animal. We’re excited to announce that Dry Matter Intake (DMI) and $Gain expected progeny differences (EPD) are now officially published on every animal on Herdbook . These are two new trait predictions that empower producers to make informed decisions to select for animals that balance biological and economic efficiency by selecting for cattle that balance intake and growth for greater feedlot profitability.

DMI EPD – expressed as the difference in pounds of daily dry matter intake.

$Gain EPD – expressed as the difference in daily profitability of animals in the feedlot based on their combination of DMI and ADG EPD.

By incorporating these trait predictions into selection strategies, seedstock and commercial producers alike can better optimize feedlot performance and feed intake goals.

If you have any questions, contact ASA Geneticist, Lane Giess, at lgiess@simmgene.com.

About the American Simmental Association. Founded in 1968, the American Simmental Association is headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. ASA is committed to leveraging technology, education, and collaboration to accelerate genetic profitability for the beef industry. In keeping with its commitment, ASA and its partners formed International Genetic Solutions — the world’s largest genetic evaluation of beef cattle. Learn more at www.simmental.org

An example of late gestation hydrops.

UPDATE

NALF & NALJA Extend Their Sincere Gratitude to Mallory Blunier. NALF & NALJA wish to express their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Mallory Blunier for her invaluable contributions as she departs to spend more time with her family and pursue contractual opportunities.

Our Limousin Association and NALF staff thank and appreciate the past eight years of service from Mallory Blunier, who has been the head of the marketing and communications department at NALF while also serving as the director of activities for the Limousin junior association, NALJA. Mallory has done a tremendous job with heading up these duties for both associations and will be greatly missed as she looks to spend more time with her own children and pursue independent contracting opportunities. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for the lasting impact she has made.

Mallory has been retained by NALF on a contractual basis to head up the communications and marketing efforts for the breed moving forward and will oversee the construction and maintenance of NALF’s new website to be released later this year. As NALF looks to hire and fill the director of activities position at NALF and NALJA, Tammy Anderson will assume and assist with the position until a new Activities Director is appointed and trained.

As NALF looks to hire and fill the director of activities position at NALF and NALJA, Tammy Anderson will assume and assist with the position until a new activities director is appointed and trained.

If you have an interest in applying for the activities director position, visi https://form.jotform.com/232906680760157

Junior Update — 2025 IGS Youth Summit. The IGS Youth Summit Leadership Conference will be held in Philadelphia, Pa., on July 20–23. This is an opportunity where juniors aged 14–21 can develop leadership skills to be used in their future, gain new friendships, experience a new college campus, and expand their knowledge of the current issues of the agricultural industry. This event is held in the summer at a different location to allow youth to learn about agriculture in different parts of the United States. Participation is not limited to Limousin juniors; anyone interested in the agricultural industry is encouraged to attend!

NALJA is partnering with the Gelbvieh, Simmental, Shorthorn, and Chianina Associations to bring a joint leadership conference that will take place every other year (odd years). We hope to see you this summer!

Lim Data Assist. Are you struggling to keep up on registrations, transfers, and data entry? Would you like to spend less time on the computer and more time outside with your herd? The North American Limousin Foundation is excited to offer a new service available to all active members — Lim Data Assist.

Lim Data Assist is a recording service providing data entry for anything from registrations and calf recording to sale transfers, performance updates, DNA requests, and LIMS enrollments, billed

on a single, per head basis. Breeders will provide NALF with access to records (via Excel, CattleMax, or any other form of record keeping that you utilize) that will help to streamline the data entry process from the ranch directly into Digital Beef. This benefits both the breeder and the association to ensure accuracy of information as well as correct splitting of contemporary groups. Additionally, it will ensure that all records are input in a timely and efficient manner.

• Per head pricing includes data entry for recording of registration,

PRICING STRUCTURE

No. Head Handwritten/Manual Electronic < 100 $10/head

101 – 250 $8/head

$6/head

$4/head

performance updates, transfer of the animal, and any necessary corrections per head, per year on an annual basis (does not include cost of registration or transfer)

• Commercial females can be integrated into the herd for the same price as above

• Work in another breed association will be $150 per breed association outside of NALF

• In-person assistance as staff availability allows for $300 per day plus travel expenses

• If you have a special project outside of what is listed, please contact us for pricing

• Please allow staff at least two weeks from the date of submission to enter records into Digital Beef.

• Data submitted without respect to the two week turnaround time will incur a $25 per head fee

Limousin Leads the Way in Collecting Carcass Data. Carcass trait

EPDs for Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle are now among the most accurate and predictable in the industry, thanks to a cooperative effort between the NALF in Aurora, Colo., IGS in Bozeman, Mont., and Riverview LLP/Wulf Cattle in Morris, Minnesota.

The leap forward comes with the inclusion of more than 300,000 actual harvest data phenotype records from pedigreed Limousin and Lim-Flex influenced cattle into the IGS national cattle evaluation. This project began initially in 2021 with nearly 45,000 head and has grown to over 300,000 head in the last four years.

“Incorporating this amount of actual carcass data, directly into the National Cattle Evaluation at IGS, is unparalleled,” says Mark Anderson, NALF Executive Director. “The carcass phenotypes generated will greatly enhance accuracy, not only on the EPDs of sires in the NALF herdbook, but also on related cattle throughout their pedigreed bloodlines. This will also greatly enhance carcass progeny equivalents when genomically enhancing cattle and will result in improved predictability in the mating decisions our breeders make, especially as it relates to highly heritable carcass traits.”

Wulf Cattle made the inclusion of the unprecedented number of carcass phenotypes possible. Wulf Cattle is one of NALF’s largest producers of Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle. Besides producing

seedstock, the operation also feeds cattle in commercial yards throughout the central United States.

Wulf Cattle has long made a significant commitment to capture carcass records from fed beef cattle purchased from commercial cow/ calf operators using their Limousin and Lim-Flex bulls. This same commitment applies to collecting carcass records from the firm’s BeefBuilder cattle.1

Other NALF members engaged in cattle feeding also provide carcass phenotype records for the genomically enhanced genetic evaluation.

“With the initial data set and the current large monthly flow of new records from the BeefBuilder program, Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle are among the best-characterized carcass genetics on the planet,” says Robert Weaber, Ph.D. of Kansas State University, a noted industry geneticist. He worked with the IGS science team to usher in this new era of carcass evaluation for NALF and Limousin breeders.

Weaber explains each Wulf Cattle bull in the genetic evaluation represents at least several hundred progeny carcass records, with some having 1,000 or more.

“The carcass evaluation provides Limousin and Lim-Flex breeders the information necessary to make more precise and predictable breeding and selection decisions than ever before as they continue their quest to increase profitability throughout the beef value chain,” Weaber says.

“Enhanced data sets like the one we’re creating, enable our breeders to not only create better cattle at an accelerated rate, but

provide more consistency and predictability to commercial cow/calf operators and the entire beef value chain,” says Austin Hager, NALF President, a Limousin Breeder from Karlsruhe, North Dakota. “This effort is a win for the beef industry and will certainly help solidify our breed’s long standing position as the Carcass Breed,” Hager says.

“The current marketplace demands cattle that can hit consumerdriven targets in terms of quality grade while achieving a higher percentage of Yield Grade 1–3 carcasses that deliver improved red meat yield,” Anderson says. “As importantly, current market signals are asking us to do that while simultaneously taking cattle to larger out-weights without sacrificing feed efficiency.”

Reference

1 BeefBuilder cattle from Wulf Cattle are the result of crossbreeding proven Limousin and Lim-Flex bulls with Holstein and Jersey cows. BeefBuilders are high quality grading, consistent, beef type cattle with improved feeding performance and superior red meat yield, compared to strait bred dairy cattle.

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

2025 CattleCon. Paul, Chloe, and Kylie recently attended the NCBA’s CattleCon, where they had a great time meeting with cattlemen and women from across the industry. The event provided valuable opportunities to connect with producers, participate in educational seminars, and represent the Brahman breed on a national stage.

Networking with leaders in the cattle industry and learning about the latest innovations in cattle production reinforced our commitment to supporting our members and promoting the versatility and value of Brahman cattle. We’re proud to continue advocating for the breed and building relationships within the cattle community!

Membership Tips: Streamlining Your Registrations, Transfers, and Corrections. We understand that delays can be frustrating, especially when it comes to receiving important mail. To help ensure your registration applications, transfers, and corrections are processed as quickly as possible, here are a few helpful tips and reminders:

Submit Registration Applications via Email - The fastest way to process your registration applications is by submitting them via email. Payments can be made online through your account,

or you can call our office to pay over the phone. Please email your applications to Madison at madison@brahman.org for prompt handling.

Be Aware of Postal Delays - The postal service has been experiencing delays, so we recommend sending your work ahead of time to avoid any issues. With major shows approaching, please double check that all of your papers are in order. If you require expedited delivery, we offer FedEx overnight services at the member’s expense.

Transfers - Transfers can be initiated online, with the original papers mailed to our office afterward. Alternatively, you may mail the originals along with the transfer request. Be sure to fully complete the buyer and seller information, including the date of delivery. If either the buyer or seller does not have an ABBA number, we can assign a non-member account number, provided we have their mailing address.

Corrections - Corrections can be made free of charge before the registration papers are printed. Once printed, a $5 correction fee will apply.

Additional Resources - Don’t forget to utilize the Digital Beef User’s Manual for step-by-step instructions on common tasks. It’s an excellent resource for quick answers and guidance!

By following these tips, we can ensure smoother and faster processing of your transactions. If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to reach out to our office.

DNA Resources. Don’t forget, we have a DNA Protocol Step-byStep Guide available on our website to walk you through the process with ease. This guide provides clear instructions to ensure your DNA testing is completed correctly and efficiently.

Visit https://brahman.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/DNAProtocol-Step-by-Step-2.pdf to access the guide and visit our website for other useful resources.

Advancing

Brahman Research: Exploring Genetics, Fertility, and Productivity. Ongoing research across multiple universities is driving advancements in Brahman cattle genetics, fertility, and overall productivity. Studies are underway to identify key traits that impact efficiency, docility, and economic outcomes within the breed.

At Texas A&M University, Dr. Andy Herring is examining the relationship between female reproductive efficiency and profitability; Dr. Courtney Daigle is utilizing exit velocities as an objective measure of docility; and Dr. George Perry is identifying early fertility markers

in Brahman bulls.

Beyond Texas, additional institutions are making significant contributions. At the University of Tennessee, Dr. Saulo Zoca is studying factors influencing bull fertility. At the University of Florida, Dr. Fernanda Rezende is exploring genetic resistance to horn flies, while University of Missouri researchers A.J. Knowles and Dr. Jared Decker are refining fertility phenotypes to improve reproductive efficiency.

In addition to these ongoing projects, researchers are also collaborating on emerging studies involving heterosis, genetic markers, and breed characterization. These include:

• USMARC/Texas A&M Beeville – Heterosis studies and the Germplasm Evaluation (GPE) project.

• University of Tennessee (Dr. Troy Rowan) – Investigating molecular heterosis and gene expressions.

• University of Florida (Dr. Raluca Mateescu) – Updating the genetic tenderness panel, marbling markers, and fatty acid profiles of Brahman beef.

• Texas A&M (Dr. Clare Gill) – Exploring genetic variation underlying horned and polled phenotypes.

• USDA National Germplasm Bank – Characterizing and preserving Brahman genetic diversity.

• University of Florida & Texas A&M – Developing and genetically characterizing early fertility Brahman cattle.

These collaborative efforts continue to push the boundaries of Brahman research, ensuring the breed’s long term success and sustainability in the cattle industry.

ABBA Travels To Guadalajara For USLGE Conference. ABBA was proudly represented at the recent U.S. Livestock Genetics Export, Inc. (USLGE) Annual Membership Meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico, by Paul Maulsby and Iridiana Ibarra. USLGE is a nonprofit, nationwide trade association that unites a broad base of U.S. livestock organizations, representing the international marketing interests of the dairy, beef, swine, horse, goat, and sheep breeding industries. Their mission is to better serve world markets with superior livestock genetics from leading, progressive U.S. breeders.

Through its programs, USLGE provides valuable resources for genetic improvement, breed promotion, and export facilitation. One such initiative is the Market Access Program (MAP) Branded Program, which offers partial reimbursement (up to 50 percent) for approved international marketing activities, including advertising, promotional material development, and participation in foreign trade shows and exhibitions. This support enables U.S. breeders to effectively promote their livestock genetics in global markets.

ABBA’s active participation in USLGE strengthens our international reach, supports our breeders in accessing and expanding into global markets, and enhances opportunities for promotional events and travel abroad. By collaborating with USLGE, we ensure that our members benefit from the collective resources and programs designed to promote U.S. livestock genetics worldwide.

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

“DESIGNED FOR CATTLEMEN BY CATTLEMEN”

ABBA

Executive Vice President Update

By PAUL MAULSBY, American Brahman Breeders Association

Dear Members of the American Brahman Breeders Association,

ET Calf DNA Record Update

We recently became aware that some ET calves born in 2024 do not have DNA records entered into Digital Beef. As per the ABBA Five Year DNA Plan, it is required that all ET calves born in 2024 have a genotype on file before they can be registered with ABBA.

Through a thorough investigation and careful fact checking, we discovered that Digital Beef did not begin flagging DNA submissions for ET calves until May 2, 2024. To address this issue, we collaborated with the Digital Beef programmer to generate a comprehensive report identifying ET calves missing DNA records. The report revealed that 116 ET calves had been registered in the system without a DNA record on file, impacting 74 owners and 56 breeders.

Our top priority was to review each animal on the list to determine if any DNA results were available. After conducting this review, we discovered that 71 of the 116 animals already had DNA completed but had not been entered into the system. These entries have since been updated. Additionally, 7 animals have DNA results currently in progress.

Unfortunately, 38 animals still do not have a DNA record. These 38 calves are linked to 21 breeders and 25 owners. Of these 38 registrations, 27 were submitted by members online, and the remaining 11 were processed by ABBA staff during the period when Digital Beef was not flagging DNA submissions. During this short window of time this transpired, but communication with Digital Beef and double checking has ensured that this does not happen again.

We will be reaching out directly to the owners and breeders of these 38 animals to inform them of the situation and work toward resolving it as quickly as possible. Our goal is to ensure that all necessary DNA records are completed and entered promptly.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work toward a resolution. We recognize that occasional discrepancies can occur, and our priority is to address them promptly and accurately.

To ensure efficient issue resolution in the future, we kindly ask that any concerns or discrepancies be reported directly to the ABBA office. Open communication allows us to address matters quickly and effectively, helping to maintain a positive and productive

environment for all members. By working together, we can ensure accurate information is shared and prevent misunderstandings.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need further clarification. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

ABBA Travels Internationally to Honduras

¡Hola! Hello! Bonjour! Olá! नमस्त! Brahman cattle thrive across the globe, and as I’ve mentioned before, our international breeders and associations are vital to the American Brahman Breeders Association. As the Executive Vice President of ABBA, I recently had the privilege of taking my first international trip to Honduras. It was an incredible experience connecting with dedicated breeders in a country known for its outstanding Brahman cattle.

At ABBA, we are actively listening and strategizing ways to better support the global Brahman community. As we advance in research, implement DNA technology, and foster the worldwide growth of our breed, we remain committed to serving all our members — both domestically and internationally.

I look forward to visiting more countries, engaging with breeders, and strengthening our connections with Brahman associations worldwide. Together, we will continue to shape the future of this remarkable breed.

Insights From the 2025 January Cattle Inventory Report

By MATTHEW FISCHER & BRIAN BEER, Clemson University

The 2025 January Cattle Inventory Report was released by the National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) on January 31. Below are some insights from the report.

United States

As of January 1, the U.S. cattle inventory totaled 86.7 million head, 1 percent lower than the January 2024 inventory of 87.2 million head, as seen in Figure 1. The reduction continues the downward trend in cattle inventory that started after 2019.

Cows and heifers that have calved totaled 37.2 million head, a relatively flat movement from the 37.4 million head on January 1, 2024. Beef cows were down 1 percent from 2024 at 27.9 million head. Beef cow replacements were 1 percent lower in 2025 at 4.67 million head.

Feeder cattle over 500 lbs all reported 1 percent lower inventory from 2024. Heifers (500 lbs and over) were 18.2 million head. Beef replacement heifers were 4.67 million in 2025, down 1 percent from 2024. Steers were reported at 15.8 million, and bulls were 2.01 million head.

South Carolina

South Carolina’s cattle and calves inventory expanded in 2025 from 2024. Total cattle and calves inventory on January 31 was reported at 295,000, up 2 percent from 2024. Cow inventory increased in 2025 by 1 percent, from 156,000 to 157,000. All cows and heifers that have calved were 1 percent higher at 157,000 head, and South Carolina’s calf crop was 1 percent higher at 134,000 head. Historically, beef cows that have calved have comprised 94–95 percent of all cows and heifers that have calved. Using that historical percentage would place 2025 beef cows that have calved at 149,000 head, barely 1 percent higher than 2024. Unfortunately, USDA did not provide inventory on any other category, leaving speculation where the missing 4,000 head would be categorized, hopefully in unreported heifer inventory. Regardless, we must be careful signaling expansion. South Carolina reported inventory expansion in 2023, only to follow a liquidation trend in 2024. We’ll have to wait and see.

North Carolina

North Carolina’s inventory of all cattle and calves for 2025 is 720,000, a 4 percent decrease from 2024. All cows and heifers that have calved for 2025 came in at 370,000 head, a 5 percent decrease. North Carolina’s calf

crop is 5 percent smaller at 350,000 head. An interesting observation is the rate North Carolina is liquidating with respect to the national market. As with South Carolina, USDA did not provide inventory for other categories.

Takeaways – The missing inventory number in the beef replacement category is frustrating. One of the early indicators of the transition from herd liquidation to herd expansion is the number of beef cow replacements. Nationally, cattle liquidation is still taking place. Regionally, we just don’t know due to the missing data. It isn’t unreasonable to conclude that South Carolina’s beef replacement inventory will be higher in 2025, but that is speculation. The additional 4,000 head could be beef replacements, milk cow replacements, cows that have calved (beef or milk cows), steers or bulls over 500 pounds, or calves under 500 pounds. Without those categories in the report, we don’t know where increases occurred.

With North Carolina’s reported numbers having across the board, year-over-year reductions, it would be a logical assumption that beef cow replacements will not be significantly higher in 2025, and a yearover-year reduction in heifer retention is highly likely. Again, without the data, we are forced to make assumptions.

The national market could be slowing down on liquidation, with all reported categories reporting a 1 percent or less reduction in inventory. This still leaves fewer hooves on the ground to supply the beef market.

You may review the 2025 January Cattle Inventory Report in its entirety at https://downloads.usda.library.cornell.edu/usda-esmis/ files/h702q636h/sf26b275x/h989sz55j/catl0125.pdf

Figure 1 - All Cattle & Calves Inventory - United States: January 1 (Source: USDA, NASS)

2025 Clemson Bull Test Sale Recap

By LINDSEY CRAIG, Clemson University

The 49th Annual Clemson Bull Test Sale was held February 1 at the T. Ed Garrison Arena. The sale was one for the record books. We had our highest sale average ever at $6,975. The 51 bulls sold for a total of $355,750. The sale ring was packed with bidders, and the online and phone bids were major contributors to the success of the sale. This year’s set of bulls were some of the most complete, industry genetic leading bulls that we have ever had. We sold bulls with the help of DV Auction, who handled our online bidding. Bidders were from across the country, including South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Nebraska, Iowa, and Tennessee. Bulls went home to South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Iowa. We would like to thank both the consignors, for sending phenomenal bulls to test, and the buyers who continue to have confidence in the Clemson University Bull Test Program.

Our highest selling bull was Lot 26, an Angus bull consigned by Johnathan Wells of Berry-Wells Farm in Rayle, Georgia. Frank Howey of Ruby, S.C., purchased the bull for $24,500. This was one of five bulls Mr. Howey bought on sale day. Lot 26 was a true standout in this year’s test. He took home awards for highest ADG at 6.7 lbs, WDA at 4.23 lbs, and highest index at 185.4. Lot 26 was an Elite bull with four EPDs in the top 1 percent of the breed, with another three EPDs in the top 2 percent for the breed. He weighed off-test at an

impressive 1,782 lbs and was over 2,100 lbs on sale day.

Our second highest selling bull was Lot 70, a SimAngus bull consigned by Steve Owens of Owens Family Farm in Whitakers, North Carolina. Frank Howey bought Lot 70 for $13,000. This impressive bull had a blaze face, partnered with a set of impressive EPDs and was another Elite bull for our test. Lot 70 had several growth traits in the top 5 percent or higher of the breed and had a negative RFI, meaning he will add efficient weight to his offspring.

Our third highest selling bull was Lot 23, an Angus bull from Jamie Allgood of Allgood Angus in Athens, Georgia. Frank Howey purchased this bull for $12,000. Lot 23 was another Elite bull with outstanding EPDs, several of which were in the top 10 percent or better for the breed. Lot 23 was another negative RFI bull, so his efficiency and growth characteristics are going to be beneficial traits to pass down to his offspring.

Our breed averages are as follows.

28 Angus averaged $7,482

3 Red Angus averaged $4,666

8 Hereford averaged $5,656

3 Simmental averaged $7,250

7 SimAngus averaged $7,785

1 Balancer sold for $5,250

1 Ultrablack sold for $5,500

Once again, on behalf of Clemson University, the Cooperative Extension Service, and the Clemson University 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 University Bull Test Program is humbling and appreciated.

The sale was sold by Col. Dale Stith of Mays Lick, Kentucky. Ringmen were Paul Wall of Athens, Ga., Michael Ryan of Townville, S.C., and David Gazda of the American Angus Association. These four gentlemen are true professionals, and we thank them for a job well done. With all the sale enthusiasm, these guys never missed a bid. Thank you, gentlemen! Please mark your calendars for the first Saturday in February 2026 for another powerful offering of industry improving bulls.

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

Pictured from left are Erica Webb and Johnathan Wells of Berry-Wells Farm, consignors of the overall top indexing bull, Wells Jameson W328. Photo by Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service.

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: ____________________________

Address:

Buyer’s Name: ____________________________

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 = $

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.

New NCCA Members for 2025

During the Membership Committee meeting held at the 2007 N.C. Cattle Conference, members decided to list the name and county of residence of those who recently joined as a NEW member of the NCCA in The Carolina Cattle Connection. A new member is someone who has never been a member or has rejoined after a brief break in their membership. Below is a list of NCCA’s new members:

Out-of-State

Larry L. Owen – Owen Beef Cattle – Virginia

James Stice - FerAppease – Florida

Alamance

Wayne Fuller – C&M Cattle Farms

Jeff Humble – Humble Family Farm

Maurice Thompson – DM Thompson Farms

Cabarrus County

Zach Moffitt – Moffitt Farms

To pay by credit card, scan the QR code:

Caswell County

Wayne Sidney Barker – Bar-Good Farms

Davidson County

Graylin Truitt

Graham County

Chloe Adams

William Brittain

Avery Brown

Ashlyn Caylor

Zander Davis

Bella Eddings

Lleyton Hooper

Wyatt Lewis

Alesha McLucas

Bradyn Smith

David St. John

Emma Taylor

Helen Ward

Colby Welch

Walosi Welch

Nick Wilson

Kolbi Woods

Harnett County

Gary Stewart

Haywood County

Matthew B. Swanger – Father Harvest Farms

Henderson County

Dawson Barbee

Dallas Blackwell

Owen Chandler

Mason Childers

Elizabeth Cornish

Xavia Creek

Jocelynn Cunningham

Brooke Dodd

Dana Hensley

Eli Laughter

Theron Maybin – TLLM Farm

Olivia McCutcheon

Khaley McHone

Sebastian McKinney

Carter Moore

Jaylen Robinson

Shelby Wallace

Jordan Watson

Iredell County

Luke Johnson – Neal Johnson Farm

Jones County

Joshua Sanderson – Triple S Farms

Lee County

Joel Ammons – Ammons Farmland

Lenoir County

Shane Williams

Macon County

Nancy Bateman

Martin County

Paul Antkow – Tripple A Cattle

Moore County

D.J. Chriscoe – Chriscoe’s Misfit Farm

Jackie Phillips – Rockhill Brahmans

Judith A. Rosser – John Byrd

Onslow County

Sidney Lanier, III – Green Meadow Farms

Person County

Tanner Wade – Dirty Dollar Farms

Pitt County

Bernice Poteet – AgCarolina Farm Credit ACA

Randolph County

Jason Coltrane

Ben Cooper – Cooper Farm

Kash Davis

Madeline Duvall

Jackie Johnson – J2 Cattle Farm

Claire McCain

Rutherford County

Blake Ewart – Heritage Cattle Company

Stanly County

Joe & Ellen Mabry – Still-Mabry Farm

Transylvania County

Brittany Whitmire – Busybee Farm

Wake County

Warren Fogleman – W.E. Fogleman Enterprises

Justin Gray – Rooted Hoof Farm

Wayne County

M. Joseph Beaman, Jr. – Southern Eagle Farm

Joshua Young – The Young-Outlaw Ranch

Wilkes County

Dale Brooks – Dale Brooks Farm

2025 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 2025. 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.

2025 Reserved Spotlight Issues

Richard Canter For more information about your breed’s Spotlight Issue, contact: The Carolina Cattle Connection 2228 N. Main Street • Fuquay-Varina, NC 27526 919-552-9111 • mail@nccattle.com

Pasture Management Systems, Inc.

MILE OF FENCE PROGRAM

New Members by County in 2025

(as of 2-27-25)

Alamance 3

Alexander 1

Alleghany 0

Anson 1 Ashe 0 Avery 0

Beaufort 0 Bertie 0

Bladen 0 Brunswick 0 Buncombe 1

Burke 1

Cabarrus 1

Caldwell 1

Camden 0

Carteret 0

Caswell 3

Catawba 17

Chatham 0

Cherokee 0

Chowan 0 Clay 0 Cleveland 0

Columbus 0

Craven 0

1 MILE OF PASTURE MANAGEMENT FENCING SUPPLIES AWARDED TO THE NCCA COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION RECRUITING THE MOST NEW MEMBERS IN 2024

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLeveland COUNTY CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION

2024 MILE OF FENCE WINNER

NEWS

Protecting Farms, Securing Confidence. For beef producers, ensuring a secure and safe beef supply is more than a responsibility — it’s a commitment to consumers who trust the beef they purchase is of the highest quality. Biosecurity is an essential part of this commitment, as it helps protect cattle health and welfare, maintains product quality, and ultimately, supports consumer trust.

Growing Consumer Trust – Biosecurity aims to protect animals from disease by minimizing the movement of biological organisms, such as viruses, bacteria, or parasites, within or onto an operation. This, in turn, promotes animal health and welfare and minimizes the time and labor resources required to treat a sick animal.

For Julia Herman, beef cattle specialist veterinarian with NCBA, a solid biosecurity plan directly impacts consumer confidence. “Consumers care about the welfare of the animals they’re feeding to their families,” Herman said. “Biosecurity plays a huge role in reducing disease risk, both for the animals and the humans caring for them.”

Biosecurity practices include much more than cleaning equipment. Sanitation is just one part of biosecurity’s holistic view of herd health that incorporates nutrition, vaccination programs,

2025

and low stress handling — all of which contribute to a disease free environment.

Continuous Improvemen – Over the years, biosecurity practices in the beef industry have advanced significantly. Herman notes that many biosecurity strategies draw lessons from other industries and human health, helping shape current biosecurity practices by emphasizing proactive, preventive measures. “Biosecurity is a mindset, not just a task. Continuous improvement is key,” she said.

To encourage producers to adopt or strengthen their operations’ biosecurity plans, a newly released Beef Checkoff funded biosecurity plan offers a customizable, practical approach to biosecurity that aligns with each operation’s unique needs and goals.

The BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention is a customizable biosecurity plan that goes beyond just guidelines. The plan fosters a culture of biosecurity in each operation and empowers producers to take a proactive role in preventing disease, which protects cattle health and can lead to other benefits.

“Biosecurity can be as in-depth or as simple as producers want it to be,” Herman said. “When it comes down to it, prevention is better than treatment, helping producers save money in the long run.”

While biosecurity adoption may be a gradual process for some producers, it will play an increasingly central role in the beef industry. Even small scale producers are beginning to recognize the benefits of adopting biosecurity practices, particularly as they see the positive impact on their operations and consumer perception. “If everyone in the beef industry follows basic biosecurity protocols, it can help us all and strengthens the industry as a whole,” Herman said.

Biosecurity Implementation – To implement the custom biosecurity plan effectively, Herman recommends first thoroughly reviewing the plan and tailoring it to fit an operation’s specific needs. “Every operation is different, so producers should consult with their resource groups, like veterinarians or extension specialists, to get a second set of eyes on the plan,” she said.

Producers are encouraged to consider practical, easy-toimplement biosecurity steps, such as designating a parking area for visitors to minimize contamination, adjusting traffic patterns within the operation, or quarantining new additions to the herd. These small

South Carolina Sale Barn Cattle Receipts

changes can have a significant impact and are easy to integrate into daily routines.

Beef Crisis – Unfortunately, if a disease outbreak were to occur, the Beef Checkoff is ready to take action by preparing for the unexpected. The Checkoff can quickly provide consumers and producers with the information they need if there is ever a disease outbreak, bioterrorism attack, or any other crisis that could potentially disrupt the beef industry or consumer confidence in beef.

The Checkoff is continuously evolving and updating its comprehensive, industry wide crisis communications response plan should a cattle disease outbreak or other crisis take place in the future. Continually reassessing this plan ensures the information within is as substantive as possible, while also reflecting today’s latest technology.

One element of the overarching comprehensive crisis response plan is working in coalition with the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Cross Species team. The team helps to manage a website, FMDinfo.org, that would be activated in a time of crisis in cooperation with other industry organizations. The goal of this partnership and its website is to provide clear, factual, and easily accessible information about footand-mouth disease if an outbreak were to occur.

As well as working with the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Cross Species team, the Checkoff would also represent the beef industry in the event of an outbreak, and it has developed proactive crisis communication processes, strategies, and tactics to follow if necessary.

Access Resources – By embracing biosecurity as a core part of your operation, you can protect your herd and help maintain a secure beef supply that consumers can trust.

For producers interested in taking the next step, the Beef Checkoff provides resources and tools, including the custom biosecurity plan and BQA modules, to support effective biosecurity practices. To access these resources, visit www.bqa.org/resources/ biosecurity-resources.

BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention – This free, downloadable template helps cattle producers create a customizable daily biosecurity plan for their operations. Meant to be filled out with a veterinarian or other resource team member, this plan walks producers through the different areas of biosecurity risk, evaluates what they are doing now, and plans for what to improve in the future. The template is available digitally as a fillable PDF or can be printed out for handwritten plans.

BQA Continuing Education Module on Biosecurity – For producers already BQA certified, BQA’s Continuing Education module on biosecurity focuses on the basics of disease transmission and prevention. These resources were developed so anyone who is involved in raising cattle has the opportunity to understand how biosecurity principles are integrated into their farm or ranch and plan for continuous improvement in the future. Interactive and real world best practice examples are provided for a variety of topics, such as new bull or replacement purchases and manure management to reduce feed contamination, among others. Participants also walk through and fill out the BQA Daily Biosecurity Plan for Disease Prevention.

About Beef Quality Assurance. Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) is a nationally coordinated, state implemented program funded by

the Beef Checkoff that provides U.S. beef producers guidelines and certification drawn from common sense husbandry techniques and accepted scientific knowledge on how to raise cattle under optimum management and environmental conditions. BQA reflects a positive public image and instills consumer confidence in the beef industry. When producers implement the best management practices of a BQA program, they ensure their cattle are the best they can be. For more information on BQA, visit www.bqa.org.

CATTLEMEN’S UPDATE

Cattlemen’s Beef Board Elects News Leadership for 2025. Cattle producers Ryan Moorhouse of Texas, Dr. Cheryl DeVuyst of Oklahoma, and Terry Quam of Wisconsin are the new leaders of the Cattlemen’s Beef Promotion & Research Board (CBB). Elected by their fellow CBB members at the 2025 Cattle Industry Convention in San Antonio, this new officer team is responsible for guiding the national Beef Checkoff throughout 2025.

Moorhouse, the 2024 vice chair, is now the CBB’s chair, while DeVuyst will transition from her role as the 2024 secretary-treasurer to become the 2025 vice chair. Quam is the newest member of the officer team, taking on DeVuyst’s former responsibilities as secretary-treasurer.

Moorhouse grew up in North Central Texas on his family’s cow/calf and stocker operation. After graduating from Texas A&M University, he went to work for Continental Grain Cattle Feeding — now Five Rivers. He currently serves as the general manager for Hartley Feeders, a Five Rivers Cattle Feeding operation. A resident of Amarillo, Tex., Moorhouse, his wife Colette, and their two sons also operate a stocker operation back home on part of the family ranch.

“As we look ahead to 2025, the beef industry continues to face new challenges and opportunities,” Moorhouse said. “From navigating changing consumer preferences to addressing sustainability and global competition, the role of the Beef Checkoff has never been more critical. I’m honored to serve as chair of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board

and to work alongside other dedicated producers and industry leaders. Together, we’ll continue to identify innovative ways to drive demand for beef, ensuring its place on plates and in hearts worldwide, while upholding the values and traditions that make our industry strong.”

Vice Chair DeVuyst and her husband, Eric, own DeVuyst Ranch, a cow/calf and stocker operation. DeVuyst is also a professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University and head of its Ag Econ department. DeVuyst is involved with numerous agricultural organizations, including Oklahoma CattleWomen, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Pawnee County CattleWomen, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, and American National CattleWomen. She’s also a faculty advisor for the Oklahoma Collegiate CattleWomen and is a past board member of the Western Agricultural Economics Association.

Secretary-Treasurer Terry Quam operates Marda Angus Farms, an Angus seedstock operation in Lodi, Wisconsin. Since 1940, the farm has raised cattle that meet the needs of commercial cattlemen and purebred producers throughout the country. Quam has been a longtime, active member of his community and the agricultural industry at large. His activities and leadership roles include the Wisconsin Beef Council, NCBA, Farm Bureau, local and state cattlemen’s associations, president of the Lodi Agricultural Fair, chairman of the University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms, the Cotton and Wisconsin Corn Boards, and Wisconsin Corn Growers.

“I’m excited to welcome this exceptional officer team as they step into their leadership roles for 2025,” said Greg Hanes, CEO of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board. “Each of them brings a unique perspective and a shared passion for advancing our industry. I’m confident their dedication and vision will help the Beef Checkoff continue to create meaningful opportunities and overcome the challenges we face. Together, we’ll build on our shared commitment to driving beef demand and ensuring a brighter future for all beef industry stakeholders.”

For more information about the Beef Checkoff and its programs, including promotion, research, foreign marketing, industry information, consumer information and safety, contact the Cattlemen’s Beef Board at 303-220-9890 or visit DrivingDemandForBeef.com

The 2025 Cattlemen’s Beef Board’s officer team includes Ryan Moorhouse, Cheryl DeVuyst, and Terry Quam.

CheCkoff News

AModern Take on Recipe Photography. Everyone has those triedand-true beef recipes, the ones in decades old cookbooks with worn out, dog eared pages. They may be frayed around the edges and splattered with various ingredients, but that’s what makes them so special.

Pull out that favorite cookbook and take a look at the recipe photo. What cut of beef is featured, what else is on the plate, and what are the dominant colors? Now, click on a recipe online, and what do you see? There are probably some differences between today’s digital recipe photos versus those retro images.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, regularly updates recipe imagery to meet changing consumer trends and tastes. As fashion and hairstyles change through the years, so do table scapes and side dishes. When considering beef imagery in need of updating, old and outdated pictures are prioritized based on popularity and content on Beef. ItsWhatsForDinner.com.

“Our goal is to make sure recipe photos look approachable as well as delicious,” said Sarah Reece, senior executive director of Brand Marketing at NCBA. “Cooking can be intimidating, and when consumers see pictures of beef recipes, we want them to think ‘I can do that.’”

While the recipes themselves may not change how they look, and the stylized elements around the entrée do. Beef is showcased by modernizing the environment, colors, props, and including appropriate colorful garnishes.

Details such as plate color play an important part in making food look appealing. Beef tends to stand out on lighter color plates, while raw beef does not look good on lighter blues. And for those dishes where beef may be tucked in a puff pastry as an empanada or combined with other ingredients in a casserole, beef is still the hero in recipe photos. Another trend in recipe

photography is including step-by-step photos in addition to the final dish.

“Consumers like to see different steps of the cooking process,” shared Reece. “We have been including more photos showing how ingredients are utilized in Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. recipes.”

Nutrition is also a focus when highlighting beef in recipes. Current recipe images often feature a full meal, with beef in the center of the plate accompanied by a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, highlighting beef’s role in a healthy diet.

Consumer trends may have changed imagery over the years, but equipment and lighting have also improved, opening the doors for better food photos. Images are also created in different sizes and orientations so they can be utilized in a variety of platforms including advertising, on social media and in print.

The next time you grab that go-to cookbook, pay attention to the photos and think about what they may look like today. Not only have trends changed because of new cooking methods and kitchen equipment, but consumers are also reevaluating what’s important to them when they see food. Recipes in the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. collection are keeping up with consumer desires by taking a modern approach to food photography.

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

About NCBA, a Contractor to the Beef Checkoff. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is a contractor to the Beef Checkoff Program. The Beef Checkoff Program is administered by the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, with oversight provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Aaron Blackmon Extends Roots to Support Agriculture

By LEA HART, N.C. State University

Aaron Blackmon is the first to admit that when he enrolled in N.C. State University’s Agricultural Institute in 2014 to pursue an associate’s degree, he didn’t really love the idea of being in the classroom.

But he did want to explore his interest in agriculture and gain hands-on experience. As it turns out, that experience was the catalyst for him to pursue further education.

Blackmon completed an associate’s degree in applied science in livestock and poultry managemen before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in agricultural business management with a minor in poultry science through CALS.

Today, he splits his time between a position as a livestock extension agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension in Columbus County and running his own livestock farm in Bladen County.

Fitting it all into any given week is no small task, he says, but the rewards are worth it.

“The Extension job, at its core, is just about helping people,” he says. “There’s not a lot of glory with our job, but I really enjoy helping people and making their farms or their operations successful.”

received

program. However, the institute offered him a two year option.

“It was like a lightbulb went off,” he says. “I could go to a big university and get a credible degree in agriculture and be home in two years.

“It was the only thing I applied for — I put all my eggs in one basket.”

It turned out to be the right basket. Blackmon found handson courses that suited his learning style, small class sizes that allowed him to get to know his peers and professors, and real world experiences where he could picture himself doing the work upon graduation.

He graduated in 2017 and went to work in the broiler industry,

A Natural Interest - Blackmon’s great grandparents were farmers, but the next two generations in his family didn’t follow in their footsteps. He got involved in agriculture courses and FFA (originally known as Future Farmers of America) during high school in Lumberton, North Carolina. That led to his interest in working with animals and spurred him to get his first job working on a livestock farm in Bladen County for owner Isaac Singletary, who became a mentor.

When Elizabeth Wilson, then director of the Agricultural Institute, visited his high school, her presentation helped Blackmon see a path that made sense to him. He wasn’t keen on a four year degree

Blackmon moving cow/calf pairs at his farm in Bladenboro.

Aaron Blackmon in one of his hog barns in Bladenboro, N.C.

Blackmon

the college’s 2021 Oustanding Young Alumni Award.

where he started receiving other job offers.

“I could see myself in those careers, but I didn’t have the four year degree to pursue those jobs,” he says.

The idea of owning a farm was also still on his mind, and the owners of that Bladen County farm he’d worked on when he was 16 were thinking about downsizing and their succession plans. So Blackmon thought it was time to get a bachelor’s degree, or he might not find time in the future. He was accepted as an agricultural business management major, later graduating in 2022.

In pursuing the associate’s degree and then his bachelor’s, Blackmon built lifelong relationships with classmates and professors who pushed him to be a leader. Today, he still talks about the positive impact that CALS and Agricultural Institute professors and staff, including Gary Gregory, Joy (Morgan) Fleming, Alease Hancock, and Alyssa Degreenis, had on him. Blackmon’s ability to lead became evident as he served as an Agricultural Institute ambassador and a teaching assistant for Gregory, later receiving the CALS Outstanding Young Alumni Award in 2021.

Photos courtesy of N.C. State University

Blackmon teaching 3rd graders about swine production at a countywide ag awareness event.

Our advertisers are “Champions” too. For expert A.I., superior genetics, the best in purebreds and outstanding farm supplies, check the Classifieds in this issue!

Be Prepared for Summer Planting

By DR. ROGER GATES, Southeast AgriSeed

In the midst of the coldest temperatures of the year, planting summer forages may not be the highest priority. However, the Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared,” applies to most management decisions that are part of a livestock production enterprise. Planning ahead for summer plantings will limit errors and decision anxiety. Determining soil nutrient status, particularly pH, ahead of the planting season, will facilitate purchase and application decisions well ahead of when they will be needed.

Knowing germination temperatures for forage alternatives can provide guidance to develop a timetable for planting. Combining this with historic soil temperature information can refine the management calendar. Syngenta provides a helpful online soil temperature resource at greencastonline.com/tools/ soil-temperature . Recent, five year and ten year averages for your location can be obtained by entering your zip code.

Among summer forages, corn is most tolerant of cool temperatures and might be considered for earliest planting. Corn will germinate when soil temperatures reach 50°F. In the Southeast, this may occur as early as the end of February. Grazing corn has a unique growth pattern, providing forage available following winter crops. The limitation of this use is that corn regrows poorly or not at all. A full growing season is needed to produce total forage potential.

Crabgrass germinates reliably when soil temperatures reach 58°F. In the Southeast, this will arrive about the third week of March. Improved crabgrass varieties like Red River can supply highly nutritious forage from late spring through late summer when managed well. Crabgrass can be established reliably with broadcasting if good seed/soil contact is achieved. It provides a good fit following winter annuals or in perennial pasture stands thinned by winter feeding or other factors.

Pearl millet, forage sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, and sudangrass all require soil temperatures of 65°F for reliable germination. The soil will warm to that level at the very end of April in the Southeast. Anticipating when crops will tolerate the earliest planting should guide planting decisions. All of these annuals will tolerate later planting as well. Because they can grow so rapidly during summer temperatures, planning staggered plantings can help avoid accumulation of over mature forage.

In addition to having a planting schedule in mind, early decisions about species and varieties will limit frustration when planting conditions are right, but seed is not on hand or available.

KIn Loving Memory. . .

Kimberly “Kim” Rhyne Eudy

July 27, 1964 – February 12, 2025

imberly Annette Rhyne Eudy, went home to be with her Lord on February 12 at her home after a fierce yet brief battle with ALS. Kim was born July 27, 1964, in Charlotte, N.C., to Linda Ruth Conrad and Robert Rudisill Rhyne Jr.

Kim was a devoted mother, daughter, sister, aunt, niece, and friend. If ever someone was in need, she was there. She and her girls traveled the country showing Hereford cattle, a love that she instilled in them and they will carry on. She was still very much involved with the farm and cattle work, up until her final days. Kim’s fighting spirit was admired by all, even more so during her battle with ALS. While it was fast, and difficult, Kim reminded herself and others that God was with her always.

Kim’s life was her daughters, that was evident to all. She attended every softball game, every school event, countless cow shows, and even as the girls grew older, she was always there. Above all, Kim preferred to spend her time with her family and animals. She loved her cows, dogs, and grand dogs.

Kim is preceded in death by the girls’ father, Dale Eudy, and her sister, Michelle Rhyne.

Left to cherish her memory are daughters Alexis (Ben) Ketchie and Courtney Eudy; parents Linda and Dave Mulvie and Bob and Pam Rhyne; brother Robert Rhyne III; sisters Paige (Roger) Suclupe and Elizabeth (Ben) ZumMallen; nieces and nephews Hannah, Matthew, and Michael Suclupe and Sam, James, and Adelyn ZumMallen; dogs Tucker and Zoey; grand dogs Cheeto, Cheezit, and Bentley. While we will miss her everyday, we find peace knowing she is made new again in heaven with her Savior.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Courtney Green, who helped care for Kim while the girls were working. She was a true blessing and Kim loved her very much.

EEdward Hampton Leagans

November 23, 1948 – February 12, 2025

dward “Eddie” Hampton Leagans of Mocksville, N.C., entered into the presence of the Lord on February 12. His led a life of service through agriculture, community, and church involvement, as he worked and served in multiple ways.

Eddie was born on November 23, 1948, to Cecil Ellis Leagans Sr. and Ruby Catherine Collette Leagans. He spent his growing up years on the dairy farm that his parents owned and operated in the CanaFarmington-Pino area of Davie County.

Eddie is survived by his wife Patty Paul Leagans, of the home, whom he married on April 18, 1998, and his two children, Lane and LeAnn Leagans, both of Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia. Also surviving him are his older brother Ellis (Judy) of Arkadelphia, Ark., and younger brother George (Kay) of Ware Shoals, South Carolina. Two nieces, two nephews, various cousins, and many friends and fellow workers survive him as well.

As a member of First Baptist Church Mocksville, he was a deacon, worked in various leadership groups, and filled in from time to time as a Sunday School leader.

During his first 18 years, Eddie helped in the raising of farm crops, aided his parents with the family dairy, and fished in Dutchman Creek whenever there was a chance.

Eddie attended Farmington School and graduated from Davie County High School in 1967. He then studied at N.C. State University and Appalachian State University. He graduated from Appalachian State in 1973.

He loved and participated in most team sports and remained a diehard N.C. State Wolfpack fan to the end.

Other than Davie County, he was also a long time resident of Forsyth County, as he served with the N.C. Agricultural Extension Service there for 31 years. Many of those years were focused on

working with 4-H Club members in Forsyth. He demonstrated exceptional leadership in the North Carolina 4-H Horse Program and received the 1997 Outstanding Leadership Award for its development. In 1978, he received the Outstanding Services award as a young Professional Agricultural Extension Agent by the N.C. Association of County Agricultural Agents Extension Service. In 1982, Eddie received special recognition in the 4-H Electric Project and was named the designated representative of Forsyth County, an honor sponsored by Duke Power. In 1985, he received the National Association of Extension 4-H Agents 4-H Distinguished Service award.

Eddie was also very active with Sertoma International - Forsyth County Chapter and served as President from 1998–2000. While on the board, he received several outstanding achievement awards.

After retirement from the Agricultural Extension Service, Eddie settled onto the family farm with Patty, raising beef cattle and growing crops to feed them. He was always available for community assistance.

He was the announcer for many horse shows over the years. He enjoyed just looking at livestock and appreciated their individual traits and personalities.

Eddie also continued in the role of service in retirement. In 2011, he received the N.C. State Davie County Volunteer of the Year award. Eddie served on the following Boards: Farmington Volunteer Fire Department, Farmington Medical Center, Davie/Yadkin Valley Cattlemen’s Association, President, N.C. Angus Association, N.C. Cattlemen’s Association, Davie County Forage and Grassland Council, and Davie County Cooperative Extension Advisory Council.

Eddie worked with soil conservation after retirement and upgraded the farm based on current conservation recommendations.

He was most proud of his association with Davie County Farm Bureau, where he served as president for 18 years. As president, he worked with the board to spearhead the building of the new Davie County Farm Bureau office and the implementation of the college scholarship fund for Davie County High School and Early College Graduates.

Bette Nock Laursen

June 19, 1935 –

Bette Nock Laursen, 89, peacefully passed from this earthly life at her beloved Goose River Farm on February 25.

Bette was born to Garland and Alice Nock in Miami, Fla., on June 19, 1935. Her family, including two sisters, Eleanor and Judy, moved to Cary when Bette was 13. Bette graduated from Meredith College with a degree in chemistry.

She had a varied career that included lab work, teaching at Vance Granville Community College, Mary Potter Middle School, and J.F. Webb High School. She is fondly remembered by her students to this day. She also worked in various leadership positions in the N.C. Angus Association, N.C. Cattlemen’s Association, and Granville County Cattlemen’s Association. After moving to Goose River Farm in 1975, Bette took on a bottle calf to raise. That began a lifetime of raising cows and the careful development of a herd of registered

Angus cattle.

Bette was an active member of Oxford United Methodist Church, having served in many capacities, both in leadership and behind the scenes servanthood. She was a 4-H leader of the Granville Cluckers, a chicken focused group. She enjoyed a competitive game of bridge with her friends, and supported Leadership Granville for many years, hosting a chili supper for attendees at the farm.

Bette leaves to cherish her memory her husband of 67 years, Doan Laursen, daughter Kathrine Noel (Patrick), son Chris Laursen (Wendy), and daughter Julie Jobe (Jonathan). She also leaves five grandchildren, Hannah Altieri (Todd), Jacob Jobe (Morgan), Jeremiah Jobe (Jenna), Amelia Laursen, and Julia Laursen, and six great grandchildren Josiah, Shiloh, Caroline, Waylon, Will, and Savannah.

Bette will be remembered for her love and desire for friends and students to learn, gain knowledge, interact, and succeed.

NEWS

AgCarolina Farm Credit Announces Patronage Distribution of $48.5 Million. AgCarolina Farm Credit announces the distribution of their 2024 patronage distribution to members will be on March 25. The all cash patronage being paid is $48.5 million. This patronage is distributed directly to the members of AgCarolina Farm Credit. As a local lending cooperative, AgCarolina Farm Credit takes pride in sharing their success with their members, reflecting the Association’s strong performance. Each year, the member elected Board of Directors thoughtfully reviews and decides how much of the Association profits will be returned to their members across our 46 county service area and 20 branch offices.

“Sharing our profits with members effectively lowers borrowing costs within our agriculture and rural lending cooperative. For 2024, our patronage refund translates to an average interest rate reduction of 1.76 percent for members,” states Evan Kleinhans, CEO of AgCarolina Farm Credit. “This clearly demonstrates the unique financial advantages of partnering with a cooperative.”

Kleinhans continues, “We deeply appreciate our members for choosing us as their local lending partner. Your trust and support enable us to continue providing valuable financial benefits, such as delivering strong patronage refunds.”

The Farm Credit Associations of N.C. Donate Over $60,000 to Support Local Youth in Agriculture. AgCarolina Farm Credit and AgSouth Farm Credit are pleased to announce the fundraising results from the 2024 Pull for Youth sporting clays events. These events raised over $60,000 to benefit local North Carolina 4-H and FFA chapters. The 2024 event marked the eighth annual Pull for Youth events.

Over the past eight years, the Farm Credit Associations of North Carolina, with support from CoBank, have raised over $800,000 for the North Carolina 4-H and FFA programs. The funds raised during the 2024 events were distributed to local North Carolina 4-H and FFA chapters to support local chapter projects. The chapters awarded funds were distributed by local branch team members to the chapters in their branch territory.

Evan Kleinhans and Vance Dalton, the CEOs of AgCarolina Farm Credit and AgSouth Farm Credit, shared “At Farm Credit we recognize the importance of nurturing the next generation’s passion for agriculture. We are delighted to team up with local business sponsors and CoBank in our efforts to donate funds to local North Carolina 4-H and FFA chapters. These donations will provide invaluable resources for the next generation of agriculture. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all the volunteers, sponsors, and participants whose help ensured the success of these events.”

The following local North Carolina 4-H and FFA chapters received a local donation made possible through the 2024 Pull For Youth events:

Ayden-Grifton High School FFA — Pitt County

Bear Grass Charter School FFA — Martin County

Beddingfield High School FFA — Wilson County

Burns High School FFA — Cleveland County

Charles B Aycock High School FFA — Wayne County

Chase High School FFA — Rutherford County

Clayton Middle School FFA — Johnston County

Cleveland County 4-H — Cleveland County

Crest High School FFA — Cleveland County

Cumberland County 4-H — Cumberland County

Dillard Middle School FFA — Caswell County

Eastern Wayne High School FFA — Wayne County

Franklin County 4-H — Franklin County

Garner FFA Chapter Alumni Support — Johnston County

Gaston County 4-H — Gaston County

Gray’s Creek High School FFA — Cumberland County

Greene County 4-H Shooting Sports Team — Greene County

Halifax County 4-H Masterminds Club — Halifax County

Heritage High School FFA — Wake County

Hoke County 4-H, Hoke County

Hyde County 4-H — Hyde County

Kings Mountain High School FFA — Cleveland County

Lincoln County 4-H — Lincoln County

Lumberton High School FFA — Robeson County

Mattamuskeet School FFA — Hyde County

McDowell High School FFA — McDowell County

North East Carolina Prep School FFA — Edgecombe & surrounding counties

Onslow County 4-H — Onslow County

Pasquotank County 4-H — Pasquotank County

Polk County High School FFA — Polk County

Purnell Swett High School FFA — Robeson County

Rosewood High School FFA — Wayne County

Rutherford County 4-H — Rutherford County

Scotland County 4-H — Scotland County

South Garner FFA — Wake County

Southern Nash FFA — Nash County

Springfield Middle School FFA — Wilson County

Topsail FFA — Pender County

Tuff Riders 4-H — Halifax County

Wayne County 4-H — Wayne County

West Columbus High School FFA — Columbus County

West Columbus Middle School FFA — Columbus County

West Lincoln High School FFA — Lincoln County

Western Harnett High School FFA — Harnett County

Jeffery S. Hall is designated FCA board chairman and CEO. Recently, President Donald J. Trump designated Jeffery S. Hall as board chairman and CEO of the Farm Credit Administration.

Chairman Hall is the longest serving member of the current FCA board, having been appointed by President Barack Obama on March 17, 2015. He succeeds Vincent Logan, who has served as FCA board chairman and CEO since October 21, 2022.

As head of the FCA board, Chairman Hall will be responsible for policymaking, adopting regulations, and overseeing the examination and regulation of the institutions constituting the Farm Credit System (System), including the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. As of September 30, 2024, the banks and direct lending associations of the System had $414.4 billion in gross loans outstanding to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and their cooperatives, and $527.8 billion in total assets.

The chairman of the FCA board also serves as the CEO. In this role, Chairman Hall will enforce the rules, regulations, and orders of the FCA board. He will plan, direct, and control FCA’s day-to-day operations and lead the agency’s efforts to achieve and manage a diverse workforce.

“I am honored to have been designated by President Trump to lead FCA,” said Chairman Hall. “I believe wholeheartedly in the mission of this agency — to ensure that the Farm Credit System remains safe and sound and continues to serve its mission of delivering credit to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and rural communities in good times and bad.”

“I am also incredibly proud of the dedicated and hardworking people at FCA who help advance this important mission, and I’m grateful for the service and partnership of my board colleagues, Vincent Logan and Glen Smith, both of whom served at one time in the role of chairman and CEO,” he said. “Since October 2022, when he was designated chairman, Vince has promoted innovation at the agency and in the System; he also focused on the mission of the System to serve all eligible, creditworthy borrowers. I look forward to continuing to work with both Vince and Glen to help ensure that the Farm Credit System — our nation’s oldest government sponsored enterprise — will be there to support many future generations of agricultural producers and rural Americans.”

“I know that the board and the agency as a whole will be in good hands under the leadership of Chairman Jeff Hall,” said Board Member Logan. “Both Jeff and Glen were strong partners during my tenure as chairman, and I appreciate their support. I would also like to thank the many FCA employees who supported the initiatives we undertook, particularly those associated with innovation. I look forward to continuing to work with the board and the FCA staff in my role as board member.”

Board Member Smith said, “Jeff and I have worked together for many years. I know how committed he is to the farmers, ranchers, and rural communities of this nation; he will provide excellent leadership as chairman of this agency. I also appreciate the leadership that Vince provided over the past two years as chairman and look forward to continuing to work with him.”

Chairman Hall was raised on a family farm in southern Indiana that has been in his family for more than 200 years. A graduate of Purdue University, he has extensive experience in public service and agriculture. From 1988 to 1994, Chairman Hall was a senior staff member in the office of U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell. He served as

state director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency in Kentucky, where he was responsible for farm program and farm loan program delivery and compliance. He was also assistant to the dean of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, where he managed a statewide economic development initiative agricultural project.

Over his long career in agriculture, Chairman Hall has held leadership positions in several nonprofits. He is proud of his more than 30 years of federal public service.

FCA board approves regulatory burden final notice. At its February meeting, the Farm Credit Administration board approved a final notice on regulatory burden to be published in the Federal Register.

On July 20, 2022, FCA published a notice of intent and request for comment in the Federal Register, inviting the public to comment on FCA regulations that may duplicate other requirements, are ineffective, are not based on law, or impose burdens that are greater than the benefits received.

FCA took this action to continue its efforts to streamline its regulations and make the regulatory environment more efficient so that Farm Credit System institutions can more effectively serve farmers, ranchers, their cooperatives, and other eligible borrowers.

The final Federal Register notice responds to all comments that FCA received in response to the 2022 notice. FCA issues a request for comment on regulatory burden approximately every five years.

About AgCarolina Farm Credit. AgCarolina Farm Credit is a member-owned financial cooperative with headquarters in Greenville, North Carolina. They are the leading provider of credit to full and part time farmers in central and eastern North Carolina. AgCarolina Farm Credit has nearly 6,000 members across their 46 county territory from 20 local branch locations. Federally chartered and a part of the national Farm Credit System, AgCarolina Farm Credit is locally owned by its members.

About AgSouth Farm Credit. AgSouth Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member-borrowers, and is part of the nationwide Farm Credit system. AgSouth provides loans for land, production agriculture, farm equipment, crop insurance, leasing, and home mortgages.

We believe that people don’t buy what we do...they buy why we do it. Our passion is to grow farmers, families, and rural communities.

The Association serves 147 counties across the states of Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and is headquartered in Statesville, North Carolina.

About the Farm Credit Administration. The Farm Credit Administration is the regulator of the Farm Credit System. The System is the nation’s oldest government sponsored enterprise. It consists of a nationwide network of cooperative banks and associations, which was established in 1916, and a secondary market entity known as the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac), which was established in 1988. The System’s borrower owned banks and associations provide credit to farmers, ranchers, residents of rural communities, agricultural and rural utility cooperatives, and other eligible and creditworthy borrowers. Farmer Mac provides a secondary market for agricultural real estate loans, rural housing mortgage loans, and certain rural utility loans.

Consideration for Beef-on-Dairy

By LILLY PLATTS, American Simmental Association

Conventional beef cattle and dairy animals, which are primarily Holstein, both contribute positive carcass traits, from tenderness and flavor to muscling. When crossed, fed, and managed well, a beef-on-dairy animal can outperform traditional beef animals in the feedlot and on the rail.

Beef-on-dairy is a hot topic in the beef industry today. Both industries can benefit greatly from this collaboration, but harnessing the advantages of both beef and dairy cattle requires genetic considerations, and ultimately, overcoming several issues in fed Holstein cattle.

Dr. Dale Woerner of Texas Tech University, discussed beef-ondairy opportunities and challenges at Fall Focus 2024. Woerner has studied the challenges and benefits of beef-on-dairy cattle extensively through research and carcass evaluation.

To produce milk, dairy females obviously must be bred to eventually lactate. Sexed semen has allowed for dairy producers to narrow down their selection decisions, but a large number of bull calves are still born. These steers are fed for beef production, but because they aren’t beef cattle, the final product can be less desirable. Breeding these dairy females to beef bulls can add significant value to feeder calves, and also increase profitability in the feedlot.

Woerner explained that the collaboration started with beef producers “renting” dairy females as recipients. This has shifted to producing crossbred beef-on-dairy animals. “Ultimately, today we’ve transitioned those cattle, which once really looked exclusively like black and white Holstein steers and heifers, to crossbreds,” he explained. “We don’t know exactly how many of those cattle are coming in because some of them go incognito. In fact, that was the intention from the beginning — to hide them in the beef mix — but we think there is somewhere north of three million of these cattle coming into the market.”

Some producers were ahead of the beef-on-dairy trend many years ago, but Woerner shared that the noticeable shift took place around 2017. “We saw a sharp transition of beef semen sales into dairies, replacing dairy semen sales,” Woerner said.

This was due to several factors. “The evolution of sexed semen had a lot to do with this, as well as genomic data on the cow side, allowing dairy producers to make better selections for milk production. Ultimately, we started to see more beef semen going to dairies,” Woerner shared.

Beyond improved technology, industry pressure also caused this uptick in beef semen sales. “Tyson Foods, formerly IBP Brand, made a very distinct decision to no longer take Holstein steers,” he added.

Dairy cattle present a number of challenges in the feedyard and on the rail, from carcass composition to liver abscesses and yield grade. Genetically, these cattle have been bred for generations to produce milk, not meat. “In conventional cattle produced for beef, we emphasize things like growth rates, dressing percentage, muscle to bone ratio, steak shape, and the bright cherry red color of beef we’re all familiar with,” Woerner said.

While dairy cattle lack many of these traits, they do offer more

predictability. “Dairy cattle offer genetic consistency,” Woerner explained.

Dairy cattle are physiologically and biologically different from conventional beef animals. They produce more internal fat, which also means they produce more marbling on average. Holstein-beef cross animals are more feed efficient than purebred Holstein animals. Carbon, and producing carbon neutral products, is a priority for many companies, and improving the feed efficiency of Holstein feeder calves through crossbreeding presents several opportunities for both industries.

“Ultimately, what we see are carcasses from crossbred cattle [beef x dairy] that are much better than purebred Holstein. They’re producing carcasses that are a little fatter externally, but that are producing bigger ribeyes, and are more muscular. In the feedlot setting, they’re more efficient, converting more feed to gain at a more efficient rate,” Woerner explained. “They have an improved yield grade, slightly over that of purebred Holstein, because of the larger ribeye area.”

It would make sense to jump to the conclusion that these animals graded lower than beef calves, but Woerner explained that this isn’t the case. “They had the same level of quality and marbling. It’s also worth noting that dairy cattle are leaner than conventional cattle externally, and they produce more marbling on average. These cattle bring very positive attributes to the table,” he added.

Holstein and Holstein cross cattle carry more internal fat, which doesn’t translate to the standard yield grading system. “Packers know that these cattle still don’t yield as well, which is why they’re continually discounting them based on yield grade,” Woerner shared.

Dairy cattle are genetically more predisposed to produce marbling compared to conventional beef animals, which has also been demonstrated through introducing dairy genetics into beef herds.

Dairy genetics are prevalent in feedlots, typically blending in with their beef cattle counterparts.

“The distribution of quality grade is improved with beef-on-dairy cattle in comparison to conventional cattle, but it’s slightly decreased compared to that of Holstein cattle. So, these crossbred cattle don’t grade quite as well as purebred Holstein cattle, but they do grade better than conventional beef on average,” Woerner explained.

Tenderness and flavor are also areas where Holstein beef outshines the average conventional beef animal. Woerner said, “The fatty acid composition is different in these dairy crossbred cattle than it is in conventional cattle. They’re producing more fat, including marbling, that tastes a little more like butter from a chemical standpoint.”

Color is one of the biggest things influencing consumer choice in the grocery store. Bright red meat looks more fresh to the consumer’s eye and is preferred over darker colored beef. Holstein beef is darker in color by nature, meaning that for many years, the product couldn’t be placed next to conventional beef. Scientifically, this darker color does not indicate a lower quality product, or any food safety issues, but these packages of beef would remain on the shelves. Fortunately, crossbreeding has helped solve this issue.

The shape of various cuts of beef have also been a challenge for Holstein beef. Long, skinny steaks and other odd shaped cuts don’t look as appealing as a conventional cut of beef, and are also not desirable for restaurants. Beef genetics improve these things, making the crossbred beef more appealing to consumers.

Every beef-on-dairy cross is not created equal, which Woerner also discussed, using a series of photos that included “short,” muscular, conventional beef cattle, as well as tall, “skinny” dairy cattle. From visual appraisal, most would assume that the carcass yield and quality would vary widely among these animals. What Woerner has found is surprising: The animals all weighed the same live, and yielded the same ribeye area, despite their huge phenotypic differences.

However, when these carcasses were graded for yield, there were noticeable differences. Dairy cattle have more bone than conventional beef cattle, as well as more internal fat. This causes purebred Holstein cattle to have major discounts on the rail. However, when these animals are crossed with beef, and managed correctly, the yield grade often outperforms that of conventional beef.

Yield grade is a frequently discussed and debated topic in the beef industry. Many are pushing to change and improve the yield grading system, which would affect the performance of Holstein genetics. “Instead of using ribeye area and fat thickness measurements taken at the 12th and 13th rib interface, our suggestion is that we begin to

look more at whole carcass muscularity and carcass composition and confirmation,” Woerner explained.

Using a three dimensional image of a beef carcass, Woerner demonstrated the different things that could be measured and graded on a carcass, as opposed to just using ribeye area and fat thickness. Addressing the audience of beef producers, he emphasized, “You need to start building cattle that fit systems like this better, that have true muscularity in the round and in the chuck, and that are not single trait focused. Something like this will replace yield grade, and it will happen quickly if we have our way.”

Other technologies like CAT scanning will likely be utilized to develop beef industry specific tools for improving yield grade measurements. Combined with artificial intelligence, there are many ways that technology can better measure yield grade in the future, and Woerner believes it’s only a matter of time before the current system is replaced entirely.

Yield grade technology will likely move faster than solving another issue for Holsteins in the feedlot: the high instance of liver abscesses. Woerner explained that Holstein cattle not only have a higher instance of liver abscesses, but also more severity. He has also observed that cattle with severe liver abscess also display issues in other parts of the body, including the lungs and diaphragm. “We really have started to question the relationship between the lungs and the liver,” Woerner explained. “The animals with severe liver abscesses also have lung issues at some point in their life, which becomes an animal health discussion. What we see is that BRD [Bovine Respiratory Disease] is associated with higher levels of liver abscesses in all of our data,” he added.

Liver abscesses are an infection, which engages the animal’s immune response, which has a domino effect throughout the body. This could include increasing susceptibility to lung infection. This in turn affects the animal’s circulation and ability to fight infection. Woerner is unsure which issue comes first, but notes that the data shows a relationship. Liver abscesses are an issue for a number of reasons, and simply from a performance standpoint, animals with hidden health issues don’t do as well in the feedlot.

Woerner concluded that Holstein cattle have a lot to offer, from tenderness and flavor to consistency. Overcoming issues like red meat yield and liver abscesses can make beef-on-dairy crosses even more beneficial to the industry.

Reprinted from the January 2025 issue of SimTalk

but crossing these females with conventional

Holstein cows may not look like the most likely candidates for raising high quality beef,

beef bulls can offer many benefits. Photo by Briana Hicks.

Rumen Degradable Protein with Distillers Grains — Is it Necessary?

By PHILLIP LANCASTER, Ph.D., Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University

Cattle can recycle excess protein for microbes to grow and digest low quality forage. When using a high rumen undegradable protein source such as dried distillers grains, there was no benefit to adding rumen degradable protein in the form of urea or when compared to soybean meal. Dried distillers grains alone can provide adequate protein for microbes to digest low quality forage.

Both the rumen microbes and animals need protein for maintenance and growth. In reality, they both need amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. Microbes can use amino acids from digestion of feed protein or can synthesize amino acids from non-protein nitrogen such as urea. The animal must use preformed amino acids, it cannot synthesize amino acids from non-protein nitrogen. Preformed amino acids can come from digestion of feed protein or microbial protein.

In ruminant animals, feed protein is either degraded in the rumen by microbes, termed rumen degradable protein, or digested in the small intestine of the animal, termed rumen undegradable protein. All feeds have some rumen degradable protein and some rumen undegradable protein, but varying the proportion of each. For example, soybean meal protein is approximately 75 percent rumen degradable protein and 25 percent rumen undegradable protein, whereas, dried distillers grains protein is approximately 40 percent rumen degradable protein and 60 percent rumen undegradable protein. Feeds like urea that are termed non-protein nitrogen are 100 percent rumen degradable protein.

In animals, amino acids are not stored in the body like carbohydrates are stored as fat. If amino acids are not needed for protein synthesis, the amino acids are broken down in the liver and the nitrogen in the amino acids are excreted in the urine. However, ruminant animals have the ability to recycle this nitrogen back to the rumen where microbes can convert the nitrogen to amino acids again. In this way, extra amino acids can provide microbes with the nitrogen they need for maintenance and growth. Research has demonstrated that feeding two times the requirement of rumen degradable protein every other day provides the same response in low quality forage digestion and intake as

feeding the daily requirement of rumen degradable protein every day. The same response is due to the ability of cattle to recycle the excess amino acids/nitrogen for the microbes to continue to growth on the non-feeding day. Additionally, rumen undegradable protein can also be recycled, and potentially more efficiently because of slower rates of digestion.

A recent study evaluated whether adding a source of rumen degradable protein in the form of urea to a high rumen undegradable protein feed improved performance of calves grazing low quality (crude protein ~6 percent) corn residue. Adding urea to dried distillers grains provided no improvement in growth of calves, as shown in Figure 1/ Trial 1. In a subsequent trial, feeding dried distillers grains resulted in the same average daily gain as feeding a combination of SoyPass and soybean meal, as shown in Figure 1/Trial 2. SoyPass is a modified soybean meal product to increase the rumen undegradable protein proportion to 75 percent. The SoyPass/soybean meal combination provided mathematically a balance of rumen degradable and undegradable protein without accounting for the nitrogen recycling.

Cattle have the ability to recycle nitrogen from both rumen degradable and rumen undegradable protein. Feeding adequate protein from dried distillers grains does not require additional rumen degradable protein.

Reference

1Tibbitts et al. (2024) https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2023-02522

Figure 1. Average

The CEO’s Corner

Diving in on Dairy’s Legislative Agenda

By GREGG DOUD, National Milk Producers Federation

President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance have taken their oaths of office, and the 119 th Congress has been seated. While the opening weeks of a new Congress and presidency focus on nominations and organization, these important housekeeping processes will soon give way to a busy legislative session.

We know dairy is ready for an action packed 2025. NMPF’s major legislative goals begin with passage of a five year farm bill, but what makes up that bill for dairy is just as important. First, enabling schools to offer whole and reduced fat milk is paramount. Milk provides 13 essential nutrients and is the top source of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin D for children ages 2–18. However, in January, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s Scientific Report reaffirmed that 88 percent of all Americans are underconsuming dairy. The bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, recently reintroduced in Congress,

provides the solution. This bill would allow, but not require, schools to serve all varieties of milk, including whole and reduced fat milk. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that dairy foods at all fat levels have a neutral or positive effect on health outcomes. NMPF strongly supports swift passage of this measure to solve a critical child nutrition problem.

This issue is made clearer by the data. Accurate, transparent data drives strong public policymaking. And that brings up another NMPF policy priority: remedying the persistent lack of accurate data when it comes to the costs of manufacturing raw milk into processed dairy products, which denies stakeholders an essential tool for assessing how milk pricing formulas ought to be structured.

A fix lies in the Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act, a bipartisan bill to require USDA to conduct mandatory dairy manufacturing cost surveys every two years. This will equip all voices in the dairy industry with better data to help drive future dairy pricing conversations.

Ongoing discussions on dairy pricing are vital for an industry that continues to innovate and advance. But milk pricing isn’t the only area where innovation is necessary. On the farm, U.S. dairy farmers benefit from safe and effective feed ingredients that can boost productivity in their herds and support environmental stewardship. However, the Food and Drug Administration’s current outdated review process for these ingredients hinders their timely approval and puts U.S. dairy farmers at a disadvantage with their global competitors. NMPF supports the bipartisan Innovative FEED Act, first introduced in 2023, to create a safe but expeditious process for FDA to review these products to help farmers make important gains and stay competitive.

These are just a handful of the major legislative efforts NMPF seeks to advance. Each of these bipartisan bills made headway last year as the House and Senate began their respective farm bill processes. With the new Congress getting ready to produce results, dairy stands ready to get these important priorities signed into law.

“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

FMMO Victory Caps Successful 2024, Gives 2025 Momentum. Four years of NMPF’s coordinated leadership set a positive tone for 2025, with USDA’s announcement on January 16 that all federal orders had accepted its proposal for Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization.

NMPF thanked USDA and the dozens of farmers and cooperative leaders who successfully steered FMMO toward a successful conclusion, with a comprehensive revamp heavily influenced by NMPF priorities and advocacy.

“Dairy farmers and cooperatives have done what they do best — lead their industry for the benefit of all,” said Gregg Doud in a statement released that day.

“This final plan will provide a firmer footing and fairer milk pricing, which will help the dairy industry thrive for years to come. We appreciate the monumental contributions across government and the dairy industry that made this happen. The industry, and all dairy consumers, owe all of you a debt of gratitude.”

The new FMMO comes after more than 200 NMPF led meetings to formulate the proposal, which contributed heavily to USDA’s final decision, as well as a record length 49 day federal order hearing and approval from the farmers who are covered under all federal milk marketing orders.

The new federal milk pricing system, which was officially published in the Federal Register, will mostly take effect June 1 — coincidentally, World Milk Day — and is closely aligned with the principles of NMPF’s member led recommendations, a process that began nearly four years ago.

Highlights include:

• Returning the base Class I skim milk price formula to the higher-of the advanced Class III or Class IV skim milk prices for the month. In addition, adoption of a Class I extended shelf life (ESL) adjustment for all ESL products equal to the average-of mover plus a 24 month rolling average adjuster with a 12 month lag.

• Updating Class III and IV manufacturing allowances for cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk, and dry whey and the butterfat recovery factor.

• Updating the Class I differential values to reflect the increased cost of servicing the Class I market.

• Updating skim milk composition factors, with implementation delayed six months until December 1.

• Removing 500 pound barrel cheddar cheese prices from the Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting Program survey.

NMPF has more resources to understand FMMO modernization and the road taken to get there. Farmers and cooperatives will have opportunities to learn more about the new system through webinars and other materials offered in the coming weeks.

NMPF will also continue pushing for elements of its proposal that require congressional authorization, including mandatory dairy manufacturing cost reporting to provide accurate, transparent data to inform future milk pricing discussions.

New Congress Arrives with NMPF Hitting the Ground Running.

With the new Congress and White House in full swing, NMPF is steadily building congressional support for multiple bipartisan bills that will advance the needs of dairy farmers and the cooperatives, with several of them well positioned to become law this year.

NMPF celebrated the January 23 reintroduction of the bipartisan, bicameral Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which has additional momentum this year after almost becoming law in 2023. The bill, which would allow schools to serve whole and reduced fat milk in addition to the currently available low fat and skim varieties, passed the House of Representatives in December that year on an overwhelming 330–99 vote.

This year’s bill is sponsored by Representatives G.T. Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, and Kim Schrier, D-Washington, and Senators Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, Peter Welch, D-Vermont, Dave McCormick, R-Pennsylvania, and John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania. NMPF and its members secured 70 bipartisan original cosponsors on the House measure, H.R. 649, and 10 on the Senate measure, S. 222, strongly positioning this critical bill to expand kids’ access to milk varieties that will provide them with essential nutrients.

Beyond whole milk, NMPF is seeking support for one last item on its Federal Milk Marketing Order modernization to-do list: mandatory dairy manufacturing cost surveys every two years.

Last year’s House and Senate farm bill proposals included important language to require USDA to conduct and report the surveys to provide all dairy stakeholders with uniform, transparent data to better inform future milk pricing deliberations.

To build momentum for the provision, Representatives Nick Langworthy, R-New York, Joe Morelle, D-New York, and Derrick Van Orden, R-Wisconsin, have introduced this language as the Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act (H.R. 295). Companion bipartisan legislation will be introduced shortly in the Senate. NMPF is urging congress to enact this measure as soon as possible so that USDA can begin building out the infrastructure needed to produce these important studies.

Finally, while Republicans will juggle many competing priorities when crafting tax legislation, NMPF and a broad coalition of agricultural and small business organizations are supporting the bicameral Main Street Tax Certainty Act, numbered H.R. 703 in the House and S. 213 in the Senate.

This bill, authored by Representative Lloyd Smucker, R-Pennsylvania, and Senator Steve Daines, R-Montana, would make

permanent the Section 199A tax deduction created in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Section 199A is a tax deduction to support domestic manufacturing activities. Many NMPF member cooperatives claim this deduction annually and pass the proceeds back to their farmer-owners, who then reinvest in their own operations. The new legislation enjoys support from a broad majority of House and Senate Republicans, putting Section 199A in a positive position heading into tax deliberations.

NMPF will continue to advance these and other dairy priorities at any opportunity.

NMPF Fights Back on Flawed Labeling Regulations, Prepares for Regulatory Freeze. NMPF filed comments with the Food and Drug Administration on January 17 opposing its proposed rule that would require saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar to be displayed prominently on the front of packaged foods.

The proposed nutrition label, referred to as the nutrition info box, would complement the existing nutrition facts label required on most food packages. However, because the front-of-pack label would only list saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar, consumers will get an incomplete picture of that food’s nutritional profile. NMPF’s comments assert that FDA should withdraw the proposal because it is unlawful and unable to withstand a First Amendment challenge.

FDA also issued its second guidance document on the labeling of plant based foods in January. This new document deals with plant based food alternatives to animal products, including many foods in the dairy category, as well as eggs, seafood, poultry, and meat.

The guidance excludes milk, which was covered in a 2023 guidance. The new recommendations suggest manufacturers prominently display more details about the ingredients used in a product beyond just saying they are “plant based.” NMPF submitted comments to FDA on January 15 stating that the agency should be enforcing its own standards of identity as written and follow the lawful process of the Administrative Procedures Act.

Meanwhile, on January 20, President Trump issued a memorandum directing all federal agencies to freeze all new or pending federal rules until the new administration has had an opportunity to review them. Similar freezes were issued in prior administrations. The 60 day regulatory freeze will affect the two proposed rules FDA issued in January, as well as FDA’s flawed “Healthy” final rule issued in December. NMPF continues to monitor these and other regulations, preparing for multiple outcomes when the freeze lifts.

NMPF

Prepared Trade Policy Asks. N

MPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) shared their U.S. dairy trade priorities with USDA and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on January 27, following an “America First Trade Policy” executive order issued by President Trump issued on Inauguration Day. Three additional executive actions to impose 10 percent tariffs on China and 25 percent tariffs on most products from Mexico and Canada were also issued on February 1, although the U.S. has postponed tariffs on the latter two partners for approximately 30 days.

The January 27 broad trade order directs to USTR and its interagency partners affecting U.S. dairy trade to take a number of actions, including:

• Identifying unfair trade practices

• Conducting an expedited review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada

Agreement

• Providing recommendations to revise existing trade agreements to achieve or maintain reciprocal concessions and

• Pinpointing opportunities for new bilateral or sector specific market access opportunities.

With an April 1 deadline for the trade reports, the input from NMPF and USDEC comes at an ideal time and emphasizes the importance of resolving dairy trade irritants and targeting key markets for growth. In addition to underlining the importance of exports to the success of American dairy farmers and companies, the joint USDEC and NMPF document details recommendations to improve the industry’s global competitive standing. This includes expanding market access to bridge tariff gaps with EU and New Zealand suppliers and addressing the U.S. trade deficit of more than $2.5 billion with the European Union.

On the tariffs, President Trump announced the measures due to the result of unresolved concerns related to illicit drug flows and illegal immigration. Mexico and Canada have both promised retaliatory tariffs should U.S. tariffs move forward. The pause in tariffs on Mexico and Canada means trade with those countries can continue uninterrupted for the coming month.

In a February 2 statement, Krysta Harden, president and CEO of USDEC, encouraged the administration “to draw on the types of tools President Trump wielded so successfully when negotiating USMCA — bringing everyone to the table and working out a solution that minimizes unintended consequences for farmers, rural manufacturers, and consumers.”

NMPF and USDEC also joined more than 400 agricultural organizations in signing onto a January 15 letter to Senate Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman, R-Arkansas, and Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, D-Minnesota, to endorse Brooke Rollins for Secretary of Agriculture.

Leading up to her January 23 confirmation hearing, NMPF collaborated with members of the Senate Agriculture Committee to highlight dairy trade challenges. Senators on both sides of the aisle stressed the importance of USDA pursuing a more active trade agenda and vigorously advocating on behalf of U.S. farmers in international negotiations.

NMPF Accepting Applications for 2025 Scholarship Program.

NMPF is now accepting applications for its National Dairy Leadership Scholarship Program for the academic year 2025–2026.

NMPF awards scholarships each year to outstanding graduate students who are actively pursuing dairy related fields of research of immediate interest to NMPF member cooperatives and the U.S. dairy industry at large.

Graduate students pursuing research with direct benefit to milk marketing cooperatives and dairy producers may apply (applicants do not need to be members of NMPF to qualify). Recommended fields of study include but are not limited to agriculture communications and journalism, animal health, animal and/or human nutrition,

National Milk Producers Federation News continued on the next page

National Milk Producers Federation News

bovine genetics, dairy products processing, dairy science, economics, environmental science, food science, food safety, herd management, and marketing and price analysis.

Applications must be received no later than April 23. To apply or for more information, visit the NMPF website or email scholarship@ nmpf.org.

Port Labor Strife Resolution Welcomed. What happens when 30 foodservice professionals step into the boots of cattle ranchers and feeders? They gain an unmatched appreciation for the journey of beef from gate to plate. That’s exactly what unfolded during the first week of Certified Angus Beef’s Master of Brand Advantages (MBA) Class 22. MBA is a three week course that builds brand ambassadors ready to sell more of the Certified Angus Beef brand.

Following engagement from NMPF and USDEC with the Biden Administration and the then incoming Trump team, the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) and United States Maritime Alliance reached a tentative six year contract on January 8 for the United States’ East and Gulf Coast ports, avoiding a damaging strike for dairy exporters.

While the agreement is still pending ILA ratification, the deal averted a strike that was authorized to begin on January 15.

The agreement came after NMPF, USDEC, and more than 50 additional leading U.S. agriculture organizations sent letters to President Biden and then President-elect Trump on December 19, calling for the federal government to help ensure a lasting resolution to the labor negotiations that had reached a stalemate.

In the letters, NMPF and the co-signers detailed the extensive damage that resulted from the previous strike, which lasted from October 1–3. Initially, shipments were paused to prevent a backlog and then proceeded at a below average pace once the ILA agreed to extend their existing contract until January 15. An estimated $13.5 million in U.S. dairy exports were affected, with members reporting cancelled sales and costly reroutes due to the disruptions.

NMPF engaged with USDA leading up to the contract deadline in January, sharing dairy exporter needs and urging the administration to avoid any potential port labor strikes.

NMPF Statement on Bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act.

From NMPF President & CEO Gregg Doud:

“NMPF commends House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn ‘G.T.’ Thompson, R-Pennsylvania, and Representative Kim Schrier, D-Washington, for continuing to lead their bipartisan Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act to help increase kids’ access to milk’s vital nutrients.

“The Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee reaffirmed in its Scientific Report last December that most kids and adolescents are not meeting daily dairy intake recommendations. Good nutrition is a cornerstone of children’s health and development, and milk plays an unparalleled role in providing the nutrients kids need to grow and thrive. But kids take more milk and drink more milk in school when they have nutrient dense options they like. A growing body of scientific evidence shows that dairy foods at all fat levels have a neutral or positive effect on health outcomes, ranging from lower prevalence of obesity and diabetes to reduced heart disease risk and

healthy cholesterol levels.

“We are grateful to the House Education and the Workforce Committee for approving the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act today on a bipartisan vote. It’s a critical step toward finally expanding the popular, healthy milk options schools can serve to improve student nutrition.”

Milk Drinking is Having a Moment. The good news keeps coming for fluid milk. According to year end USDA data, fluid milk consumption, in a slow decline for the past five decades, increased in 2024. The 0.6 percent increase to 42.98 billion pounds is the first year-over-year gain since 2009. And unlike that year, it didn’t happen because low prices and a bad dairy economy prompted grocery stores to practically give it away. Milk prices are relatively high these days, and people are drinking more milk because…well, because they want to.

And the story isn’t just that they’re drinking more milk. It’s also about why they’re drinking milk, as well as what kind of milk they’re drinking.

Driving much consumer interest in real milk consumption is the awareness that it’s a protein powerhouse. And that’s only part of the unique package of essential nutrients milk has to offer that leaves overengineered, nutritionally inferior plant based substitutes in the dust. (Not to mention their many weird ingredients.)

Fluid milk’s gains are built on whole milk, also known as “the milk that tastes most like milk.” Not to begrudge lower fat varieties — dairy farmers support whatever milk you choose, as long as it’s actual milk and not one of the misnamed beverages — but whole milk’s popularity shows just how intrinsically tasty dairy is, as well as how

much more popular milk could be if it, say, were offered on a school lunch menu to children who drink it at home.

The increase also accentuates the lie of the plant based imposters, which fell in sales for the third straight year. After years of their misinformation, painting their gains as inevitable, milk isn’t just getting back its market share — it’s adding to its already overwhelming preference in the marketplace. And no amount of over processing or nut-of-the-moment re-engineering is going to change that.

And with that, it’s time for government policy to match consumer reality. The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act (which you can support here) would bring whole and 2 percent back to schools, giving school kids access to the same popular, healthy varieties they drink at home. The FDA’s enforcement of its own rules on milk’s Standard of Identity (or congressional passage of the Dairy PRIDE Act) would do a lot to clear up consumer confusion over nutrition in the marketplace.

Milk has a lot of momentum heading into the year — which, really, just puts it in the same position as the rest of dairy, the popularity of which remains the highest it’s been since the 1950s. So, really — literally — raise a glass to this today because the number of glasses being raised is only growing.

NMPF’S Doud Urges More Dairy Trade Opportunities Before Subcommittee. Gregg Doud recently told the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee today that expanding market access and enforcing existing trade agreements for America’s dairy producers, workers, and exporters is of paramount importance.

“To keep up with our competitors from Europe and New Zealand, U.S. dairy exporters need new trade deals that cut tariffs and tackle non-tariff trade barriers,” Doud said in his written testimony. “Whether the U.S. government prioritizes the enforcement of the trade agreements it has negotiated and addresses trade barriers targeting U.S. exports will determine whether American farmers and workers will actually benefit from the market access that has and will be promised.”

The U.S. dairy industry last year exported close to $8.3 billion in dairy products overseas, supporting thousands of jobs across the country despite competing against global counterparts who benefit from more recent and expansive trade agreements. Doud highlighted the critical role of existing U.S. trade agreements and called on Congress and the Trump Administration to pursue and enforce trade policies that empower the U.S dairy industry to grow its business internationally.

Doud also detailed specific agreements for the U.S. government to prioritize greater enforcement, including:

• Fixing the United States’ deeply imbalanced agricultural trade relationship with the European Union.

• Ensuring Canada holds up its end of the bargain on dairy in USMCA by fixing both the export issues into Canada and the excessive offloading of artificially low-price Canadian dairy protein into the U.S. and global markets.

• Following through with China on increasing its purchases of U.S. dairy products, ensuring timely facility listing updates, and providing protection for common names.

• Resolving India’s longstanding high tariffs and unscientific certification requirements.

“Our competitors are not slowing down,” Doud said. “They are targeting highly valuable and important dairy markets, with the backing of their governments’ proactive trade agendas. We are

hopeful that the U.S. government will take this as a challenge to stand up for U.S. dairy and U.S. agriculture. Our farmers deserve a level playing field and are counting on their government to deliver.”

Dairy Groups Applaud Administration Vaccine Support, Thank USDA for Plan. Leaders from the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) released the following statements recently in response to the Trump Administration’s updated response plan for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) that is affecting our nation’s dairy herds.

Gregg Doud said the following, “Dairy farmers and cooperatives appreciate USDA’s leadership in supporting American agriculture and safeguarding animal health as it deals with what soon will be a second year of H5N1 bird flu disruptions in dairy cattle. Dairy farmers and all of agriculture take biosecurity seriously, and we thank USDA and the Trump Administration for actions that will further those efforts

“We support the department’s initiatives to advance vaccine development and deployment that will help control, and ultimately eliminate, the virus in dairy cattle. And we also want to remind consumers that, even as dairy farmers are working with veterinarians and officials at all levels of government to eliminate this animal health threat, milk for consumers remains safe to drink because of the effectiveness of pasteurization.”

IDFA President and CEO Michael Dykes, D.V.M., said the following, “The International Dairy Foods Association is grateful to Agriculture Secretary Rollins for investing up to $100 million in new and ongoing research into animal vaccinations and therapeutic tools to manage highly pathogenic avian influenza in our nation’s dairy herds and commercial poultry flocks. We continue to urge USDA and its federal partners to act quickly to develop and approve the use of safe, effective bovine vaccines to guard against current and future strains of avian influenza affecting U.S. dairy. It is essential that the federal government work with our industry to ensure a vaccination strategy is feasible and cost effective for farmers, while working with international trading partners to assure the use of vaccines does not limit or disrupt U.S. agricultural exports.”

About the National Milk Producer’s Federation. NMPF was organized in 1916 to provide a forum for dairy producers and the cooperatives they own to participate in public policy discussions. NMPF advocates policies to Congress, U.S. and foreign government agencies, industry organizations, the news media, and the public.

We use our unique resources to harness the ever changing climate in the politics and marketing of milk and dairy products from farm to table to promote the economic well being of dairy producers and their cooperatives through coordinated industry efforts.

NMPF addresses policies concerning milk pricing, domestic and international market development, agriculture credit and taxation, environmental issues, food safety and health, animal welfare, product standards and labeling, and research and biotechnology.

Our mission is to foster an economic and political climate in which dairy producers and the cooperatives they own can thrive and prosper. Achieving such success assures consumers of adequate supplies of wholesome and nutritious dairy products at affordable prices.

This helps improve the bottom line of the associate members who provide services to dairy producers and cooperatives that they represent. For more information, visit www.nmpf.org.

NEWS

The Time is Now

By JILL PEINE

It seems as though we say it year after year, but what a year 2024 was! With last year behind us, and the new year two months in, we look forward to what 2025 has to bring. Each year, CattleFax offers an Outlook and Strategies Seminar, taking a look into what has happened and what the future is predicted to look like for the cattle market. The key message I walked away with this year was: The time is now.

Here is what I mean.

The cattle cycle has a proven track record that lasts 10–11 years. The measurement of the cattle cycle is from low to high and high to low. The up part of the cycle typically lasts 4–5 years and the down

part 5–6 years. The current cattle cycle remains much slower and more prolonged compared to the last. The low in the cattle price cycle was in 2020, and the peak in prices would suggest a cash high to develop in the fall of 2025, while the supply forecast would suggest the tightest supply during 2026.

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Industry profitability will continue to swing in favor of the cow/calf producer as excess feeding and packing capacity sees a decline in supply of feeder cattle and calves. So, for cow/calf producers, the time is now.

Setting up your cow herd for success starts now. It takes two years for a heifer to enter the production cow herd. Back that up by nine months in gestation, and those calves that are to make you money while the cattle cycle is projected to be at the downturn are conceived now. While calf values are currently high, the value of a calf may be even more so during the turn to the low point of the cycle. Those calves are getting programmed now, even before they hit the ground, and their own performance possibilities are being scripted as we speak. We now know that, through fetal programming, how we feed and manage mama cows determines the health, growth performance, carcass merit, and/or reproductive longevity of that valuable calf.

Data from CattleFax, 2025.

For supplemental protein, when forages alone are short on protein, supplied to the pregnant beef cow, provide a CRYSTALYX protein supplement such as BGF-30. Minerals and vitamins are critical to a pregnant animal’s diet and to the future performance success of the calf. For superior trace mineral nutrition, which supports healthier calves, heavier calves at weaning and improved pregnancy rates, provide a CRYSTALYX BLUEPRINT option such as Crystalyx Blueprint 6 Phos or Crystalyx Blueprint 20AN. At weaning time or during periods of stress, get a BRIGADE or BATTALION barrel in front of your cattle. No matter the situation, the time is now to capitalize on the strong market and to nutritionally prepare the cow herd for the years to come.

Genetics For a Better Cow Herd

By JULIE HARKER, University of Missouri

Improving fertility in cows involves leveraging genetic selection and advanced genomic tools to enhance reproductive performance.

But genetic potential is only half the battle. Environment is the other half, said University of Missouri Extension state beef genetics specialist Jamie Courter at the recent Missouri Livestock Symposium.

“Fertility is a lowly heritable trait and, therefore, a lot of environmental factors can negatively impact a female with otherwise high genetic merit,” Courter said.

An animal’s phenotype, or the traits seen, is a combination of their genotype (genetic merit) and the environment in which they are raised. Environmental factors can include both Mother Nature as well as management decisions on the farm, she said.

“We can take females with poor genetics for fertility and manage them in a way that increases their likelihood of becoming pregnant,” Courter said. “Similarly, we can take females with excellent genetics for fertility and decrease their likelihood of becoming pregnant through poor management. When it comes to building better female cows, the goal should be to match their genetics to the environment.”

“Because fertility is a lowly heritable trait, it is often more beneficial to focus on traits with higher heritability. When producers ask for increased fertility, they want more cows bred per year and, therefore, more calves weaned. There are many other traits with higher heritability that can result in the same outcome,” she said. To match genetics to the environment, the first step is to define a breeding objective. The most important question to ask yourself when creating a breeding objective is “What is the biggest revenue generation on my operation?”

• Do you sell calves at weaning (is weaning weight important)?

• Do you retain ownership and market based on carcass quality? Then follow that with questions such as:

• Are there other traits important to your operation?

• Do you work cattle with your kids or grandkids (is docility important)?

• What is the environment surrounding the cattle? Requirements for females in Missouri, with higher stocking rates and smaller pasture sizes, are different from females in the Sandhills of Nebraska who need to travel much longer distances.

• What phenotypes are critically important to match these needs – e.g., feet and leg conformation, predator protection, etc.?

Expected progeny differences (EPDs) are a key tool in accurately implementing successful breeding programs. They predict the genetic potential of an animal as a parent and estimate the differences in performance traits that can be expected in that animal’s offspring.

Courter said EPDs should be seen as an additional tool to help producers make informed decisions that drive their breeding objectives and match cattle to their environment.

There are three non-negotiables when genetically selecting a better cow herd:

1. Mature cow size – “While I often hear, ‘But my larger cows

wean heavier calves,’ that isn’t the right question we should be asking,” Courter said. “Instead, we should ask ourselves, ‘Are larger cows as efficient as my lighter cows?’ To which the answer is a resounding ‘no.’” What resources did you concede to accommodate that larger cow? Cow size directly affects stocking rates. Decreasing mature cow size allows for increased stocking rates and therefore more calves weaned per year. In addition, larger mature weight cows also take longer to reach puberty, decreasing their likelihood of conceiving in the first 21 days of the breeding season as a heifer.

2. Hair shedding – Earlier shedding cows tend to wean an older, heavier calf. (See the MU Extension publication “Hair Shedding Scores: A Tool To Select Heat Tolerant Cattle,” available for free download at https:// extension.missouri.edu/publications/g2014.) A female who does not shed her hair in a timely manner doesn’t match her environment. She is stressed in some way, be it due to nutrition, heat, or health. Females who don’t shed their hair early are likely to have lower body condition at breeding due to heat stress during summer and are less likely to become pregnant.

3. Calving ease – Not a “more is more” type of trait. The goal of selecting for bulls with increased calving ease is to decrease dystocia (difficult or abnormal labor) events. However, stacking increased calving ease bulls year over year can have detrimental effects on other traits of economic importance. “The genetic correlation between birth weight and weaning weight is 0.60, meaning that calves born smaller are typically smaller at weaning time,” she said. “This doesn’t bode well for profitability.” However, the genetic correlation between calving ease and weaning weight is only 0.32, meaning producers can select calving — ease bulls who have heavier calves at birth and therefore are heavier at weaning. From a producer’s perspective, calving ease is a threshold of “did I have to intervene or not?” In other words, calving ease is a trait to pay attention to when selecting bulls, especially for heifers. “However, if calving ease isn’t an issue in your herd, it may be worth discussing with a trusted seedstock producer how to best manage those genetics moving forward,” Courter said.

At the end of the day, select bulls based on their genetic potential for traits of interest, she said. Use the information available to make educated decisions. Weigh the pros and cons of the bull. Normally, producers need multiple bulls — so balance out one bull’s deficit with another’s surplus. “But, before you get frustrated, realize it’s not easy. The perfect animal doesn’t exist, but we can make better decisions knowing that ahead of time, instead of realizing we made the wrong decision 5–7 years down the road.”

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

BioZyme Launches VitaFerm Sure Start Gel. BioZyme’s mission is to provide an undeniable positive impact on the health and wellness of the animals it serves. Therefore, BioZyme and its staff continually research and create products to help animals and maximize efficiencies for producers. With our mission and commitment to care that comes full circle in mind, we are excited to introduce VitaFerm Sure Start Gel.

VitaFerm Sure Start Gel is specifically formulated to support newborn calves’ immune function and overall health during the critical post birth period.

“Getting calves off to the best start possible is paramount for their long term health and, ultimately, your profitability. While a year round VitaFerm program can improve colostrum quality, Sure Start Gel uses our new Broad Shield technology to give an additional boost of immunity,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Director of Beef Technical Sales.

Benefits of VitaFerm Sure Start Gel – The new VitaFerm Sure Start Gel offers several benefits to give your newborns a sure start. Like all VitaFerm products contains AO-Biotics Amaferm, a research proven prebiotic to support digestibility by stimulating beneficial microbes. Furthermore, this innovative gel:

• Delivers IgY antibodies derived from salmonella, E. coli, bovine rotavirus, bovine coronavirus, and clostridium and MOS for broad

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support of the immune system.

• Provides nutritional support to maximize calf vigor. “VitaFerm Sure Start Gel is research proven to enhance the efficacy of the antibodies the cow naturally passes to her calf, giving your calves every chance to develop their immune system and capitalize on healthy, efficient performance,” Cassady said.

This single dose product comes in a 30 mL tube and should be administered after the calf has had colostrum. For best results, it is recommended to be given within the first 24 hours of birth. It can be repeated daily as needed. The bright orange color allows for distinct recognition of administration.

Just the Beginning – As part of our care that comes full circle, we

want to give every calf a chance for a successful life. A healthy calf pays us back with a long, productive, healthy life or a high performing optimal pay weight. You only get one shot for a good start, make it a Sure Start!

Tyler Rouse Named BioZyme Director of Marketing. Tyler Rouse is the new Director of Marketing for BioZyme Inc. In his role, he will guide the development and execution of the company’s strategic marketing plans, utilizing all appropriate vehicles to support the company’s ongoing growth.

“I enjoy working in the marketing space to drive brand awareness and sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships with our customers. I am already looking forward to working with both the marketing and sales teams to align them to help grow BioZyme and strengthen the dealer network,” Rouse said.

Meet Tyler Rouse – Rouse brings extensive marketing experience to BioZyme, especially working with dealers. He served in various B2C marketing and sales management roles at John Deere for nearly 16 years. His last position at Deere was Channel Development Manager – Business to Consumer for both the U.S. and Canada. He has vast experience with product positioning, both domestically and internationally. He understands the importance of developing various processes and platforms and implementing those processes to help customers reach their maximum potential. He most recently worked as the Director of Business Development for American Implement.

“We are excited to have Tyler join the BioZyme Team,” said Lynsey Whitacre, Ph.D., Vice President of Development. “His strategic mindset, practical experience, and ability to think outside the box are qualities we believe will complement the various market and customer development initiatives BioZyme is embarking on for 2025 and beyond.”

Rouse has a master’s in business administration with an emphasis in agribusiness from Kansas State University. He also earned his bachelor’s in marketing from Kansas State. The Southwest Kansas native has always been passionate about marketing and sales, watching his late father in sales from an early age. His mom’s family had strong ties to agriculture as they fed cattle and showed horses in the Oklahoma Panhandle when he was growing up, and his love for animals and the outdoors is something he is passing on to his three children, identical twins Emma and Nora, 12, and son Wilder, 7. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, camping, spending time with his children outdoors, cheering on Chiefs football, supporting his kids’ various events, cooking wild game, and changing people’s minds about game dishes. He lives in Dodge City, Kansas.

“The way I see it, both BioZyme and John Deere offer value to producers who raise our food. They are premium products that help the producers get a better return on their investments, and we are here to help them understand the core fundamentals of the animal health and nutrition business,” Rouse said.

About BioZyme Inc. With a continued commitment to excellence, the BioZyme Stockyards location earned the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and Feedstuffs 2024 Feed Facility of the Year honor. 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, 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.

Bull Selection Made Easy — Economic Indexes Explained

The Grand Unifying Theory

From the pasture to the rail, there are many factors that producers must consider in order to be profitable. Factoring in every variable input and output in relation to genetic potential can be overwhelming, especially since many operations are producing both feedlot cattle and replacement females. How do you pick a bull that meets every requirement, from calving ease to cow stayability?

Fortunately, economic indexes exist to simplify this. Executive Vice President Dr. Wade Shafer explains his Grand Unifying Theory, and how an economic index can accurately account for the long list of variables producers must consider to be profitable. Dr. Shafer shares that by looking at Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) from the perspective of an accountant, producers can identify which measures are economically relevant, how the traits are tied together, and ultimately, how each affects profitability and contributes to an index. “As complicated as a cow/calf business seems to be, when you break it down to economically relevant traits, there are not a lot of traits. If you are an accountant, there are only a handful of traits you really need to be concerned with,” Dr. Shafer explains.

Dr. Shafer challenges the idea that an economic index cannot account for changes in input costs over time. The economic reality is that costs will largely remain in equilibrium, meaning that if the cost of corn increases, the cost of pasture will also go up, for example. Markets will likely change between the time that a herd bull is purchased and profit is realized from his offspring, but because economic indexes are balanced under this idea of equilibrium, using this selection tool is one of the most reliable ways to maximize profitability long term.

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keynote speaker, facilitator of board and leadership team meetings, and a marketing consultant across various industries. He specializes in food and agriculture, having worked with companies from John Deere to California Milk to Kansas City Steaks.

Challenge your mindset in transformative workshop at 2025 Stakeholders Summit. Monica (Massey) Cohen, former animal protein executive and current CEO of the American Cider Association, will lead a transformative workshop on the “challenger mindset” at the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2025 Stakeholders Summit.

ormer Google executive Steve Lerch returning to 2025

Stakeholders Summit stage. Lerch to share practical tools to advance animal agriculture using artificial intelligence. Steve Lerch, president of Story Arc Consulting and former Google executive, will return to the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2025 Stakeholders Summit to share insights on using artificial intelligence (A.I.) to benefit animal agriculture.

Generative A.I. is revolutionizing industries — and animal agriculture can’t afford to be left behind. In the 2025 Summit session “Serving Up Sustainability Conversations using Artificial Intelligence,” Lerch will explore how generative A.I. tools, like ChatGPT and Gemini, can support efforts to further advance animal agriculture. Whether users need to simplify complex data or are looking to tell better, more compelling stories, this session will leave the complicated science behind and focus on simple, actionable ways animal agriculture can immediately start benefitting from artificial intelligence.

“At the 2025 Summit, we’re exploring new ideas and innovations to take the farm and food communities to the next level,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman, Alliance president and CEO. “Artificial intelligence is a tool that can help us do just that. Steve’s session will help break down the complexities of getting started and equip attendees with the tools needed to jump into action and add a new tool to the toolbox.”

Lerch is a consultant and an international keynote speaker. He spent a decade at Google designing the digital strategies and marketing campaigns for well known brands like GoPro, federal government agencies like the U.S. Census Bureau, and national commodity programs like Avocados From Mexico and the National Pork Board. While at Google, Steve also served as an innovation evangelist, teaching thousands of Googlers the cultural principles and strategies that are necessary to drive new ideas and embrace change. Lerch formed Story Arc Consulting in 2019, where he has served as a

In an interactive session at the 2025 Summit, “Now We’re Cooking: Transform Your Thinking, Transform Your Organization,” Cohen will discuss the “challenger mindset,” a framework that inspires organizations and individuals to rethink assumptions and adapt to changing industry landscapes. The workshop will address how to navigate scrutiny, advance progressive practices, and foster organizational evolution. This session will also equip attendees with the tools needed to challenge the status quo and embrace innovation.

“Out-of-the-box, innovative ideas are necessary to take any industry, including agriculture, to the next level,” said Hannah Thompson-Weeman. “Monica’s session will challenge attendees to consider new and improved ways to reach collective goals and advance the future of food and farming.”

Cohen is a motivational speaker and business consultant. She previously held various executive roles at Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), a milk marketing cooperative and global dairy foods company. During her time at DFA, her tenure included serving as executive vice president, chief of staff, chief innovation officer, sustainability lead, and communications and crisis lead. She navigated the dairy landscape with a focus on people, animals, smart strategy, and product innovation.

Fresh insights from nutrition experts on the 2025 Stakeholders Summit menu. Sustainability will be a key focus of the Animal Agriculture Alliance’s 2025 Stakeholders Summit, including a nutrition focused session on modernizing protein recommendations for personal and planetary health.

Cara Harbstreet, R.D., and Tessa Nguyen, R.D., will share insights on how to engage stakeholders in meaningful conversations about sustainability during their session, “Nourishing the Future: Modernizing Protein Recommendations for Personal and Planetary Health.” The duo will promote sustainable practices and collaboration in the food supply chain, emphasizing health equity for a diverse population. With their expertise in nutrition and sustainable food systems, the panelists will offer insights on communication that fosters cultural inclusivity and diversity.

“As we prepare for the next rendition of the Dietary Guidelines

Monica Cohen

Steve Lerch

for Americans to be released this year, conversations around animal protein’s role in a healthy, sustainable diet will continue,” said Emily Ellis, Alliance director of communications and content. “Cara and Tessa’s session will provide insights into sustainable protein consumption that fits into various cultures, dietary patterns, and eating preferences.”

Harbstreet is a registered dietitian, nutrition communications consultant, and the owner of Street Smart Nutrition, a popular platform that empowers home cooks through nourishing, accessible, and delicious recipes. As a seasoned content creator, she blends evidence based nutrition science with practical tips to make nutrition approachable and appetizing. Her expertise extends beyond recipes; she provides indepth information and insights on various topics like intuitive eating, food policy, and sustainability practices. Harbstreet is currently completing a master’s degree in sustainable food systems through the Culinary Institute of America.

Check the Summit website for the most up-to-date information. You can also follow the hashtag #AAA25 for periodic updates about the event on social media. For general questions about the Summit, emai summit@animalagalliance.org or call 703-562-5160.

Nguyen is an internationally acclaimed chef, registered dietitian, and educator. As the founder and principal of Taste Nutrition Consulting, her talents come to life in the form of deliciously diverse recipes, cultural auditing, bespoke content development, speaking engagements, and various media work. Nguyen’s multiethnic heritage and lived experience across multiple countries have centered her in providing inclusive services founded in cultural humility. Her areas of expertise include diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice within the food and nutrition industries, food and agriculture connections, inclusive culinary nutrition applications, accessible and affordable cooking, and food allergies and intolerances including the low FODMAP diet.

The 2025 Summit, themed “Food for Thought: Dishing on Sustainability,” is set for April 30May 2 in Arlington, Virginia.

The 2025 Summit would not be possible without the support of sponsors, including U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, Farm Journal, Meatingplace, Watt Global Media, Cargill, Merck Animal Health, Zoetis, American Feed Industry Association, United Soybean Board, Agri-Pulse, CoBank, Dairy MAX, Farm Credit Council, National Pork Producers Council, Ad Farm, American Farm Bureau Federation, Aviagen, American Veal Association, Cobb, Kemin, National Chicken Council, National Pork Board, N.C. Farm Bureau, Progressive Dairy, Trans Ova Genetics, United Egg Producers, Vivayic, and Eggland’s Best.

About the Animal Agriculture Alliance. The Alliance safeguards the future of animal agriculture and its value to society by bridging the communication gap between the farm and food communities. We connect key food industry stakeholders to arm them with responses to emerging issues. We engage food chain influencers and promote consumer choice by helping them better understand modern animal agriculture. We protect by exposing those who threaten our nation’s food security with damaging misinformation. For more information, visit www.animalagalliance.org.

Cara Harbstreet, R.D.

Tessa Nguyen, R.D.

Alltech’s mycotoxin management testing program expands offering through collaboration with Waters | VICAM. Alltech is pleased to announce the expansion of its mycotoxin testing program, Alltech RAPIREAD, which now includes a new collaboration with Waters | VICAM and the connection to its analytical tool, Vertu TOUCH. Offering simple touch screen operation, the Vertu TOUCH lateral flow strip test reader works in concert with VICAM’s Vertu strip tests to deliver full range quantitative results for up to six major mycotoxins, including aflatoxin, fumonisin, vomitoxin (DON), zearalenone, ochratoxin A, and the combination of T-2 and HT-2 toxins.

Mycotoxins, which are natural substances produced by molds and fungi, are more prevalent — and more of a problem in agriculture — than ever before. Results from the 2024 Alltech Harvest Analysis show that more than 95 percent of crops today are contaminated with at least one mycotoxin and usually two or more, thus demonstrating the need for robust quality control programs. Because these toxins are difficult to detect, they can cause significant damage to animal health before producers even realize they are present, hence a proactive mycotoxin management program is essential.

“Since mycotoxins are a continuous problem for the agricultural industry, it is important for producers to understand the risk to their feed and animals,” said Dr. Alexandra Weaver, global technical support for Alltech. “Rapid tests at the feed mill or on-farm can be used to detect the mycotoxin type or content, but including Alltech RAPIREAD can assist in understanding how the mycotoxins could actually impact the performance, health, or profitability of production.”

Alltech RAPIREAD launched in 2020 to enable customers to identify and analyze mycotoxin risks within minutes. This began, and continues, with a collaboration with Neogen and integration to its Raptor testing device, designed for use on-farm or in feed mills to test individual grains and forages.

Complementing the continued connection with Neogen, this new collaboration with Waters | VICAM using the ONE line of quantitative strip tests will expand analysis capabilities to include complete feed, while keeping Alltech RAPIREAD at the forefront for data collection, risk assessment, and consultation.

The Waters | VICAM Vertu TOUCH reader and mixer was launched three years ago with updated features, including a touch screen for ease of use and the technology to detect six mycotoxin levels in a single sample within ten minutes. This has added a greater opportunity for on-site testing with ease of use, faster time to results, and extremely high quality of results.

“Waters | VICAM has been delivering quality mycotoxin testing products to the food and feed industries since 1987,” said Lanny Smith, global sales manager, Waters | VICAM. “The addition of the CT-Connect enables the Vertu TOUCH to work with Alltech’s RAPIREAD system to transfer data securely across all networks.”

For more information about Alltech’s mycotoxin management solutions, visit knowmycotoxins.com

Alltech’s validated chelation assay continues to ensure trace minerals meet regulatory requirements. Alltech is a global leader in animal nutrition, backed by 45 years of scientific research. The company produces premium feed additive products and works with global regulatory agencies to meet their

requirements. For more than a decade, the company’s attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) chelation assay has been relied upon by the industry to ensure that only the highest quality products enter the market, to ensure fair market competition, and to prevent feed additive fraud.

“With new trace mineral chelate products continuously being developed, in addition to products with increased mineral concentration, the use of validated assays such as that developed by Alltech will ensure that such chelates meet EU regulatory requirements,” said Dr. Colm Moran, chief regulatory officer at Alltech. “This further adds to their safety and efficacy characteristics. Apart from enabling producers to meet regulatory requirements, assessment of such chelates via this assay will enable the EU to combat feed additive fraud. In doing so, the EU can further protect its agricultural sector by upholding standards through robust monitoring and rigorous enforcement of regulations.”

The process of complexing or chelating elements such as zinc or manganese to generate a trace mineral chelate typically involves reacting inorganic mineral salts with a suitable bonding group such as a peptide or amino acid, after which the mineral becomes part of a biologically stable structure. The chemistry behind chelation has created a great deal of confusion in the animal feed industry.

“Establishing the degree of complexation is important for both regulatory and practical purposes. Just as regulatory agencies require complete characterization of medicinal products, similar data is necessary for trace mineral chelates to ensure their safety and efficacy,” said Dr. Richard Murphy, research director at Alltech. “If the metal ion is not complexed, its use will confer no additional benefit over that of a metal salt. Additionally, control methods allowing for the detection of products which are merely blends of carrier and inorganic salts are important to prevent the sale of fraudulent materials.”

In 2017, researchers at the Alltech European Bioscience Centre in Dunboyne, Ireland, assessed several different methodologies to determine the degree of metal complexation in commercially available chelates of protein hydrolysate (proteinates), thereby enabling more complete characterization and control of these products. Potential methodologies which were identified included both the ATR–FTIR and powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD). Both techniques are well established and widely available, and data can be acquired rapidly. They are also non-destructive, so that the same sample can be analyzed by both methods in different laboratories.

Subsequent to this, the method was published under peer review

(Cantwell et al., 2017) and made available to the industry as a whole, enabling other manufacturers to independently assess their own products. Additional work by Byrne et al., (2023) extended on the earlier work and validated the assay for use with higher concentration trace mineral chelates of protein hydrolysate.

The validated ATR-FTIR spectroscopy method is product specific, and while its use is applicable to the general class of chelates referred to by EFSA as “chelates of protein hydrolysate” (proteinates), the published assay has only been verified for the proteinate Bioplex, produced by Alltech. As the characteristics of any proteinate will depend on the protein source used to produce the hydrolysate, the hydrolysis process, and the percentage of metal present, the assay will need to be validated and verified in a product specific fashion.

“Product specific assay validation is critical in this instance as the hydrolysis procedure plays a critical role in the production of proteinate products and varies greatly between manufacturers,” said Murphy. “As such, to obtain accurate data on the extent of chelation for specific chelate products, generation of appropriate standards and calibration curves, along with method verification and validation procedures, must be done for each specific product type.”

For more information about Alltech’s mineral management solutions, visit alltech.com/en-ie/mineral-management

About Alltech. Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and

scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our diverse portfolio of products and services improves the health and performance of animals and plants, resulting in better nutrition for all and a decreased environmental impact.

We are a global leader in the agriculture industry. Our team produces specialty ingredients, premix, supplements, feed and biologicals, backed by science and an unparalleled platform of services.

Strengthened by more than 40 years of scientific research, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens. As a private, family owned company, we adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and focus on advanced innovation.

We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet. Our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide share our purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty. Together, we can provide nutrition for all, revitalize local economies and replenish the planet’s natural resources.

Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Ken., Alltech serves customers in more than 140 countries, has five bioscience centers, and operates more than 75 manufacturing facilities across the globe. For more information, visit alltech.com

John Deere Expands Options

for Adding

Precision

Technology. Upgrades available to help farmers, growers, and ranchers find more productivity and efficiency through precision ag technology. John Deere recently announced the release of a new precision ag hardware kit — Precision Essentials — that will reduce upfront costs, making advanced precision agriculture technologies accessible to farmers, growers, and ranchers, regardless of the farm size, crop, or livestock focus. The new kit includes the following hardware:

• G5 or G5Plus universal display

• StarFire 7500 receiver

• JDLink M or R modem

The Precision Essentials kit not only allows for machine automation to be executed with the latest John Deere hardware and software but also provides customers the opportunity to manage their entire farm in one place with the John Deere Operations Center. Farmers can now retrofit legacy John Deere equipment and mixed fleets with the necessary technology to accomplish gains in productivity from insights into their operation, making it easier to manage their farm.

“Today’s agricultural landscape is rapidly evolving with increasing pressures to boost yields, reduce input costs, and adopt sustainable farming practices,” said Christopher Murray, John Deere go-to-market manager for embedded technology. “The Precision Essentials kit is designed to help all types of farmers, growers, and ranchers address these challenges head-on with a low upfront cost that provides financial flexibility and the opportunity to recognize the benefits immediately from enhanced operational efficiency.”

The Precision Essentials kit requires an annual license, with four different licensing options available:

• AutoTrac license – 2 years*

• Precision Essentials license – 1 year

• Precision Essentials license + SF-RTK – 1 year

• Advanced license – 1 year

After one year,* customers have the flexibility to renew one of the four options above or by adding the latest version(s) of the available annual license option for the Precision Essentials kit.

“The licensing options provide customers the choice to use the technology most applicable to the work they do on their farm or ranch,” Murray said. “The options also provide customers newer to precision ag technology the opportunity to try a technology and then expand as it fits their farm.”

Benefits Span Operation Types – The benefits of the new Precision Essentials kit depend on the type of operation being managed. For example, row crop farmers will benefit by utilizing the G5 family of displays and StarFire 7500 receiver to help boost in-field productivity by maximizing every pass and allowing them to make data driven decisions within the John Deere Operations Center. The precise guidance and variable rate technology helps farmers apply inputs more accurately, helping prevent overapplication and reducing the risk of nutrient runoff, thereby protecting their investment and the environment.

For dairy and livestock operators, the M or R modem wirelessly streams data to the John Deere Operations Center, enabling them to remotely monitor field conditions, machine efficiency and health, and bale-by-bale metrics documented through their John Deere display. In addition, leveraging the precise guidance and data accuracy of the Precision Essentials kit will help achieve precise seeding,

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fertilization, and harvest of forage crops. This results in higher feed quality, optimal forage yields, and improved livestock nutrition.

High value, or specialty crop growers, managers, and operators will find value in the precise guidance and data accuracy provided by the G5 family of displays and StarFire 7500 receiver. These tools help specialty crop farmers achieve optimal plant spacing, uniform growth, and timely harvesting, everything that’s critical for maximizing crop quality and market value. The displays and receiver also enable accurate application of inputs such as fertilizers, water, and pesticides, reducing input waste and ensuring crops receive the exact nutrients they need while minimizing environmental impact.

“Customers of all sectors can start with this Precision Essentials kit and, as their needs expand or diversify, they seamlessly integrate with more advanced precision ag technologies,” Murray said. “This scalability ensures the initial investment continues to provide value, supporting long term goals such as expanding acreage, enhancing crop diversity, or integrating advanced systems.”

The Precision Essentials kit is a good solution for farmers, growers, and ranchers who have multiple brands of equipment. To help integrate the machines so precision ag technology can be utilized, visit your local John Deere dealer for all available options.

*AutoTrac license – two year license with initial purchase, available as a one year license thereafter.

John Deere Introduces Round Baling Automation to Steer Hay & Forage Operations to a New Level of Efficiency and Quality. Innovative John Deere Round Baler with weave automation offers enhanced automation, implement control and overall operational ease.. John Deere recently announced the launch of new weave automation for select round balers that helps streamline the baling process. With

this automation, the operator simply places the windrow between the front tires of the tractor and lets the baler do the work. Today, round balers have gate and speed automation, which automates stopping the tractor when the bale is full sized — wrapping and ejecting the bale. The addition of weave automation allows less reliance on operator skill to make a uniformed bale.

“Gone are the days when operators must weave a tractor during the baling process to ensure quality bale shape while not driving over windrows,” said Kaylene Ballesteros, John Deere go-to-market manager for hay and forage equipment. “Weave automation allows the baler to align with the tractor’s movements to effectively cover windrows of varying shapes and sizes.”

A New Fine Tuned Process – The weaving hitch system allows a +38º swing from left to right, allowing for enhanced feed system and bale feeding capabilities. Not only does the automation make operation more streamlined, it also enhances feed quality by minimizing contamination of debris introduced by driving over windrows.

The added maneuverability of the baler allows the machine to position bales in a way that reduces the risk of rolling on uneven terrain or hillsides, increasing operator safety, productivity, and efficiency.

“To some, the traditional baling process can be frustrating due to the weaving needed to ensure a quality bale,” Ballesteros said. “Weave automation mitigates the need for manual correction and is an easy-to-use feature that provides consistent quality bales, no matter the operator’s expertise level.”

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

About John Deere. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never driven a tractor, mowed a lawn, or operated a dozer. With John Deere’s role in helping produce food, fiber, fuel, and infrastructure, we work for every single person on the planet. It all started nearly 200 years ago with a steel plow. Today, John Deere drives innovation in agriculture, construction, forestry, turf, power systems, and more. For more information on Deere & Company, visit us at www.deere.com.

Potential

Use of Hemp Plant Material as Cattle Feed

In recent years, the production of hemp has increased due to changes in federal regulations on its medical use. Growing hemp has many challenges, but if you or others in your area are growing hemp for cannabidiol (CBD) or fiber, there is likely a large amount of biomass remaining. Hemp can produce 15,000–20,000 pounds of dry yield per acre.

Different parts of the hemp plant vary widely in nutritive value. Crude protein for the stalk, leaves, and whole plant are reported recently as 5.3, 13.0, and 6.9 percent, respectively. Fiber fractions of the stalk, leaves, and whole plant were 84, 45, and 82 percent for neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 65, 21, and 61 percent for acid detergent fiber (ADF), respectively. 1 The high fiber and low protein for the stalk indicates the likelihood of poor digestibility but the low fiber and high protein

for leaves indicates high digestibility. A recent study found that the digestibility of the stalks was only 21 percent, whereas the digestibility of the leaves was 93 percent and the whole plant was 67 percent.2

During the processing of the hemp plants, several byproducts can be produced such as straight seed, dehulled seed, seed cake, seed meal, stalk, and seed hulls. The nutritive value of these can be seen in Figure 1. The seed and seed byproducts have high crude protein values similar to typical feedstuffs used in cattle diets such as soybean meal, cottonseed meal, and distillers grains. Byproducts from the stalk are of generally low quality similar to cottonseed hulls and wheat straw, and byproducts from the seed hulls are of intermediate nutritive value similar to soybean hulls. There is high variability in reported values. The crude protein ranged from 30–50 percent for seed meal and 19–28 percent for seed. The NDF ranged from 54–70 percent, and the ADF ranged from 44–54 percent for seed hulls. Thus, analysis of the batch to be used should be completed prior to formulating the diet.

Even though the hemp plant and byproducts from the use of hemp for human uses are of good nutritional value, legal restrictions prevent the use of hemp and its byproducts in livestock feed. There is currently little data available on the number of cannabinoids (e.g., CBD and THC) in meat, milk, and eggs from livestock fed hemp. Additionally, there is minimal data on the effects of cannabinoids on animal health and welfare. However, research is investigating these effects and if approved, hemp and its byproducts could be valuable feedstuffs for cattle production.

References

1https://doi.org/10.15232/aas.2020-02018

2https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae019.028

32024; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2023.115850

Figure 1. Nutritive value of hemp byproducts and typical cattle feedstuffs. Adapted from altman et al.3

Zoetis Partners With Customers to Support FFA Through Industry Support Program. The annual program has donated millions to local FFA chapters since 2008. Zoetis has proudly partnered with veterinarians and animal health distributors to nurture the next generation of agricultural leaders through its Industry Support Program. Through April 30, customers may designate a portion of sales from eligible Zoetis Cattle and Equine products to their local chapters of the National FFA Organization.

“We owe the year-over-year success of the Industry Support Program to our customers,” said Kristin Kasselman, Senior Vice President, Head of U.S. Livestock and Equine, Zoetis. “FFA chapters use program funds in numerous ways, including covering travel expenses for conferences, funding scholarships, and supporting community projects. Zoetis is proud to offer a unique way for customers to make a difference in their own communities and support the future leaders of agriculture.”

In 2024, the program raised over $375,000 with 689 FFA chapters benefiting from the contributions. A significant majority of participating chapters said the Industry Support Program provided crucial assistance for defraying travel expenses and fees associated with member activities.

“This funding allows FFA members to access opportunities and experiences that will serve them well as they develop leadership skills and prepare for agriculture careers,” added Molly Ball, President of

the National FFA Foundation. “Zoetis’ Industry Support Program exemplifies how businesses can make a tangible impact on local FFA chapters, opening doors for young leaders to develop essential skills and prepare for impactful careers in agriculture.”

The 2025 Industry Support Program started on February 1 and will conclude on April 30. Zoetis customers have until May 5 to enroll and designate their preferred FFA chapters. To learn more about the program and how to contribute, please contact your local Zoetis representative or visit ZoetisUS.com/IndustrySupport

Zoetis Expands Folds of Honor Support with Patriots’ Pledge. Proceeds of select livestock products fund scholarships for

families of military and first responders. Zoetis recently announced a new initiative, Patriots’ Pledge, to increase its support for Folds of Honor. Beginning in 2025, proceeds from the sales of select Zoetis products in the cattle, pork, and poultry markets will raise funds for Folds of Honor scholarships. Patriots’ Pledge will run from Memorial Day to Veterans Day.

“Zoetis is grateful for the continued support of our customers. Folds of Honor has put our contribution to work funding scholarship programs for the families of the heroes that protect our communities and our freedoms,” said Kristin Kasselman. “We are excited to expand this unique initiative to our pork and poultry customers to increase our support for this great organization.”

Zoetis has supported Folds of Honor since 2022 through sales of select cattle products. To date, Zoetis contributions on behalf of its customers total $1.7 million for the Folds of Honor mission to provide academic scholarships to the spouses and children of men and women who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces or as first responders.

Zoetis is committed to supporting the legacy of leaders in agriculture and communities across the United States, and continued support of the Folds of Honor mission is one way the company meets that goal. With the Patriots’ Pledge program, Zoetis will donate a portion of sales from select products purchased between Memorial Day and Veterans Day, including:

• Cattle – Draxxin (tulathromycin injection) Injectable Solution, Draxxin KP (tulathromycin and ketoprofen injection) Injectable Solution and Excenel RTU EZ (ceftiofur hydrochloride) Sterile Suspension.

• Pork – Fostera PCV MH and Draxxin

• Poultry – Poulvac E. Coli and Embrex

For more information about the Patriots’ Pledge, visit ZoetisUS. com/PatriotsPledge

Zoetis Expands Cattle Anti-Infective Product Line. Loncor 300 (florfenicol) marketing rights acquired by Zoetis. Zoetis recently announced its recent acquisition of the marketing rights for Loncor 300 (florfenicol) from Elanco. With Loncor 300, Zoetis adds an amphenicol option to its market leading cattle anti-infective portfolio.1

“Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) continues to be a challenge for beef and dairy producers,” said Mitch Blanding, DVM, beef technical services for Zoetis. “In our anti-infective product line, we have demonstrated efficacy with products like Draxxin KP (tulathromycin and ketoprofen injection) Injectable Solution and Excede (ceftiofur crystalline free acid) Sterile Suspension. Loncor 300 gives producers another option to treat BRD and adds a fourth class of antibiotic to our portfolio of products.”

Loncor 300 (florfenicol) is a broad spectrum antibiotic active against many Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria that cause bovine respiratory disease and foot rot.

“Loncor gives veterinarians and cattle producers an additional tool within the Zoetis portfolio when treating respiratory disease,” Dr. Blanding said. “As a product sold by Zoetis, Loncor will also be backed by the expertise and insights our people have with bovine respiratory disease and helping keep cattle healthy.”

For more information on the full line of cattle anti-infective

products from Zoetis visit BRD-Solutions.com.

1 Animalytix data, December 2024, based on sales when compared with all cattle premium anti-infectives from Zoetis competitors.

About Zoetis. As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock farmers and ranchers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $8.5 billion in 2023 with approximately 14,100 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.

Cattle Receipts,

Ne w Research Estimates $90.50/hd ROI for Carcass Value of Finishing Cattle Receiving FerAppease. Study published in Translational Animal Science details significant increase in average daily gain, carcass weights in low risk yearling cattle treated with FerAppease. New research published in Translational Animal Science, an official journal of the American Society of Animal Science, details the positive impact on both gain and carcass value from applying FerAppease to low risk yearling Angus steers upon initial processing and when reimplanted in the feedlot.

“We have previously observed how FerAppease can improve the health and well being of high risk cattle during stressful times in their lives,” said research lead Dr. Reinaldo Cooke, the Burkhart Endowed Professor for Beef Cattle Research at Texas A&M University. “Going into this research, our hypothesis was that low risk cattle could also benefit from application of the maternal bovine appeasing substance — mBAS — when being handled in the feedyard, and the results of this study proved just that.”

The active ingredient of FerAppease, mBAS, is the synthetic analog of an appeasing pheromone that is naturally secreted from the mammary gland of lactating cows, which promotes a calming effect on the offspring. However, cattle remain sensitive to the calming effects of mBAS until adult life. FerAppease is applied topically behind the poll and across the muzzle of cattle.

In the latest study, 240 Angus yearling steers were sourced from a stocker operation after backgrounding. Upon arrival at the research feedyard in Bushland, Tex., steers were divided into 15 pens, with eight steers per pen. Half of the pens received FerAppease — 10 mL per steer — and the other half received mineral oil — placebo control; 10 mL per steer — during initial processing at the yard. Steers were on feed for 138 days until slaughter. After 75 days on feed, all steers were reimplanted and received a second dose of their respective treatment. All other conditions, such as nutrition, access to water, etc. were equivalent between both groups of cattle.

“We detected notable improvements in both live and carcass performance of the treated steers,” said Cooke. “Steers receiving FerAppease had greater average daily gain — 0.17 pounds per day more — compared to the control, equating to an additional 23.5 pounds over the 138 day feeding period, and an average 15.6-pound heavier hot carcass weight.”

Steers treated with FerAppease had higher marbling scores at a low 500 (average 508.1 marbling score), compared to a high 400 for the control steers — average 481.7 marbling score. Accordingly, treated steers graded higher with 94.9 percent grading Choice or Prime — including 48.3 percent as Premium Choice — compared to 87.9 percent of the control steers — 34.5 percent as Premium Choice. The proportion of carcasses grading Select decreased from 12.1 percent in control steers to 5.1 percent in FerAppease steers.

According to Cooke’s estimates, these improvements in live weight and carcass value pencil out to a $90.50 per head profit difference for carcass value — 15:1 ROI — and $60 per head profit difference for live weight — 10:1 ROI — for cattle treated with FerAppease versus those who were not.

“Stress compromises animal performance, health and carcass quality,” said Rodrigo Bicalho, DVM, Ph.D., CEO of FERA Diagnostics & Biologicals. “Due to the nature of how we handle cattle

UPDATE

— on trailers, through chutes, etc. — stress is inevitable, but the negative impacts don’t have to be. This research affirms that we can set livestock up for success on both hoof and rail using FerAppease.”

View the full manuscript online at https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/ txaf022 or in the next issue of Translational Animal Science , and learn more about FerAppease at www.feraah.com

About FERA Diagnostics & Biologicals . FERA is a privately held animal health company based in College Station, Texas. Combining innovation and science, FERA has introduced FerAppease to address the hidden health and economic costs of stress on cattle. We aim to bring practical products to the animal health field to improve the welfare of animals, create value, and contribute to our customers’ success. For more information on FerAppease, visit www.feraah.com.

Field Observations — Forage Checklist

By JOSH BAKER, Southeast AgriSeed

We are soon entering a transition period from winter to spring. At my home farm, there are a few items on the forage checklist I thought I would share.

1. Evaluate Winter Annuals

a. Grazing ground – Walking through a winter annual field recently, I observed a few things. It’s worth noting that my 2024 planted winter annual mix included spring oats, triticale, ryegrass, brassicas, and legumes. I planted late, some as late as December because the moisture came in late, and time was short this fall. The spring oats are still hanging on despite the cold temperatures. Brassicas are still there. They are small, but still there, despite the cold. The ryegrass looks great in the mix. We know that we can plant ryegrass late and still get a good stand, and it’s showing out as expected. Vetch, crimson clover, and winter peas are all present in good quantities. As soon as I can get across the ground, I will apply a balanced blend of no less than 60 units N on a portion of the ground while applying nothing to some areas.

b. Baleage ground – Triticale and crimson clover over the baleage ground looks great. I never seem to regret pairing a legume with a grass, even though I know the crimson will not bloom before it’s harvested. However, the nitrogen from crimson clover will be available to my summer annual crop, so it’s a plus! This field has been in annual production now for three years, and it’s looking better and better. Though planted late, the stand is full, and the plants have tillered. Applying 80 units of N is the plan on this piece of ground, then cut once, terminate, and prep for summer annual planting. Regrowth on small grains may be grazeable, but it’s not worth an attempt at a second cut, typically.

2. Evaluate Perennials

a. Fall planted perennials seem to have struggled through the winter, but they are surviving and holding on. It still holds true that perennials do better in better ground. It pays to get the fertility right before establishing perennials. I’ve observed some weak stands. I do suggest overseeding those this spring, but it has to be sooner rather than later. As we get beyond mid-March, you’re way better off waiting until fall. Whether you have newly planted perennials or old stands, make a plan to fertilize and set it in motion now.

b. Diverse fields are winning. Perennials with multiple grass species, legumes, and forbs are holding together better than straight grass fields. I won’t dive into the reasons — some are unknown — but it is observable. It’s especially apparent in years with variable weather — which seems to be every year — that diverse stands are more resilient.

3. Address Bare

Areas

a. I didn’t get everything planted on my farm due to late rain, holidays, seed business, etc. I missed some ground, and now it’s still there, unplanted. I also have feed out areas that are in pretty rough shape. As soon as possible, my plan is to seed spring oats and peas. This mix will be simple because I’m not sure if it will be grazed or harvested for baleage. If the winter mix does well and carries the cows, I will cut this for baleage. If not, it will be grazed. There’s a

chance we won’t catch a weather break, and this planting may not occur. In mid-March, I will make the call just to wait on summer annual planting. For my ground with moderate to low fertility, I’m always disappointed when I try to squeeze a crop into a tight window.

4. Plan for Warm Season Forage

a. If you’ve not discovered the values of annuals in a forage system, now is the time. For those of you who have been using annuals, it’s time to lock them in so that you get the good stuff. If you’re confused about what summer annual to select, check out the Summer Annual Grass Selection Guide

As always, we are available to talk through your plan. Our website, www.southeastagriseeds.com, is full of resources that can point you in the right direction as well. We are constantly learning ourselves and always appreciate any feedback from you.

Cattle producers share how programs help build stronger businesses. Practical solutions help cattle producers maximize efficiency and profitability. Raising cattle is both demanding and fulfilling. Each day offers new possibilities for producers to improve their herd and work toward greater profitability. With the cattle market at historically high levels, many producers are seizing the moment to move their businesses forward with the help of management programs.

Whether it’s feed financing, product testing trials, or value added calf marketing programs, cattle producers say these services are helping them address challenges and take advantage of market conditions to advance their operations.

Moving forward – Every operation pursues their growth and performance goals differently, and what works for one may not suit another. Purina Animal Nutrition’s tools and services are designed to help pinpoint key areas of focus on your farm or ranch, empowering you to take your herd to the next level and continue moving your cattle business forward.

The 6-4-0 Feed Financing Program is a unique collaboration between Purina and John Deere Financial which allows you to offset one of the most significant expenses on your cattle operation by delaying payments for up to six months during the enrollment period.1 While payments are delayed during the enrollment period, Purina covers the interest cost for up to six months. It gives you the flexibility to pay for feed after your cattle have been marketed.

“It’s been a real advantage to pay 0% interest for six months [during the enrollment period],” says Wayne Drouhard, a Kansas cow/ calf producer. “It’s worked well for us, and we’d highly recommend it.”

Take advantage of the strong cattle market with the Purina Wind and Rain Mineral Value Added Program. It is one of the first feeder calf programs to provide buyers with calves that have a foundation built on quality mineral nutrition. Calves enrolled in the program receive essential vitamins and minerals from conception to weaning. Superior Livestock Auction sales data from 2023 shows that by participating in the program, you could see sizable average premiums of $31 per head.2

“Being part of the Wind and Rain Mineral Value Added Program, the buyer has the confidence the calves have had sufficient nutritional support when they get them there,” says Buddy Raney, a Florida cattle producer. “Without the Wind and Rain Mineral Value Added Program, we could possibly be leaving money on the table.”

Another innovative preconditioning program offered is the Purina Plus Value Added Program. It combines a complete nutritional foundation, proven health protocols and progressive management to distinguish high value calves for a sale day advantage.

“Back when we marketed them [calves] ourselves, we always did good,” says Ronnie Karl, a Missouri cow/calf producer. “But with the Purina Plus program, it just went from beyond good to excellent. There’s just no comparison.”

Feed can be put to test as well with a Purina Proof Pays feeding trial. If you have 50 cattle or more, you can test a Purina feed or mineral product on your operation for 28–90 days with the help of your local Purina dealer to measure the impact on your herd’s performance.

“The quality of the animal has substantially gotten better,” says Ty Hendrick, a Montana cattle producer. “As it is for any rancher, you learn by doing…and sometimes it’s as simple as changing your feed program.”

Made for more – Through the highs and lows of the cattle

business, the team of researchers, nutritionists, salespeople, and dealers from Purina are here to support you.

“Whether you’re dealing with a historic drought, down cattle market or simply looking for input on what to feed, we’re here to help your unique cattle business thrive for generations to come,” says Ted Perry, cattle nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition. “As with our feeds, our programs are strengthened by our continuous research at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Missouri. We are deeply invested in your success and take pride in helping you achieve your goals.”

“At Purina, we realize cattle producers are facing an ever evolving business environment,” adds Perry. “A shared passion with producers drives us to bring out the best in every animal.”

The relationship between producers and Purina goes beyond products.

“We are committed to working alongside you to address your herd’s specific needs and support you in achieving your goals and beyond,” says Perry.

Contact your local Purina dealer or visit purinamills.com/cattlecare for more information on how these programs could help your operation.

References

1The 6-4-0 Feed Financing Program is a collaboration between Purina Animal Nutrition and John Deere Financial.

2Tonsor, G. and Renter, D. 2023. Superior Livestock Auction Data. Kansas State University.

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

LIVESTOCK NEWS

Calving Kit Essentials

By KIRK RAMSEY, DVM, MS

Agood motto to live by is “Be Prepared,” especially during calving season. With that in mind, here are a few items that are essential to have on hand, plus some best practice tips to consider:

OB chains and handles – Chains are strong and are meant to be used with OB handles. They are also the preferred instrument when using a calf puller. A quality chain and handle will last a lifetime if properly cared for. Make sure they are always cleaned and dried after each use; old rusty chains are a biosecurity hazard and can be dangerous to use. Make sure chains are placed correctly, with the first loop over the calf’s fetlock and a half hitch placed below the fetlock and above the hoof. Remember, chains are always placed on the top of the foot and never below.

Clean, dry towels – Clean and dry towels are a lifesaver during calving. These can be used all throughout the calving process and are critical for helping dry off a newborn calf and to stimulate breathing.

Stainless steel bucket – A well made metal bucket is a treasured item for every operation, and its uses are innumerable. For calving, however, use it to hold clean warm water, which is essential for keeping hands and arms clean, as well as cleaning the instruments you use during calving. This is an important measure of biosecurity for yourself, the dam, and her calf.

Calf jack – A calf jack or calf puller can be an incredibly useful instrument to aid in dystocia, or difficult calving. However, remember that a calf jack can apply over 2,000 lbs of force. It is critical that they be used appropriately by trained individuals, and only when absolutely necessary.

Obstetrics lube – OB lube is an essential item to assist with difficult births or manual interventions, such as repositioning or pulling a calf. It helps reduce friction and ensures a gentler process during prolonged or complicated calving.

Calving head snare – A head snare is a vital instrument for aiding in dystocia. This instrument is used to keep the head engaged through the pelvis and prevents it from turning while force is applied to the legs. Always ensure proper use and that the snare is cinched into the mouth of the calf and not around the neck.

Colostrum replacer – Timing of feeding colostrum, its quality, and the quantity fed are the three most important factors for newborn calves. It is recommended that the calf receives 10–12 percent of its body weight in colostrum within the first two to three hours of life. The quality of colostrum can be determined by using

a Brix refractometer or a colostrometer. Colostrum should contain at least 50 g/L of immunoglobulin (IgG); anything below 20 g/L should not be relied upon to ensure passive transfer of antibodies. If colostrum is unobtainable from the dam, or is not excellent quality, a colostrum replacer should be used.

Esophageal tube feeder – For weak calves, you may need to use an esophageal tube feeder to administer colostrum or fluids. Keep in mind that, while metal tube feeders may last longer, the feeder’s inflexibility can damage the upper airways and esophagus if the calf is not restrained properly. Flexible tube feeders are usually semiridged plastic and allow for flexibility that is safer and may reduce the risk of injury to the calf.

Clean bottles and nipples – In situations where a calf is unable to nurse from the dam, colostrum or milk replacer can be given to the calf via bottle.

Calf blanket – In cold and wet conditions, a calf blanket is important to help newborn calves maintain their body temperature and reduce the risk of hypothermia.

Heat lamp or livestock warmer – A heat lamp or livestock warmer box can offer the additional warmth needed to help newborn calves regulate their body temperature and avoid hypothermia during harsh weather conditions.

Medications – Speak with your veterinarian to determine whether you should have antibiotics or anti-inflammatories on hand, in the case of difficult calving.

The calving process usually occurs without concern; however, it’s good practice to be prepared for the unexpected. Keep these thoughts in mind as you embark on a successful calving season.

To learn more, visit neogen.com/industries/beef.

About Neogen. Neogen Corporation is committed to fueling a brighter future for global food security through the advancement of human and animal well being. Harnessing the power of science and technology, Neogen has developed comprehensive solutions spanning the Food Safety, Livestock, and Pet Health & Wellness markets. A world leader in these fields, Neogen has a presence in over 140 countries with a dedicated network of scientists and technical experts focused on delivering optimized products and technology for its customers. To learn more, visit www.neogen.com

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.

Reproductive Strategies

By BOB LARSON, DVM, Ph.D. , Beef Cattle Institute at Kansas State University

Having a highly productive herd that optimizes forage and feed resources and reproductive efficiency should be the goal of every cow/calf operation. Achieving this goal requires attention to many aspects of herd management, including heifer development, bull management, breeding soundness examinations of both bulls and heifers, forage management, forage supplementation strategies, and control of diseases that can cause infertility, early embryonic death, abortions, or the birth of weak calves.

When a fertile bull mates a fertile cow, many times a live calf is not born from that mating. If the bull and female are both fertile (i.e., producing fertile eggs and sperm), nearly 100 percent of matings will result in the start of a new embryo. But reproduction is complex, and there are many opportunities for problems to arise that halt the normal progression of the pregnancy. In fact, it is estimated that about 30–40 percent of embryos are lost very early in pregnancy. If the pregnancy is lost in the first 14 days, the cow will usually be in heat again 21 days after her last heat. If the bull is still in the breeding pasture, she will be bred again and have another 60–70 percent likelihood to initiate and maintain a pregnancy. This early loss is considered unavoidable and is due to the complexity of reproduction and the loss of imperfect embryos.

Because only 60–70 percent of fertile matings will result in the birth of a live calf, it is important that all, or most, of the cows in the herd have the opportunity to be bred three times before the bulls are

removed from the breeding pasture. Using a 65 day breeding season as an example, cows that cycle within the first three weeks of the breeding season have the opportunity to re-cycle by day 42 if they lose an early pregnancy from the first mating and again by day 63 if they lose a second pregnancy. This results in three opportunities to get pregnant and maintain a pregnancy all the way to calving. In contrast, cows that do not start cycling until the second 21 days of the breeding season only have one more opportunity to be bred if they lose the first pregnancy early enough to re-cycle. Using an average of 65 percent successful births of a live calf from fertile matings, 95 percent of cows that have three opportunities to become pregnant will give birth to a live calf. In contrast, only 88 percent of cows that only have two opportunities to become pregnant are predicted to give birth to a live calf.

To ensure that a high percentage of cows with calves at-side and first calf heifers are cycling at the start of the breeding season, it is critical that they calved early in the calving season in good body condition. Remember that pregnancy in cattle lasts about 283 days; which leaves only 82 days between the birth of a calf and a mating that results in a successful pregnancy for next year’s calf if the cow is to maintain a one year calving interval. Although there are herdto-herd and year-to-year variations, most herds require about 50–70 days after calving for a majority of mature cows in good body condition to resume cycling. First calf heifers require more time than mature cows to resume fertile cycles after their first calf —

often about 80–100 days. Both first calf heifers and mature cows require additional days after calving to resume cycling if they are less than a body condition score of 5 on a 9 point scale. Once cows begin lactating, it is very difficult to add body condition; therefore, if cows are thin during gestation, you must adjust their diet so that weight is added before they calve. Careful attention to body condition during late pregnancy is critical so that necessary ration changes, such as giving access to high quality forage or lower quality forage supplemented to meet protein and energy needs, can be accomplished to guarantee good body condition at calving.

Because heifers take longer to resume fertile cycles after their first calf than after later pregnancies, it is nearly impossible for a group of heifers to have an average calving date for their second calves as three-year-olds that is as early as the average date for their first calving as two-year-olds. This problem can be addressed by scheduling the heifer breeding season so that heifers will calve before the cows begin calving; or, at the latest, during the first few weeks of the calving season. In order to make sure that heifers reach puberty prior to their first breeding season, herd managers should measure body weight periodically from weaning to the start of breeding and make adjustments to the diet to ensure that an adequate number of heifers in the replacement pool have reached the herd specific target weight for puberty — usually 55–65 percent of mature weight. Additionally, prior to the breeding season, a veterinarian can palpate the reproductive tract of all potential replacement heifers to determine if nearly all the heifers have palpable corpus luteum (CL) and a mature uterus indicating sufficient maturity to become pregnant to an A.I. mating or early in the breeding season. If estrous synchronization and A.I. are utilized, palpating reproductive tracts to ensure that nearly all the heifers are cycling will help protect against disappointing results before the time and expense of synchronization and A.I. are sunk.

Bulls must be able to breed all the cows in heat each day of the breeding season in order to achieve good reproductive efficiency. It is critical that bulls be examined for breeding soundness before the start of the breeding season. A complete breeding soundness examination will evaluate the bulls’ health, ability to move freely, and semen quality. Bulls that fail any of these criteria should not be used for breeding. In addition to a breeding soundness examination before the start of the breeding season, bulls must be observed closely the first few days of the breeding season. Some bulls have problems with movement, mounting, or breeding that are difficult or impossible to detect in a squeeze chute or small pen. Therefore, even bulls that pass a breeding soundness exam must be evaluated closely in the breeding pasture to make sure they successfully breed the cows showing heat. Both bulls and cows should be examined throughout the breeding season to make sure that fewer cows are showing heat as the breeding season progresses, indicating successful establishment of pregnancy, and that bulls do not develop any visible problems with feet, legs, penis, testicles, or body condition that impair breeding performance.

A number of diseases can cause cows to fail to become pregnant or to lose the pregnancy before a live calf is born. Different diseases that cause pregnancy loss act in different ways. Some attack very early in pregnancy, others are more likely to cause problems in mid or late pregnancy. Some are spread to pregnant cows from other

cows, calves, or bulls in the same herd or from cattle in adjacent pastures. Other diseases expose the herd through contaminated feed. A plan to use available vaccines, isolation of the herd away from high risk cattle, proper feed harvesting, storage and delivery, and appropriate use of diagnostic tests should be developed with your veterinarian to address the most important risks to your herd.

Herds that have excellent reproductive efficiency do so because herd managers and their veterinarians and other advisors address many details that affect heifer development, cow body condition, bull fertility, and disease control. The result of a reproduction management strategy that prioritizes all these aspects of animal husbandry is a herd that has early calving replacement heifers, cows that enter the calving season in good body condition, nearly all the cows resuming fertile cycles within the first 21 days of the breeding season, bulls that are fertile and able to breed all the cows that come into heat, and little or no loss of pregnancies due to disease.

S.C. Cattle Receipts, Trends, and Prices for the Month of JANUARY 2025

Receipts: 7,857

Five Ways to Improve Breeding Efficiencies in 2025. “The health and success of your cow/calf herd is dependent on the care your cows and heifers receive from the start,” says Dr. Dan

Tracy, beef technical services veterinarian with Zoetis.

“The right nutritional plane leading up to the breeding season lays the foundation for cows and replacement heifers to be in the best condition for reproductive success,” he says. “We must also incorporate sound herd health practices that boost immunity and mitigate risks along the way.”

Dr. Sam Ingram, Range & Pasture field scientist with Corteva Agriscience, agrees. “Properly conditioned cows breed back quicker, and tighter calving windows produce more uniform groups of calves that command a premium at market,” he says.

The good news is that a comprehensive herd health program and your pasture management efforts can work in tandem to boost herd performance and drive profitability this year.

“It comes down to finding the right mix of practices and products that fit the management style of your herd,” Tracy says.

Here are their top tips for improving breeding efficiencies on your cow/calf operation:

1. Evaluate your prebreeding vaccination program – A well planned heifer and cow vaccination program builds immunity to help protect the cow and her unborn calf. Prebreeding vaccinations can help protect the cow herd from costly reproductive diseases that challenge breeding efficiencies.

Work with your herd veterinarian to find products that balance efficacy and safety to match the risk of disease exposure for your herd.

2. Consider a reproduction synchronization program – Utilizing a reproduction synchronization program helps support higher fertility cycles by enabling easier, more accurate heat detection so heifers and cows can come into heat and be bred in a narrower window of time.

A timed artificial insemination program can help tighten the calving window and the labor requirements that go with it. Even when a producer isn’t using A.I., synchronization programs still provide a shorter calving period and more cows bred earlier via natural service.

“A synchronization program helps define the breeding season and front load calving as much as possible,” Tracy says. “This practice not only provides labor efficiencies during calving, but it also allows calves more time on the cow and more pounds of beef produced at the end of the season.”

3. Monitor pastures early, even before they start to green up –“This practice allows you to address potential pasture problems while weeds are still small,” Ingram says. A high quality forage base will keep breeding stock in good body condition, which can help improve conception rates, increase milk production, and boost daily gains.

“Watch for early emerging annual weeds and biennial thistles,” Ingram explains. “Treating early allows grasses more time and space to grow, which will help suppress any additional weeds.”

He recommends a proven pasture herbicide with residual control to manage new weed flushes that pop up well into the grazing season.

4. Maximize forage production with sound summer pasture management practices – Consider cross fencing to facilitate cattle movement based on the level of forage production and allow a rest period for the previously grazed pasture. This can increase utilization and per acre production.

5. Implement an effective parasite control program – If you have cattle grazing, then you also have a risk of exposure to internal parasites. Control of internal and external parasites is an essential building block for healthy cattle. The goal of a parasite management program is to reduce the parasite burden in the animal and on the pasture. Proper pasture management and not grazing too close to the ground can help here, too.

There are many variables and practices that can contribute to improved reproductive efficiency and more pounds of beef produced per acre. But Ingram and Tracy recognize each herd is unique, with different management practices already in place.

“There is more than one way to manage a successful cattle operation,” Tracy says. “Be sure to take full advantage of local expertise to identify and customize management protocols for your herd.” He encourages producers to regularly consult with their local veterinarian, Zoetis representative, nutritionist, and pasture management specialist for the best results.

Learn more about herd health programs at BuildingHealthyHerds. com

Beefy Shepherd’s Pie

Total Time — 1 hour

1 pound ground beef (90–95% lean)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 jar (12 ounces) mushroom or beef gravy

1½ cups frozen peas and carrots

¼ teaspoon pepper

2½–3 cups prepared mashed potatoes, warmed 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°F. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef and onion; cook 8–10 minutes, breaking into ¾ inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet with slotted spoon; pour off drippings. Return beef to skillet; stir in gravy and peas and season with pepper.

Cook’s tip – Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.

Spoon the beef mixture into a 2 quart baking dish. Top with potatoes, spreading evenly; sprinkle with cheese if desired. Bake in a 450°F oven for 25–30 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese begins to brown.

Makes 4 servings.

SNEWS

marter Ranching Starts Here — Wearable Tech for Breeding Season and Animal Health.

Wearable technology is becoming more available for ranchers to keep an eye on individual animals in their herds. However, you will see the impact they can have on your herd during wintertime.

“Wearables in the human health space have been popular for years to aid in tracking movement, heart rate, sleep, temperature, and other biometrics to improve overall health and signal illness. In the cattle industry, this technology started in feedlots and dairies to aid in estrus and illness detection but is making its way to ranches.

Andrew Uden, CEO of HerdDogg, says, “We are finally to the point where wearables are becoming cost effective enough and getting enough range to be effective on ranches.”

HerdDogg creates a wearable for cattle that tracks total activity, ear temperature, and accelerometer data. This animal behavior data can be used by ranchers to detect estrus or illness in individual animals earlier than the human eye. Additional features include turning lights on for specific tags to easily find the cows you are looking for and allowing your veterinarian or nutritionist to access your dashboard. HerdDogg focuses on using long range Bluetooth to make this technology effective for ranchers and is easily accessible from cell phones.

“It’s pretty basic, just like any smartwatch or FitBit that measures your activity and temperature. We just take it a step further by also comparing individual animals to herd data,” says Uden.

In a feedlot setting, HerdDogg can aid in detecting Illness two to three days early. They are still collecting data on this in a pasture setting but can already detect enough changes in individuals or the herd to flag that something is wrong.

“This data can show you have an issue with your herd, so you can check them early and show up prepared to potentially treat one or multiple animals,” says Uden.

Having this capability can help ranchers know which pastures to spend more or less time in, treat illness sooner, and be more effective with treatments and retreatments based on animal activity.

In addition to detecting illness sooner, HerdDogg also helps ranchers detect when females are cycling or missed a cycle. This feature helps ranchers have a better idea of conception rate prior to pregnancy checking and creates opportunities for more informed management decisions around pulling bulls, marketing late breds, selling opens, or even weaning early in drought scenarios.

“We aren’t telling people how to run their cows. We just collect

the data and give them new insights about their herd,” Uden says.

For producers who utilize artificial insemination, wearables save time and labor by heat detecting for you. The lights on the tags also make it easy to sort out the cows or heifers ready to breed and offer very accurate estrus windows for timed breedings.

Wearables offer a broad range of benefits to ranchers, but like any technology, that doesn’t mean they are for everyone.

“Ranchers need to ask themselves does my team understand technology and am I going to use it as a lifetime tool for this animal before investing in the product,” Uden says.

Wearables don’t have to be a standalone investment. They can fit into the broader pictures of ag technology on ranches. It is expected they’ll connect with and play a part in traceability, water monitoring and virtual fencing in the future.

Wearable technology and companies such as HerdDogg make coming back to the ranch even more exciting for younger generations.

“We know the value of using technology to our advantage instead of viewing it as a burden,” Uden says.

The HerdDogg tag and team ultimately serves as an extra set of eyes to help ranchers make more informed management decisions.

About HerdDogg, Inc. HerdDogg, the leader in data driven livestock management, provides dairy and beef producers with its patented Bluetooth ear tags and data platform to give producers the visibility and data they need to make more money from every animal they raise. HerdDogg was born from the belief that with the right tools and a fresh approach, we can help cattlemen achieve a better balance between high animal health, ranch prosperity, and a flourishing family life. For more information, visit www. herddogg.com

Virbac Adds New Respiratory and Reproductive Vaccines to Lineup.

Virbac is expanding its U.S. cattle range of products with four new products. Virbac is expanding its U.S. cattle range of products with four vaccines — Bovigen Platinum 5, Bovigen Platinum 5 L5, Bovigen Platinum 3, and Bovigen Platinum 3 LP Vaccines.

All four vaccines protect against key respiratory viruses, while Bovigen Platinum 5 L5 and 3 LP Vaccines add bacterial protection against leptospirosis.

Bovigen Platinum 5 Vaccine is effective for weaned calves as part of preconditioning, value added, and replacement heifer development programs, as well as mature cattle. It protects against the country’s most prevalent strains of the bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVD) including Types 1 and 2. 1,2 Additional protection includes infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR), bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV).

Bovigen L5 Vaccine offers the same 5 way respiratory protection as the Bovigen Platinum 5 Vaccine with the addition of bacterial protection against abortion causing Leptospira canicola, Leptospira grippotyphosa, Leptospira hardjo, Leptospira icterohaemorrhagiae, and Leptospira pomona. It also provides cross protection against Leptospira hardjo-bovis.

Virbac’s Bovigen Platinum 3 is ideal for use in feedyards at processing or revaccination. This vaccine delivers comprehensive protection against the most prevalent strains of BVD and IBR in times when exposure to other respiratory viruses is less likely.

Bovigen Platinum 3 LP Vaccine marries the power of the Bovigen Platinum 3 Vaccine with added protection against Leptospira pomona, making it ideal for feedyards, beef-on-dairy calves, or calf ranches.

Beef-on-dairy calves account for 7 percent of cattle on feed and are projected to increase to 15 percent by 2026.3 Beef-on-dairy calves have an increased susceptibility to lepto, so the Bovigen Platinum L5 and Bovigen Platinum 3 LP Vaccines are especially effective.

All of these modified live viral vaccines are available in 50 dose vials and dosed at 2 milliliters (mL) subcutaneously to meet Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) standards.4 The Bovigen Platinum 5 and Bovigen Platinum 5 L5 Vaccines are also available in 10 dose vials.

There are two bottles (vaccine and diluent) included for each vaccine and color coded for ease of use. The color coding makes it easy to keep products straight if multiple products are in use, depending on your operation’s vaccination needs. Each signature color can be found on the viral cake and the corresponding diluent.

“We are excited to expand our growing portfolio in an area that prioritizes animal well being by preventing disease. Our U.S. team is made of cattle professionals who understand your problems firsthand and work hard to anticipate your needs,” says Giovanni Abbruzzini, Virbac CEO and president of North America.

Virbac is partnering with manufacturer Diamond Animal Health to bring these vaccines to market.

“Our partnership with Diamond Animal Health is a great pairing of companies with more than 100 years of combined experience. Diamond Animal Health is recognized by the entire industry and has an excellent track record of consistent supply and proven safety,” Payot says.

The BOVIGEN Platinum vaccine line is manufactured in America at the Diamond Animal Health Des Moines, Iowa, facility.

These vaccines are available now. Learn more about Bovigen Platinum

Vaccines at https://us.virbac.com/home/cattle/vaccination.html

References

1Fulton, R.W., Cook, B.J., Payton, M.E., et al. Immune response to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) vaccines detecting antibodies due to BVDV subtypes 1a, 1b, 2a, and 2c. Vaccine 2020;38(24): 4032–4037.

2Fulton, R.W., Ridpath, J.F., Saliki, J.T., Briggs, R.E., Confer, A.W., Burge, L.J., Purdy, C.W., Loan, R.W., Duff, G.C., Payton, M.E., Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) 1b: predominant BVDV subtype in calves with respiratory disease. The Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research 2002;66:181-190.

3 Xue, W., Mattick, D., Smith, L., Umbaugh, J., Trigo, E. Vaccination with a modified live bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) type 1a vaccine completely protected calves against challenge with BVDV type 1b strains. Vaccine 2010;29(1):70-76.

4Beef Quality Assurance. National Manual. Accessed April 24, 2024. www.bqa.org/Media/BQA/Docs/nationalmanual.pdf.

About Virbac Animal Health. Virbac offers veterinarians, farmers, and pet owners in more than 100 countries a practical range of products and services to diagnose, prevent, and treat the majority of pathologies while improving the animals’ quality of life. With these innovative solutions covering the majority of animal species and diseases, Virbac contributes, day after day, to shape the future of animal health. For more information, visit https://us.virbac.com/home

Nebraska Cattleman

Becomes New NCBA President. Buck Wehrbein, a Nebraska cattleman, ascended to the role of NCBA president during CattleCon 2025, held in San Antonio, Texas. Wehrbein, with a 45 year career in the cattle feeding sector, brings decades of dedication to the industry and leadership experience to NCBA’s top leadership post.

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association NEWS

The 2025 NCBA officer team, approved by the NCBA board of directors, took office at the end of this year’s convention. Gene Copenhaver of Virginia was named president-elect and Kim Brackett of Idaho was elected vice president. Skye Krebs of Oregon was elected chair of the NCBA Policy Division and Kenny Rogers of Colorado was elected policy vice chair. Nancy Jackson of Mississippi and Travis Maddock of North Dakota were elected as chair and vice chair of the NCBA Federation Division, respectively. Brad Hastings of Texas will continue to serve in the role of NCBA treasurer.

As president, Wehrbein sees both challenges and opportunities ahead, but he’s confident that NCBA’s unifying presence will remain critical to addressing key issues facing farmers and ranchers. He is particularly passionate about fostering opportunity for the next generation of cattle producers, recognizing their ability to drive innovation and industry progress. “They’re ahead of where we were in my time,” he noted. “They understand the issues, and they’re ready to make a difference.”

Wehrbein’s focus during his time as president is to advocate for profit opportunities while also strengthening the freedom to operate. Securing tax relief provisions and pushing back on regulatory overreach is also crucial during the year ahead.

“The tax issue is critically important for agriculture,” Wehrbein said. “A few years ago, there was talk of doing away with the deduction of expenses, and that would have been devastating. We also have to keep pushing on the Death Tax. With what land values have done, if families are forced to sell or split up land to pay taxes, it would put a lot of people out of business.”

For Wehrbein, leadership is guided by faith, family, and vocation. A devout Christian, he credits his faith with providing direction and strength throughout his career and in raising his family. Married to his wife Sandy for more than 52 years, Wehrbein cherishes the support of his family, including his two daughters, seven grandchildren, and ten great grandchildren. He looks forward to the year ahead, working with NCBA members toward a stronger, more viable future.

“The overarching principle and aim of NCBA is to make things better for our members and create an environment where each of us focus on our farms and ranches,” Wehrbein explained. “That’s a big strength of NCBA — we’re not just big feedlots or big ranches. We’re everybody,” Wehrbein said.

NCBA Announces 2025 Policy Priorities. The NCBA Executive Committee approved the organization’s policy priorities at CattleCon 2025. This year, the focus will be on engaging with the Trump Administration and Congress to expand opportunities for producer profitability.

“NCBA will continue advocating for passage of a long term Farm Bill

and pushing to extend the critical tax provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, that expire at the end of the year. We will also be continuing to fight for more flexibility for grazing and voluntary conservation work that is vital to preventing catastrophic wildfires that have been raging across the country,” said Buck Wehrbein. “Over the past few years, producers have been increasingly squeezed by onerous regulatory burdens, including unscientific Endangered Species Act listings and the rapidly changing enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act. This government overreach has prevented meaningful conservation efforts, leaving America’s treasured natural resources in worse condition and has left cattle producers in a position of great uncertainty, with soaring legal and accounting bills. NCBA is laser focused on advancing federal policies that will help improve the general business climate and give producers more opportunities moving forward to increase the profitability of their operations.”

Some of NCBA’s 2025 Policy Priorities include:

• Work to retain core wins in the 2024 House Agriculture Committee passed Farm Bill.

• Preserve family farms and ranches for future generations by advocating for essential tax relief for cattle producers.

• Fight for meaningful long term relief from the burdensome reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act.

• Enhance wildfire prevention utilizing targeted grazing, controlled burns, and forest management practices to protect grazing lands.

• Keep working lands working by protecting family farms from undue regulatory burdens under the Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and many other key regulations.

NCBA Congratulates Lee Zeldin on Confirmation as EPA Administrator. Recently, NCBA Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane issued a statement congratulating Lee Zeldin on his confirmation as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

“For too long, the EPA has stood for ‘Ending Production Agriculture.’ Under Administrator Zeldin, we look forward to an EPA that acknowledges the conservation efforts that are only made possible by cattle farmers and ranchers — America’s original conservationists. NCBA congratulates Administrator Zeldin on his bipartisan confirmation, and we look forward to working with him to protect the clean water and healthy soil that American agriculture relies on every day.”

NCBA Thanks Trump Administration for Protecting Cattle Health and Critical Trade. NCBA recently thanked President Donald J. Trump and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for working swiftly to protect the U.S. cattle herd from the threat of New World screwworm. The announcement from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) reopens cross border movement of cattle with numerous safeguards to prevent the spread of dangerous pests.

“We appreciate USDA working with their counterparts in Mexico to institute an inspection program that will protect our nation’s cattle herd from the threat of New World screwworm,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Safely reopening trade is important

to the livelihood of many cattle farmers and ranchers, and we are thankful to President Trump for making this issue a top priority of his administration. This action once again demonstrates President Trump’s commitment to rural America.”

USDA-APHIS has negotiated and secured approval of a comprehensive protocol that involves layers of veterinary inspection and treatment to prevent the spread of New World screwworm in addition to other types of ticks and insects. Protecting the U.S. cattle herd from New World screwworm is a top priority for NCBA. The association has distributed information to cattle producers nationwide and is continuing to advocate for additional funding for sterile flies, which are used to eradicate the screwworm.

NCBA Congratulates Brooke Rollins on Confirmation as Secretary of Agriculture. Recently, Ethan Lane issued a statement congratulating Brooke Rollins on her confirmation as Secretary of the USDA:

“We are pleased with the bipartisan confirmation of Brooke Rollins to be Secretary of Agriculture. We know Secretary Rollins will prioritize passing a Farm Bill, protecting America’s cattle herd from the threat of foreign animal disease, and ensuring USDA is focused on supporting America’s cattle farmers and ranchers instead of covering them in red tape. NCBA looks forward to working with Secretary Rollins to passionately defend our rural communities and America’s cattle raising legacy.”

NCBA to Fight for Death Tax Relief. NCBA strongly supports the Death Tax Repeal Act, led by Representatives Randy Feenstra of Iowa and Sanford Bishop of Georgia. The Senate companion bill is led by Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. Repealing the federal estate tax, also known as the Death Tax, is a top priority this year for NCBA.

“The Death Tax isn’t pro-growth — it’s a death warrant for family businesses. It’s the top threat to the future of family farms and ranches, and U.S. cattle producers need relief from this insidious tax,” said Buck Wehrbein. “Family owned farms and ranches operate on limited cash flow, with most of their value tied up in land. As farmland and pastureland values rise, more producers will be hit with this punitive tax, forcing them to sell assets or take on debt, sometimes paying the Death Tax multiple times. In a recent NCBA tax survey, 33 percent of respondents had paid the tax, and 35 percent of them had paid it more than once. This is not a tax on the rich, it is a boot on the neck of family businesses. NCBA thanks Senate Majority Leader Thune and Reps. Feenstra and Bishop for leading the charge to repeal the Death Tax once and for all.”

Current Death Tax relief is set to expire at the end of 2025, and it is vital that Congress acts soon to provide permanent relief for our family operations. If the federal estate tax exemption reverts to pre-2017 limits, coupled with the rapid inflation of farmland values, many more families will be subject to the Death Tax.

NCBA President Testifies Before Congress on State of the Cattle Industry. NCBA President Buck Wehrbein recently testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry to share an update on policy priorities for the American cattle industry.

“The cattle industry is seeing better market conditions, strong consumer demand for beef, and optimism for the future of our industry, yet challenges still remain,” said Wehrbein. “Congress must

always remember that food security is national security, and the policy decisions they make will impact the hardworking cattlemen and women who produce our nation’s food. Passing a Farm Bill, axing the Death Tax, protecting beef in the Dietary Guidelines, rolling back excessive regulations, holding our trade partners accountable, combatting the New World screwworm, and protecting the Beef Checkoff are all tangible steps Congress can take to support American farmers and ranchers and protect our food security.”

In his testimony, Wehrbein urged Congress to pass a Farm Bill that supports animal health, voluntary conservation, and risk management tools. He also explained the importance of the Beef Checkoff program, which strengthens beef demand, educates consumers, and funds critical research. The Beef Checkoff has faced renewed attacks from radical animal rights activists and Wehrbein urged Congress to stand with real farmers and ranchers instead of activists.

Additionally, Wehrbein asked Congress to protect the cattle industry from the new threat of New World screwworm by investing in sterile fly production facilities that will help eradicate the screwworm. The U.S. has been free of New World screwworms for over 60 years, but the pest is currently in Mexico and could move north. Wehrbein also addressed the importance of passing legislation to lower taxes and eliminate the Death Tax, protecting beef in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, supporting public lands ranching, and reducing overregulation on American cattle producers.

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.

A Message from the CEO Innovation & Stewardship

By COLIN WOODALL, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

The February edition of National Cattlemen was all about the cutting edge in the cattle industry. Continual improvement of our operations and the beef cattle industry is essential to our success and evolution. Innovation in the areas of production practices and tools that reflect cutting edge technology is key to the

IRM Red Books Are Here

We would like to thank Performance Livestock & Feed Company and Carolina Stockyards for again sponsoring this book.

The 2025 version is now available to help cattle producers effectively & efficiently record daily production efforts, which can help enhance profitablity and reduce stress levels. In addition to Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) best practices and proper injection technique information, it has more than 100 pages to record calving activity, herd health, pasture use, cattle inventory, body condition, cattle treatment, A.I. breeding records, and more. It also contains a calendar and notes section.

Simply return the order form below, along with $7.00 for each book to: N.C. Cattlemen’s Association 2228 N. Main Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526

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

improvements we have made as an industry, and they will be the source of future improvement. Cattle production is part of the fiber of our country, and we are proud of our history and heritage. While many things may look similar to the way they did when this association was formed in 1898, most do not. Protecting our heritage while adopting new ideas gives us the advantage we need to remain a thriving industry.

NCBA’s Environmental Stewardship Award Program, better known to most of you as ESAP, was established in 1991 and has been promoting our role in resource protection for 34 years. It was established to recognize outstanding stewardship and conservation achievements by cattle producers across the United States. Every year, a winner is selected from each of NCBA’s seven regions. These seven regional winners then compete to be named the Environmental Stewardship Award National winner. ESAP allows us to honor producers and the work they have done on their operations, but it has also allowed us access to the stories they tell about their families, their history, their cattle, and how they have all worked to improve the land and make their operations better than when they found them. We use their stories with consumers and policymakers to highlight our role in environmental and resource stewardship. ESAP winners have gone on to be representatives of the industry in national media and have even testified before Congress.

This program is not just about recognizing these producers’ stories and innovation. ESAP is also about sharing cutting edge ideas and practices that all producers can benefit from. We know cattle production in the U.S. is different depending on where you live. Producing cattle in Hawaii is much different than doing it in Minnesota. By recognizing winners in the seven different regions, though, we can ensure that these practices are applicable to as many producers as possible.

The 2023 Region I ESAP winner Keith Tuck and his family at Tuck Farms in Virginia started using mobile shades on their farm. These structures can be towed around the farm and set up to provide shade for their cattle during the humid Mid-Atlantic summers. However, these shades do more than provide comfort. By moving the shades around, they can draw the cattle to different parts of the pastures that could benefit from the nutrients provided by manure. The Priddy Family at JB Ranch in Florida are the 2023 Region II ESAP winners who take pride in managing habitat for more than 20 protected species. Not every species is welcome, and the Priddys have worked

diligently to reduce invasive plant species by 90 percent through rotational grazing, prescribed burning, and mechanical removal.

Tower Rock Ranch in Mansfield, Wash., was selected as the 2023 Region V ESAP winner. Their use of a written grazing plan has allowed them to protect their land by mitigating the impact of wildfires so often seen in the West. The 2023 Region VI ESAP winner is the Hart Ranch in Northern California. While trying to navigate the burdensome federal and state regulatory environment, the Harts have demonstrated that developing sound management plans and practices have allowed them to show the regulatory agencies that there is no better partner in the protection of soil, water, and animal species than farmers and ranchers. Up in North Dakota, the Bartholomay Kattle Kompany was the 2023 Region VII winner. With soil health in mind, they utilized hoop barn technology to protect the feedlot from rainwater and runoff. The manure protected by the barn is used to fertilize their crops and build the health of the soil.

The 2023 National Environmental Stewardship Award went to the G Bar C Ranch of Region IV in Texas. The Ellis family has used innovative and improved practices such as rotational grazing through 58 fenced pastures to enhance the biodiversity of their land. These efforts have resulted in a healthy soil and vegetative profile that serves as a natural filter for water that ultimately flows

into the Trinity River. More than 500 species of plants, animals, and insects are found along with their grazing cattle. They also open their ranch to researchers to demonstrate the results of their work and to look at new ways to further improve the land. Some of the research conducted showed that G Bar C sequesters 2,500 tons of carbon dioxide. That is the same as taking 551 cars off the road every year.

Each of these winners relied on technology and innovation to improve their management and stewardship practices in ways that protect their operations and the natural resources they rely on. Did you notice we did not have a winner from Region III? I know there are operations in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin that have equally compelling stories to tell. If you believe your operation, or your neighbor’s, is a contender for this award, then I encourage you to apply. Go to www.environmentalstewardship.org to find out how to apply and to watch the videos of our past winners. Watching these videos will introduce you to many practices you can apply on your own farm or ranch. We know there is nothing better for the land than grazing cattle, and the NCBA Environmental Stewardship Award proves it. The 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program regional and national winners were announced at CattleCon 2025. I can’t wait to hear what incredible things they are doing on their operations.

NCBA President’s Report A Message of Gratitude

By MARK EISELE, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association

It is with immense gratitude that I write this final column as NCBA president. Serving as your leader and representative — regionally, nationally, and internationally — has been an honor and privilege I approached with the utmost respect for everything you do. Together, we have faced challenges, celebrated victories, and worked to secure the future of our industry.

As I reflect on this past year, I am profoundly thankful for the volunteer leaders who devote countless hours away from home to advance our industry. Their commitment, alongside the steadfast support of you, as members, and the broader supply chain, makes everything we accomplish possible. I am equally humbled by the tireless work of NCBA’s staff. They consistently rise to meet the challenges we face, armed with knowledge, preparation, and dedication. Their presence in crucial arenas ensures our voice is heard, even when we, as producers, cannot always be there.

I am also proud of how we use science, data, and grassroots collaboration to educate and influence both those within and beyond our industry. This approach strengthens our collective efforts and ensures our message resonates far and wide.

One of the most inspiring aspects of my tenure has been witnessing the resilience, faith, and community spirit of cattle producers. Across diverse landscapes you adapt, improvise, and overcome. I have seen you face wildfires, floods, droughts, blizzards, tornadoes, and personal tragedies with unyielding determination. Despite these challenges, you raise your families, care for your herds, and pass down values and knowledge to future generations.

Traveling to your farms, ranches, and businesses has been a privilege. You welcomed me into your lives and shared stories that deeply inspired me. While I am often reminded of the difficulties you face, I am equally inspired to improve my own operation and to collaborate more closely with my family and neighbors. Our shared vision to confront challenges and move forward is the foundation of this industry.

As I’ve often said, “There is strength in numbers.”

When we unite, we are truly unstoppable. Though there are those who seek to divide us, I remain hopeful, knowing the next generation of leaders is ready to carry this organization forward.

Some of my most treasured experiences have come from connecting with producers recognized for their excellence, like the

ESAP award winners. These individuals exemplify the values and dedication of our industry.

One event that left a lasting impression was participating in the Governor’s Steer Show and charity auction for the Ronald McDonald House at the Iowa State Fair. I was paired with a young man whose younger brother was severely injured in an ATV accident. His purpose in raising and auctioning the steer was to support the Ronald McDonald House, which had provided his family a home during his brother’s recovery. Witnessing his dedication and the generosity of the Moore family and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association was truly humbling.

It has been exciting to see more young producers and families attending conventions and meetings. These emerging leaders are actively engaging in policy discussions and agency actions that affect their futures. Many have become influential advocates, sharing powerful stories and promoting the benefits of beef.

As a young producer, I faced hurdles I wasn’t sure I could overcome. Thanks to my state association and NCBA, I gained the tools and knowledge to navigate challenges and thrive. Networking with other producers and participating in NCBA activities has been invaluable, and I know many of you share this experience. Your involvement matters, and it underscores the grassroots nature of our organization.

NCBA has faced many challenges, from tax changes and water rights to environmental and animal rights extremists. We have also had some great wins! Some of our court cases, such as Waters of the U.S. and the Chevron deference decision, set a good course for us to navigate these challenges. Hopefully, this change of administration will also give us the ability to decide our own future and not leave it in the hands of bureaucrats.

I have been honored to fight the good fight on taxes, water rights, environmental and animal extremists, government, and NGO agendas that would bring an end to our industry and its independence.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for the trust and support you’ve shown me. I will always be a proud member and advocate for NCBA and the incredible people it represents. This organization, built on the dedication and hard work of its members, remains a cornerstone of our industry’s success.

San Antonio Welcomes CattleCon 2025. The largest cattle industry event in the country began on February 4 in San Antonio. Thousands of cattle producers, industry partners, and stakeholders attended CattleCon 2025 for business meetings, educational sessions, networking, and a little Texas sun and fun.

Buzz Brainard, host of Music Row Happy Hour, returned as emcee to kick things off along with opening general session speaker Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rooney. A decorated F-16 fighter pilot, professional golfer, philanthropist, and bestselling author, Rooney is called to “inspire people to help people.’’ Rooney is best known for founding the Folds of Honor, a leading non-profit organization that provides educational scholarships for children and spouses of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders.

Wednesday morning began with celebrating the 2025 Beef Quality Assurance Award winners, announcing the 2024 Environmental Stewardship Award Program National winner, and recognizing W.D. Farr Scholarship recipients. This special general session was also be impactful for those looking to transition their business to the next generation or new ownership; Dr. Shannon Ferrell examined generational changes shaping the world today, including remote work and shifts in wealth creation.

Also on Wednesday, the Sustainability Forum included a panel of industry experts discussing building operation resilience through adoption of written grazing management plans. Grazing management plans (GMPs) build resilience by establishing a baseline for observing and managing land, cattle, and finances while enabling producers to make informed decisions about operational goals. Panelists provided insights into the application of GMPs for production, drivers of adoption, socioeconomic factors, and supply chain opportunities.

The final day began with CattleFax conducting their U.S. & Global Protein and Grain Outlook Session. Randy Blach, the team at CattleFax and meteorologist Matt Makens discussed what 2025 and beyond might look like for the cattle industry.

Throughout CattleCon, the 32 nd Annual Cattlemen’s College included educational sessions with industry leaders tackling innovative topics. Other highlights included a D.C. Issues update, Today’s Beef Consumer market research update, and Beef Industry Forum. The Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame banquet and Environmental Stewardship Award Program reception recognized leaders for their achievements, and there were more than nine acres of displays, exhibitors, and education in the NCBA Trade Show.

There was plenty of entertainment for all to enjoy. Anah Higbie, winner of the 12th Annual NCBA National Anthem Contest, performed at the opening general session, Paul Bogart, a CattleCon favorite, brought his down-to-earth charm to Wednesday’s Big TX Fest, and contemporary country music star Scotty McCreery performed following the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Thursday night.

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

CattleFax Forecasts Continued Strong Demand and High Price Outlook for Cattle Producers. The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of CattleCon 2025, shared expert market and

weather analysis.

The U.S. beef industry is poised for another year of strong market performance, driven by tight cattle supplies and robust consumer demand. As the beef cowherd enters a stabilization phase following years of contraction, the resulting supply constraints have shifted market leverage decisively in favor of cattle producers.

Weather conditions will remain a critical factor influencing grazing availability, herd expansion and cattle prices. Meteorologist Matt Makens said La Niña this winter brings rather volatile weather changes across North America, with the majority of weather extremes affecting those in the Central to Eastern United States. For Mexico and the Southwestern U.S., producers will see drought acreage increase, as it has nationwide since June.

“Drought will likely increase across the Western U.S. this spring and into the Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, and Canadian Prairies through this summer. To watch will be the North American monsoon and how much drought relief it can provide to Mexico, the Southwest, and parts of the Plains,” he said. “Current data show the monsoon is likely to produce more moisture this year than last. A strong enough monsoon can decrease precipitation across the central Corn Belt, watch July closely. Late in the year, the focus turns to the development of La Niña or El Niño.”

Shifting the discussion to an outlook on the economy, energy and feed grains, Troy Bockelmann, CattleFax director of protein and grain analysis, noted that inflation eased in 2024, ending the year at 2.9 percent, a significant drop from the 9 percent peak in 2022 but still above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target. To address this, the Fed cut interest rates three times in the latter half of the year, bringing the Prime bank loan rate to 7.5 percent.

The labor market remained strong, with unemployment briefly rising mid-year before falling to 4.1 percent as job creation outpaced expectations. Combined with solid consumer spending and wage growth, the U.S. economy is expected to see healthy GDP growth of 2–2.5 percent in 2025.

“The Federal Reserve’s rate cuts helped stabilize inflation and

support economic growth, but we’re still above target,” Bockelmann said. “Despite economic headwinds, consumer confidence and spending have remained resilient. However, lingering inflation and potential trade uncertainties may limit the extent of further interest rate cuts this year and inflation remains a key factor to watch in 2025.”

CattleFax shared that National December 1 on-farm hay stocks were up 6.3 percent from a year ago at 81.5 million tons, with hay prices averaging $175/ton in 2024. Corn stocks-to-use at just over 10 percent and should support the spot market towards $5.00/bu with a yearly average spot future price of $4.40/bu expected.

“An increase in corn supply for the new crop year is expected as smaller beginning stocks are offset by larger production levels due to corn regaining acres from soybeans. Stocks-to-use have the potential to be above 13 percent, which implies a price range of $3.75–$5.15/ bu for the 2025 market year,” Bockelmann said. “There is a strong correlation between corn stocks-to-use and hay, and we expect hay prices to follow corn and trend a bit higher in the coming year.

On the energy front, he noted, for 2025, not much will change. Average crude oil prices are expected to be near steady with 2024 though risk remains for a reduced U.S. market share of global product due to potential trade policy impacts. He also expects ethanol production to continue to stay strong.

Kevin Good, vice president of market analysis at CattleFax, reported that U.S. beef cow herd is expected to see the cycle low to start 2025 at 28 million head, 150,000 head below last year and 3.5 million head from the 2019 cycle highs.

“We expect cow and bull slaughter to continue declining in 2025, with overall numbers down by about 300,000 head to 5.9 million head total. Feeder cattle and calf supplies outside of feedyards will also shrink by roughly 150,000 head, while cattle on feed inventories are starting the year slightly below 2024 levels at 11.9 million head,” he said. “With a tighter feeder cattle supply, placement pace will be more constrained, leading to a projected 700,000 head drop in commercial fed slaughter to 24.9 million. After modest growth in 2024, beef production is expected to decline by about 600 million pounds to 26.3 billion in 2025, ultimately reducing net beef supply per person by 0.8 pounds.”

Beef prices continued their upward trend in 2024, averaging $8.01/lb, the second highest demand level in history. While demand may ease slightly in 2025, retail prices are still expected to rise to an average of $8.25/lb. Wholesale prices will follow suit, with the cutout price projected to reach $320/cwt.

“Retail and wholesale margins are historically thin, making strong consumer demand essential to maintaining higher price levels,” said Good. “While opportunities for further leverage gains are limited, the market remains favorable for producers.”

Inflation remained moderate in 2024, but high consumer debt, elevated interest rates, and competition from more affordable protein options could impact purchasing decisions. However, foodservice demand showed resilience, ending the year stronger as same store sales and customer traffic improved.

“Despite economic pressures, consumers continue to pay premiums for higher quality beef,” Good added. “Choice grade or better remains in high demand, reinforcing the strength of the premium beef market.”

Turning to global protein demand, Good noted that the outlook for animal proteins remains strong, although U.S. beef exports are

projected to decline by 5 percent in 2025 due to reduced production and higher prices. Conversely, U.S. beef imports are expected to grow as lean beef supplies tighten.

“The global outlook is currently an interesting scenario as trade policy developments, including potential tariffs, could pose risks to international markets. While growth is expected this year, it may be limited to global competition supply constraints and an uncertain tariff environment,” Good said.

Mike Murphy, CattleFax chief operating officer, forecasted the average 2025 fed steer price at $198/cwt, up $12/cwt from 2024. 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 $270/cwt, and the 550 lb steer price is expected to average $340/cwt. Utility cows are expected to average $140/cwt, with bred cows at an average of $3,200/cwt.

“While the cyclical upswing in cattle prices is expected to persist, the industry must prepare for market volatility and potential risks. Producers are encouraged to adopt risk management strategies and closely monitor developments in trade policy, drought conditions, and consumer demand,” Murphy said.

The 2025 USDA All Fresh Retail Beef prices are expected to average $8.25/lb and, which will continue the balancing act for retail between high prices and reduced supply. Murphy noted that the key is to avoid setting prices too high, especially in light of competition from more affordable proteins.

Randy Blach, CattleFax chief executive officer, concluded the session with an overall positive outlook, and noted that strong margins in the cow/calf sector have set the stage for cowherd expansion to begin, with heifer retention likely back near a more normal pace, relative to minimal retention in recent years. Drought and pasture conditions are now the key factors influencing the rate of expansion, with a slower herd rebuild anticipated compared to the last cycle. This more measured expansion pace implies a positive outlook for producer returns over the next several years. Strong consumer demand also remains a bright spot for the industry.

“We have to remember where we came from,” Blach said. “Continued improvements in quality and meeting consumer expectations with a safe, nutritious product and a consistently good eating experience have had tremendous impacts on moving the needle for this industry. We’re moving in the right direction, and we need to keep paying attention to that signal.”

Angus Classified Section

Joe and Robin Hampton

345 Withrows Creek Lane Mt. Ulla, NC 28125

704-880-2488

Registered Angus Since 2001

Randall Smith 1957 Cleve Rd., Snow Camp, NC 27349 336-516-4558 smithangusfarm@yahoo.com

wrricky@ftc-i.net • www.blackcrestfarm.com Black Crest Cattle Farm Angus

Ricky McLeod 1320 Old Manning Rd., Sumter, SC 29150 803-983-0816

ANGUS 104 Springfield Lane Louisburg, NC 27549

Phil Goodson: 919-880-9062

Breeding Registered Angus since 1962

Walter D. Shealy III and Family 20977 US Hwy 76 • Newberry, SC 29108 803-924-1000 • 706-590-0451 walter@blackgrove.com www.blackgrove.com

919-742-5500 • rdkirkman@spectrum.net RICHARD KIRKMAN,

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Upcoming Events

ANGUS

Mar. 1 — Gibbs Farms 2nd Annual Spring Sale, Ranburne, Ala.

Mar. 1 — N.C. Angus Association 80th Annual Meeting & Banquet, Yadkinville, N.C.

Mar. 8 — March Madness Replacement Female & Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 14 — S.C. Angus Association Annual Meeting & Banquet, Clemson, S.C.

Mar. 15 — 52nd Annual Carolina Angus Futurity, Clemson, S.C.

Mar. 22 — 46th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced VA Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Mar. 28 — Miller Farm, LLC & Friends Angus Production Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Mar. 29 — CEGO Enterprises Private Treaty Bull Sale, Cerro Gordo, N.C.

Mar. 29 — G&E Virginia Premium Assured Heifer Sale, Gretna, Va.

Apr. 5 — Grassy Valley Angus 32nd Annual Production Sale, Greeneville, Tenn.

Apr. 5 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services

Spring Turn Out Bull & Female Sale, Oxford, N.C.

Apr. 12 — Knoll Crest Farm Spring Bull & Female Sale, Red House, Va.

Apr. 12 — Southern Synergy 18th Annual Angus Female Production Sale, Wadley, Ga.

Apr. 17 — Virginia Beef Expo Angus Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 26 — N.C. Angus Association Spring Fever Sale, Union Grove, N.C.

May 3 — Springfield Angus Complete Dispersal, Louisburg, N.C.

May 3 — Whitestone Farm 32nd Annual Pasture Performance Tested Angus Bull & Female Sale, Aldie, Va.

Oct. 18 — Fred Smith Company Ranch Extra Effort Sale, Clayton, N.C.

Oct. 24-25 — Yon Family Farms Maternal Roots Fall Female & Bull Sale, Ridge Spring, S.C.

Dec. 6 — 50th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

BRANGUS

Oct. 24-25 — Yon Family Farms Maternal Roots Fall Female & Bull Sale, Ridge Spring, S.C.

CHAROLAIS

Mar. 22 — 46th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced VA Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 17 — Virginia Beef Expo Quest 4 Quality Charolais Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Apr. 5 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Bull & Female Sale, Oxford, N.C.

CHIANINA

Mar. 29 — CEGO Enterprises Private Treaty Bull Sale, Cerro Gordo, N.C.

GELBVIEH

Mar. 22 — 46th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced VA Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 5 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services Spring Turn Out Bull & Female Sale, Oxford, N.C.

Dec. 6 — 50th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

HEREFORD

Mar. 8 — March Madness Replacement Female & Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 21 — N.C. Hereford Association Annual Meeting & Banquet, Statesville, N.C.

Mar. 22 — 57th Annual N.C. Hereford Classic Sale, Union Grove, N.C.

Mar. 22 — 46th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced VA Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 12 — Knoll Crest Farm Spring Bull & Female Sale, Red House, Va.

Apr. 17 — Virginia Beef Expo Hereford Female & Bull Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

LIMOUSIN

Apr. 5 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services

Spring Turn Out Bull & Female Sale, Oxford, N.C.

MAINE ANJOU

Mar. 29 — CEGO Enterprises Private Treaty Bull Sale, Cerro Gordo, N.C.

RED ANGUS

Mar. 8 — March Madness Replacement Female & Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

Apr. 5 — Green Hills Gelbvieh & Hope Cattle Services

Spring Turn Out Bull & Female Sale, Oxford, N.C.

Apr. 26 — New York Red Angus Association “Right on Red” Bull & Heifer Sale, Waterloo, N.Y.

SANTA GERTRUDIS

Mar. 8 — March Madness Replacement Female & Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

May 10 — 52nd Annual Breeders of the Carolinas Sale, Monroe, N.C.

SIMMENTAL

Mar. 1 — Gibbs Farms 2nd Annual Spring Sale, Ranburne, Ala.

Mar. 8 — March Madness Replacement Female & Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

Mar. 22 — 46th Annual Southwest Virginia Performance Tested Bull Sale & BCIA Influenced VA Premium Assured Plus Bred Heifer Sale, Wytheville, Va.

Apr. 5 — Grassy Valley Angus 32nd Annual Production Sale, Greeneville, Tenn.

Apr. 17 — Virginia Beef Expo Simmental Sale, Harrisonburg, Va.

Oct. 18 — Fred Smith Company Ranch Extra Effort Sale, Clayton, N.C.

Oct. 24-25 — Yon Family Farms Maternal Roots Fall Female & Bull Sale, Ridge Spring, S.C.

Dec. 6 — 50th Annual Union County Performance Tested Bull Sale, Monroe, N.C.

WAGYU

Nov. 1 — Wilders Wagyu StayWILD ‘25 Production Sale, Turkey, N.C.

OTHER EVENTS

Mar. 6 — BQA Certification & Guidelines Training, Louisburg, N.C.

Mar. 13 — 2025 Edisto REC Forages Field Day, Blackville, S.C.

Mar. 20 — Beef Market Outlook & Profitability, Pacolet, S.C.

Mar. 29 — 2025 Feeder Calf Marketing Meeting, Albermarle, N.C.

Mar. 29 — N.C. Beef Cattle Field Day, Reidsville, N.C.

Apr. 12 — N.C. State University Livestock Judging Team Reunion, Raleigh, N.C.

Apr. 17 — 35th Anniversary Virginia Beef Expo, Harrisonburg, Va.

LIVESTOCK MARKET SALES

Mar. 3 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville,N.C.

Mar. 3 — Saluda Livestock Exchange Weekly Sale, Saluda, S.C.

Mar. 4 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Mar. 5 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Mar. 10 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Mar. 10 — Saluda Livestock Exchange Weekly Sale, Saluda, S.C.

Mar. 11 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Mar. 17 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Mar. 17 — Saluda Livestock Exchange Weekly Sale, Saluda, S.C.

Mar. 18 — Mid-Atlantic Cattle Sales Video Auction, via macsvideo.com

Mar. 19 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Mar. 24 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Mar. 24 — Saluda Livestock Exchange Weekly Sale, Saluda, S.C.

Mar. 26 — Stanly County Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Norwood, N.C.

Mar. 31 — Harward Brothers Livestock Market Weekly Sale, Statesville, N.C.

Mar. 31 — Saluda Livestock Exchange Weekly Sale, Saluda, S.C.