Limousin365 Spring Sale Edition, January 2025

A New Year Is Dawning

As we bring in the new year we reflect on the great success we’ve enjoyed. We want to thank our many loyal customers for believing in our program but most of all, we cherish your friendship. We are excited for what the new year has in store. Always remember, “we’re the little ranch with big genetics” and we hope you will keep us top of mind when you’re in the market for quality bulls and females.

The future of our program has never looked brighter with the lineup of donors we currently have in production. We have calves on the ground or coming out of these females mated to the very best sires. We invite you to come spend some time with us at the Sand Spring Resort and take a look at the cattle we have available.

Brighter Than Ever

J BAR J HOLLY HOCK 062H

COLE Miss Zone 5110C

COLE

COLE HOMERUN 51H

AHCC EASY RIDER 5594E

WAROUND THE INDUSTRY

by Kiley McKinna

Gearing Up for Success ––Optimism Drives the 2025 Bull Sale Season

elcome to the Limousin365 annual Spring Sale Edition! As you page through this issue, you’ll find many of the breed’s most relevant and progressive programs highlighted and several of the breed’s finest spring sales showcased in accompaniment with multiple feature stories and relevant industry news. As we approach the 2025 bull sale season, there is a growing sense of optimism within the cattle industry. With market conditions showing signs of stability and improved demand for quality genetics, this year promises to be a pivotal one for buyers, breeders and industry leaders alike. The key to success will lie in adaptability, foresight and an unwavering commitment to advancing herd genetics to meet evolving consumer expectations.

Market Trends: A Renewed Sense of Optimism

The cattle industry has faced its fair share of challenges over the past few years, from fluctuating feed costs to market uncertainty driven by global factors. However, as we enter the 2025 season, there are several promising indicators of growth. Economic recovery, particularly in the red meat sector, is driving consumer confidence and contributing to stronger demand. These factors are contributing to an increasingly positive outlook for the bull sale season.

Moreover, cattle prices are expected to stabilize and even appreciate in some markets, providing a favorable environment for both buyers and sellers. As a result, many breeders are reporting increased interest in their genetic offerings, with a focus on bulls that can contribute to higher efficiency and superior carcass quality.

Preparing for the Sale: Key Considerations for Buyers and Breeders

For both breeders and buyers, preparation is key to making the most of the 2025 bull sale season.

For Breeders:

• Genetic Testing and Data Transparency: Clear and reliable genetic data will be paramount. Breeders should ensure the bulls they offer are measured and tested for traits such as calving ease, growth rate and carcass quality. Buyers increasingly expect transparent, sciencebacked information when making purchasing decisions.

• Marketing Strategy: With the increased competition among breeders, effective marketing will play a significant role in driving interest and achieving premium prices. Breeders should utilize digital platforms, professional catalogs and in-person events to reach potential buyers.

• Bull Conditioning: Proper preparation of bulls for sale is essential. Buyers expect animals to be in peak physical condition, demonstrating sound structure, temperament and performance potential.

For Buyers:

• Aligning Purchase Decisions with Long-Term Goals: Buyers should be focused on the long-term benefits of their investments. While it can be tempting to make short-term decisions based on price alone, investing in high-quality genetics will pay dividends in herd performance and profitability over time.

• Understanding Breeder Reputation and Genetic History: Knowledge of the breeder’s reputation and the genetic history of the bulls offered can provide valuable insight into the potential for success. Buyer due diligence is essential to ensure they are acquiring bulls that fit well with their herd management goals.

Looking Ahead: A Bright Future for the Industry

As we enter the 2025 bull sale season, the cattle industry stands at a crossroads, driven by both optimism and a renewed focus on genetic excellence. The marketplace is showing encouraging signs of growth, and buyers and breeders alike have a shared opportunity to drive longterm success.

For breeders, this season is an opportunity to showcase their hard work and investment in advancing genetics. For buyers, it’s a chance to make strategic decisions that will enhance herd performance and ultimately improve profitability. Through collaboration, innovation and a forward-looking approach, the 2025 bull sale season holds tremendous potential for all involved.

With the right preparation, foresight and commitment to quality, we can all contribute to a prosperous future for the cattle industry, setting the stage for continued growth and success in the years to come.

In closing, I sincerely hope you enjoy our Spring Sale Edition and are just as optimistic about the New Year as we are. This magazine is of benefit to your program and a promotional piece the Limousin breed can be proud of. A big thank-you to all the advertisers, readership and those who continue to support this endeavor and offer feedback as it relates to your magazine, Limousin365

God Bless and I look forward to seeing you down the sale trail this spring. We are all in this together, remain Limousin Proud.

New Year Ringing IN THE

We are excited to ring in the new year which marks 51 years of breeding black, polled, purebred Limousin cattle. We feel blessed for the success we have had in a business we love and enjoy. To be the caretakers of our cattle and stewards of the land for more than five decades is something we don’t take for granted. Through God’s grace and the support of our fellow cattlemen we look forward to the new year and what the future has in store.

We hope our many valued customers had a Merry Christmas. We express our sincere appreciation for your support of our program.

Large selection of black, polled, purebred breeding-age bulls and replacement females for sale at the ranch. CALL TODAY!

Darenda

Saturday, March 8, 2025 • 1 pm at the Ranch - Chattanooga, OK

BID LIVE:

Bruce Lawrence 806/790-2535 Anton, TX www.lawrencefamilylimousin.com CATALOG AVAILABLE ONLINE FEB. 2025

Sue Ann & Shana Holloway & Ross Turner Clendon Bailey, Cattle Manager • 580/704-6739 Shana’s cell • 580/695-2831 email: chr@coyotehillsok.com www.coyotehillsok.com

SALE CONSULTANT: Kiley McKinna - 402/350-3447

AUCTIONEER: Ronn Cunningham - 918/629-9382

75 FALL YEARLINGS • 15 SPRING YEARLINGS All Black • All Polled 82 HOMO Black • 80 HOMO Polled 86 for YW EPD >100

• All Bulls Developed & Performance-Tested at CHR

• All with Genomically Enhanced EPDs

• BW, WW, YW, SC & Ultrasound Carcass Info Available on All Bulls

• Semen-Tested and Trich-Tested Negative Virgin Bulls

• 5% Volume Discound on Five or More Bulls

New Year, New Options New Year, New

LFL Johnny 1117J

Homo Black • Homo Polled

• Lim-Flex(57/51.5)

CD: 11(40) BW: -0.5(20) WW: 78(25) YW: 124(25) MA: 26(40) CM: 5(70) SC: 1(35)

DOC: 12(60) CW: 39(40) RE: 0.4(85) YG: 0(25) MB: 0.27(50) $MI: 63.6

LFL Johnny is the best son of the tremendous Deluxe Edition and if you are looking for a calving-ease bull with style and added dimension, he’s the ticket. Out of a great Cable daughter and back to Air Force One on the top, he should add balance and eye appeal while loaded with convenience traits. HOMO both ways and growthy, Johnny is your boy.

ELCX High Time 065H ET

Homo Black • Homo Polled • Lim-Flex(71/63.8)

CD: 9(70) BW: 0.5(40) WW: 54(95) YW: 86(90) MA: 21(80) CM: 6(55) SC: 0.8(55)

DOC: 14(35) CW: 19(90) RE: 0.12(>95) YG: -0.06(90) MB: 0.19(70) $MI: 53.8

ELCX High Time 065H ET was the show bull of 2022 and 2023. This great son of Kings Landing brings an awesome pedigree and phenotype to the open market. If you are wanting to add style and balance to a set of females, High Time is the perfect choice. HOMO Polled and HOMO Black. This stylish young bull will sire great cattle for the tanbark and the replacement pen.

Wulfs Joint Venture G579J

Black • Homo Polled • Purebred(89/79.6)

CD: 7(70) BW: 2.3(60) WW: 66(30) YW: 106(20) MA: 34(5) CM: 3(85)

SC: 0.6(35) DOC: 14(35) CW: 17(55) RE: 0.69(95) YG: -0.25(20) MB: -0.03(35) $MI: 51.1

Wulfs Joint Venture was the Supreme Champion Bull Over All Breeds at the 2023 Black Hills Stock Show and this tremendous son of Wulfs Fifty is now on the open market. If you are looking for a perfectly balanced bull in EPD profile and phenotype, Joint Venture is the one. Purebred, HOMO Polled and sound as a cat—this young sire brings it all to the table.

AHCC Landmark 917L

Homo Black • Homo Polled • Lim-Flex(70/61.5)

CD: 15(5) BW: -0.9(15) WW: 85(10) YW: 143(4) MA: 35(1) CM: 9(15) SC: 1.1(30) DOC: 12(65) CW: 67(1) RE: 0.72(40) YG: -0.04(4) MB: 0.75(2) $MI: 83.5

AHCC Landmark is the bull of the future. Check out the birth to yearling spread in his EPDs. Look over his flawless structure and balance. Top 1% for Marbling, MTI and TI. Then look at the fact he has no Rulon, Envision or Credentials and realize he is available on the open market. If you are looking for the next path to the future you need to find a Landmark.

APRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Austin Hager

s we are in the middle of winter across the country and many of us will begin the new calving season soon, it is pretty much nonstop for our family as I would imagine it is for most of you as well. Bull sale season will quickly be upon us and the cycle begins over again for the upcoming year. It has been a privilege for me to be your NALF President this past year and it also has been an honor working for the NALF membership.

We have had a productive year working with fellow NALF board members and staff at the association. The cattle business continues to change fast as usual. This also applies to the services, herdbook, marketing venues and technology available to us as seedstock breeders.

2024 NALF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT, Austin Hager ...................................... Karlsruhe, ND 701-626-2345 • hagercc@srt.com

VICE PRESIDENT, Joey Freund ......................................... Elizabeth, CO 303-841-7901 • freundjoe@outlook.com

SECRETARY, Ronn Cunningham .................................... Rose, OK 918-629-9382 • colronn@yahoo.com

TREASURER, Lance Sennett .................................. Waynetown, IN 765-366-4894 • lasennett@att.net

AT-LARGE, Jerry Wulf ............................................ Hancock, MN 320-491-1390 • jerry.wulf@wulfcattle.com

EX-OFFICIO, Bruce Lawrence ................................................ Anton, TX 806-790-2535 • bll1@speednet.com

DIRECTORS

Bart Mitchell, Boscobell, WI, 608-553-8070, springcreeksbart@gmail.com

Jay Wilder, Snook, TX, 979-268-5491, jwwilder1993@gmail.com

George Hubbard, Welch, OK, 918-541-5482, georgerhubbard@gmail.com

Matt Spangler, Lincoln, NE, 402-472-6489, mspangler2@unl.edu

Troy Gulotta, Independence, LA, 985-662-1561, liveoakcattle@gmail.com

Kevin Ochsner, Kersey, CO, 970-396-5525, kevinkochsner@gmail.com

Rob Brawner, Wood Lake, NE, 402-376-4465, bulliscreek@gpcom.net

Mark Haden, Rogersville, MO, 417-838-6109, buckridgecattle@gmail.com

Trent Coleman, Charlo, MT, 406-644-2707, tmcoleman@blackfoot.net

Brian Duplaga, Grafton, OH, 440-355-6682, duplaga@windstream.net

The August board meeting was held at the SDSU research facility in Brookings, South Dakota, where the board had a chance to view the last two pens of research cattle prior to shipment. It is incredible to see how much larger cattle are being fed to for outweights in today’s marketplace and the requirements that puts on improved genetics to stay feed efficient while achieving desirable carcass results. We should soon have reports back to the membership when the third-party research is completed and released for publication.

The Limousin and Lim-Flex cattle appear to have graded quite well. They also appear to reflect superior feed conversion rates combined with superior yield grade as one would hope and probably expect. We should get the full report card soon and will keep you posted.

I would like to thank all the NALF committee chairmen and those who participate on the NALF committee calls throughout the course of the year. Direct participation from membership in those committees who meet three times per year helps us set the direction and agenda for Commercial Marketing, Breed Improvement, Rules & Regulations, Visions/Research, Membership, NALJA and Show Committee.

The Breed Improvement committee has revamped and added a new terminal index via iGENDEC this past year that more accurately reflects today’s market price factors and includes seven EPD traits that are critical to terminal sires. We are looking to add a maternal index sometime in the next year once the mature cow weight EPD is completed at IGS.

Marketing continues to change for all of us in the digital age and the commercial marketing committee has done a tremendous job making those venue options available to us given the budget we have to advertise effectively. Combined with our partners at Limousin365 for our quarterly printed official Limousin breed magazine and their venues for advertising, I feel we are making headway in promoting the advantages of Limousin genetics.

I hope to see many of you at our shows, annual meeting and awards in Oklahoma City in addition to the National Western Stock Show this January. We are planning a successful Genetics On Ice sale in Oklahoma City to benefit our junior association and appreciate the financial support membership provides for NALJA.

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas because by the time you read this it’s time to get back to work!

Breed-changing bulls of this stature, including half brothers to these leading A.I. sires, can be expected again this year.

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LINHART PURCHASE INCENTIVE PROGRAM

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WEXECUTIVE SUMMARY

by Mark Anderson Executive Director North American Limousin Foundation

e are looking forward with anticipation to another successful bull sale season this spring for the Limousin breed. Averages increased in 2024 coinciding with a continued historically strong commercial cattle market. Those market forces are still in play with historically small cow inventory levels and beef production forecast into 2025.

Demand for Choice product and higher within the industry remains strong at the end of the fourth quarter of 2024. The spread between Choice and Select product just hit a high of $36 yesterday as I write this. This has all been accomplished with more cattle grading Choice in 2024 than any other year in history. This combined with record large outweights is also a testament to genetic advancement made by seedstock producers due to current industry economic signals.

The cattle industry has never sold this much Choice and higher product for this amount of money at any other time in history. The Choice cutout is expected to average around $307 this year compared to $265 in 2022.

Having said this, we are potentially on the forefront of additional changes to the USDA grading system in the foreseeable future. The NCBA working group that is evaluating the old and presently used yield grade system is making interesting findings along with university researchers that could potentially change and more accurately estimate true yield grade and actual red meat yield.

EXCLUSIVE POSITIONS—annually

Association, Youth, Commercial, Events, Online-Contact for Pricing

PREMIER PROMOTION POSITIONS—annually

Featured Ads, Catalogs, Breeder Directory-Contact for Pricing

FEATURED AD LISTING—$850 per 30 day-cycle

SALE CATALOG LISTING—30 day-cycle

$295 if accompanied by Featured Ad or Premier Spot • $1,000—Stand Alone

BREEDER DIRECTORY LISTING—$450 annually

Business Card Ads

BULL PEN SIRE DIRECTORY—$835 Four Month Placement

eBlast SERVICES—$250 per blast

eBlast PREFERRED POSITIONS—Contact for Pricing

ONLINE SALE HOSTING Contact for Pricing

4-Time Contract Print Ad Discount - 5%

Annual Contract Digital/Print Discount - 15%

NORTH REGION

Claire Hubbard

765/404-8458

claire@limousin365.com

SOUTH REGION

DeRon Heldermon

405/850-5102

deron@limousin365.com

The cost of producing saleable product of carcass pounds dramatically shifts to external fat production at the end of an animal’s feeding cycle. Additional fat accumulation versus lean red meat yield is expensive to say the least and inefficient. New technologies are being developed utilizing 3-D imaging that may one day potentially be utilized in packing facilities giving the industry a tool to more accurately estimate red meat yield and potentially incentivize packers to pay more for cattle based off red meat yield. This would be extremely advantageous to the Limousin breed in the future.

Albeit the demand for Choice product and higher will remain strong into the future, capitalizing on Limousin’s inherit advantages in muscle and carcass conformation is something to keep in mind as you proceed forward over the next decade. Additional advantages the Limousin breed processes in terms of feed efficiency, (conversion rate) are not only apparent on US Marc Data but in addition, proven through feed efficiency tests for RFI and conversion data on various independent company’s bull tests.

This feed efficiency advantage also looks to be positive for the Limousin breed on our NALRF research trial at SDSU. Although the results have not been published or released yet, it appears to be very favorable to the Limousin breed when measuring feed conversion performance advantages. The full results will be made available to the membership when SDSU has published their results and completes their analysis of feed performance and carcass data.

Additionally, International Genetic Solutions (IGS) has also been a wonderful partnership with 25 additional cooperating breed associations for our weekly genetic evaluation. Originally formed by the American Simmental Association and Red Angus Association more than 10 years ago, it has become the world’s largest and most

continued on page 16

Jay, Molly, Jayce & Spencer Wilder

Snook, Texas

Jay: 979.268.5491 • jwwilder1993@gmail.com www.wilderfamilylimousin.com

Joe and Jay Wilder

Box 551 • Snook, Texas 77878

Joe: 979.268.4843

Sire: BNWZ Dignity 8017 Dam: Riverstone Charmed

We are extremely excited about the addition of 50% interest and full possession of this young donor prospect. Her pedigree represents the who’s who of bloodlines in both the Angus and Limousin breeds. Her prestigous dam, Riverstone Charmed, has rewritten the record books in terms of generating winners and revenue over the past several years and they are the most sought after genetics in the industry. This young female was the featured lot in the recent Night On The Town Sale in Las Vegas. We look forward to working with our partners, Morris Cattle Co. of Walnut Grove, Missouri, to prove her legacy in production.

Watch for the genetic opportunities we will be offering in different sales this year and call about the bulls and females we have available.

43rd Annual Production Sale

continued from page 14

accurate genetic evaluation in the industry with over 23 million animals in the database and growing by over 650,000 head annually.

Limousin breeders can be proud of the fact that Limousin has more than 2.4 million head incorporated into the weekly genetic evaluation making it the second largestcontributor behind the Simmental Association. Working together through this cooperative effort for the betterment of the beef industry is the underlying mission of IGS and participants.

The ability to compare EPD values across various breeds makes it easier for the commercial cattle industry to compare performance on cattle as they look for superior sires during bull sale season. Nearly one-third of animals in IGS have a half sibling in another IGS partner’s database. IGS partners also average a 3.3-fold increase in progeny numbers out of their A.I. sires in common with IGS partners. This accelerates accuracies on EPD values given the partnership with other breeds.

Sons and daughters of some of the breed’s leading sires will highlight this sale. Cattle have been PAP tested at 7600 ft.

“A BREED APART”

We hope you will join us for our 43rd sale. We have never chased fads. Our cattle represent three generations of our family who have strived to raise real-world, problem-free cattle that are profitable for our customers. Give us a call with any questions or to request a catalog.

Come by our pen in the yards at the National Western Stock Show to view our Lim-Flex Bulls.

Watch for a top herd sire prospect and two open heifers selling at the Black Hills Stock Show • February 7, 2025

Watch for our September and October show heifer and steer sales on SC Online Sales.

We look forward to seeing many of you at our annual meeting in Oklahoma City and the Ken Holloway Genetics On Ice event for the junior association in January. While Ken made a living in the Limousin breed producing cattle and promoting Limousin sales across the nation, he also spent a tremendous amount of time giving back to the junior Limousin association in an effort to keep a bright future intact by developing new breeders and leaders in the industry.

We hope you can join us for the annual event in Oklahoma in person or online as we continue to support the youth engaged in promotion and production of Limousin genetics. Upcoming shows and events at the Cattlemen’s Congress, National Western Stock Show and Fort Worth Stock Show will have quality Limousin genetics exhibited and on display. We hope to see you there!

MEMBER AND INDUSTRY NEWS BRIEFS

Need Registration Certificates?

Do you need registration certificates for an upcoming show, a show validation or any other purpose? NALF staff is happy to send the registration certificates to you. Submit your request and payment to the NALF office at least two weeks prior to the event in order to make sure they reach you on time. Rush fees are $25 per certificate. Show certificates (faxed or emailed) prior to mailing are $10. Requests may be made to Stephanie at Steph@NALF.org.

Original Registration Papers

Original registration papers are required at all Level I MOE shows, Regional and the National Junior Limousin Show & Congress. No copies will be accepted.

Order Your Show Vest Today

If you have not yet ordered your Limousin soft shell show vest, do so today. The show vests are a black soft shell with the Limousin logo on the chest. You may order using the form found under the Shows tab at NALF.org.

Vests must be worn in the show ring at all Level I MOE shows.

NALF Office Closed

NALF will have a limited number of staff in the office January 1-14, 2025. Staff will be attending the Cattlemen’s Congress and Limousin Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and then the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado.

The North American Limousin Foundation office will be closed Monday, February 17, 2025, for President’s Day. Regular hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. MST will resume Tuesday, February 18.

DNA and Registration

The DNA turnaround is four weeks and rushes are not an option. Embryo calves must be parent verified in order to be registered. Contact Alison, Alison@NALF.org, or Tammy, Tammy@nalf.org, with any DNA questions. Natural calf registrations and any transfers submitted to the office for processing are a two-week turnaround, contact Stephanie at Steph@NALF.org with any questions.

When mailing in rush registrations and transfers, print RUSH on the outside of the envelope and when emailing put RUSH in the subject

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Where Class Meats Carcass

Timeless Performance

Our journey began in 1969 with a clear vision and an unwavering passion for breeding superior cattle. Over the decades, that commitment has only deepened; driving us to produce genetics that excel in performance, longevity and efficiency. Today, Leonard Limousin and Angus continues to set the standard for quality, delivering cattle that meet the demands of both today’s producers and tomorrow’s markets. Our legacy is built on dedication, and our future remains focused on excellence.

CATTLE FOR SALE PRIVATE TREATY AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND.

Offering a selection of high-quality Fall Bred Females, Spring Bred Females and Performance-Tested Bulls. All backed by decades of proven genetics. Contact us anytime to discuss your needs and find the right fit for your herd.

MARK & SHERYL LEONARD 1362 Hwy. 59, Holstein, IA 51025 712-368-2611 work • 712-830-9032 cell mark@agcomfinancial.com Al Morales, herdsman, 712-304-2035 www.LeonardLimousin.com

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line. This will help ensure your work gets processed immediately. The $25 rush fee for each certificate, noted on the self-billing worksheet, will be billed. Payment must be received for certificates to print. There are no rush orders available on lab work and ET calves.

LIMS

The LIMS enrollment deadline is February 15. Members should visit their Enrollment Selections page on Digital Beef to make sure all cows are under the Spring 2025 tab if they are set to calve in the Spring of 2025 or have the “move to next season” box checked if they are calving in the fall. Contact Alison Jones at Alison@nalf.org or Tammy Anderson at Tammy@NALF.org if you see cows missing from the LIMS enrollment page or have additional questions. All cows need a calf recorded or a reason for no calf, and each calf needs a weaning weight or a reason for no weaning weight (example: calf died prior to weaning). Following the enrollment deadline, members will have one week to make changes. After that week, enrollments will be locked, and billing will occur at the end of the month.

International Year Codes

2025 - N • 2024 - M • 2023 - L • 2022 – K

The letters not used are I, O, Q & V

Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show Update

The Cattle Industry Annual Convention and NCBA Trade Show is one of the industry’s largest events each year, bringing together cattlemen and cattlewomen from across the nation to do the work of our industry.

Registration is open for the 2025 Cattle Industry Convention and National Cattleman’s Beef Association Trade Show. The annual convention will be held in San Antonio, Texas, February 4-6, 2025. Convention participants will hear from industry leaders and gather insight on industry trends.

Visit convention.ncba.org for more information.

National Junior Limousin Show & Congress

The early entry deadline for the 2025 NJLSC and all regional shows is May 1. Late entry deadline is May 15. The ownership deadline is May 15. Only online entries will be accepted for the 2025 National Junior Limousin Show & Congress, as well as any NALJA sponsored regional show. We will be using the same online entry system as 2024.

The NALJA Board of Directors is excited to continue the NEOGEN Ultimate Show at the 2025 NJLSC. This show is based on 50-percent genotype and 50-percent phenotype. Animals will need to have DNA sent in by April 20. The NALF office asks that any DNA for this show be marked “For National Junior Show.”

Live auction held at Garnett Knights Hall • 1210 NE Golf Course Rd. • Garnett, KS 66032 LUNCH SERVED 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Monitor our f page and website for details about viewing the offering.

BREEDING PHILOSOPHY

Balance all economically important traits at optimum levels. This offering reflects 40+ years developing superior genetics to improve commercial production.

Broadcast via To register and bid, go to: www.dvauction.com

25 Bred Heifers

55 Polled Bulls

• 25 Two-Year-Olds • 30 Fall Yearlings

• Red & Black • Purebred & Lim-Flex

• All bulls sell with and 50K data.

SIRES REPRESENTED:

COLE Envision 34J • JBV Resilience 914J • GV Xcellsior 909H

GV Zach 508Z • JBV Yellowstone 901G • SYES Jordan 212J

AHCC Dakota Thunder 363D • AHCC Easy Rider 5594E

Wulfs Holliday 4841H • SYES Hardrock 65H

Perry, GA

June 20-26, 2025

ENTRY DEADLINE: May 1, 2025

LATE ENTRY DEADLINE: May 15, 2025

SHOW LOCATION:

Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agriculture Center, 401 Golden Isles Pkwy, Perry, GA, 31069

Friday, June 20

8:00 a.m. Move in/Set up

4:00 p.m. NALJA Board of Director Candidate and Parent Orientation

4:30 p.m. NALJA Board of Director Interviews

Saturday, June 21

11:00 a.m.- Check-in

2:00 p.m. *Steers scanned during check-in for the carcass contest

2:00 p.m. Cattle in Place

2:30 p.m. State Officers and Advisors Meeting

3:30 p.m. Junior Quiz Bowl Prelims and Finals

5:00 p.m. Senior Quiz Bowl Prelims and Finals

8:00 p.m. Family Fun Night

Sunday, June 22

8:00 a.m. Church Service

9:00 a.m. Livestock Judging

Noon Sullivan Supply/Stock Show U Sponsored Team Fitting

3:30 p.m. Limi Littles Activity

4:30 p.m. Tenderfoot Activity

5:30 p.m. Sullivan Supply Stock Show U

6:30 p.m. Membership meeting/Group pictures

7:00 p.m. Opening Ceremonies – Dinner Following

Monday, June 23

8:00 a.m. Sullivan Supply/Stock Show U Sponsored Showmanship

Adult Showmanship

Noon Limi Littles Activity

2:00 p.m. Sales Talk

2:00 p.m. Public Speaking

4:00 p.m. Cow Camp Preliminaries

6:00 p.m. Mentor/Tenderfoot Meet Up

7:00 p.m. Cornhole Tournament

Tuesday, June 24

8:00 a.m. NEOGEN Ultimate Show (Bulls then Females), Steers, Limousin Cow-Calf Pairs, Lim-Flex Cow-Calf Pairs, Bred and Owned Limousin Bulls, Bred and Owned Lim-Flex Bulls, Bred and Owned Limousin Females, Bred and Owned Lim-Flex Females, Group Classes

4:00 p.m. Limi Littles Activity

5:00 p.m. Mentor/Tenderfoot Meet Up

8:00 p.m.- Dance

11:00 p.m.

Wednesday, June 25

9:00 a.m. Cow Camp Finals

11:00 a.m. Limi Littles Activity

Noon Mentor/Tenderfoot Meet Up

Noon NALJA Presidential Election Ballots Due; People’s Choice Ballots Due

2:00 p.m. DigitalBeef Workshop

6:00 p.m. NALJA Awards Ceremony (dinner included)

Thursday, June 26

9:00 a.m. Owned Lim-Flex Females, Owned Limousin Females

Thank You!

Now that we have our first bull sale under our belt we are excited for the progress our program is making. We thank the fellow breeders and commercial cattlemen who supported our program and made our inaugural sale a success.

Through our extensive embryo transplant and AI program we are producing the next generation of cattle that will be carrying the DJPH prefix. These cattle have the performance and economically important traits to be profitable for our customers for years to come.

Watch for details on our November 2025 sale and for our genetics being offered in Limousin sales this year.

We welcome your call or visit anytime.

David and Jennifer Phillips • 405-627-7886

jendavephillips@gmail.com • 12750 N. Chisholm Rd., Geary, OK 73040

Take Ownership

by Randy Ratliff

Let’s not look around and wait for something to happen.

As this new year begins, I am encouraging myself and my team to be the best we can be by accepting challenges, embracing the truth, and celebrating the fact we have opportunities to make a difference. At its core, taking ownership of your business means having initiative and taking responsibility for your own growth and the success of your team or organization. Every good team needs players willing to step up and be accountable instead of placing blame for mistakes or challenges. In those moments, missteps can then become moments of learning. Success might let us pat ourselves on the back, but we don’t become better people just by being successful. Until we take ownership, we will chase empty happiness.

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” -Winston Churchill

He emphasizes the link between responsibility and striving for excellence, which are both integral to effective leadership.

~Details matter ~

• Attention to detail delivers solid results

• Demonstrate a commitment to delivering work of the utmost quality

• High standards of output produce consistent reliability

• Efforts in maintaining and improving work quality are admirable

• Lead by example and set a positive tone to inspire others

• Provide clear direction and encourage other fellow breeders

• Instead of blaming the market, take ownership of your results

• Listen to the feedback from your customers to provide a product they want

• You get out of it what you put into it

Let’s work together this new year, celebrating all things “Limousin.”

Randall O. Ratliff Ratliff & Co.

SELLING 114 HEAD

SYES

SYES MASTERSOURCE 511M

SYES MAINSTAY 603M

SYES MINDFUL 811M

REGISTERED

Raised a Preacher’s Kid

From

cityscapes

to

country life,

Mark

Middleton has made his own place in the beef industry.

by Megan Silveira

Mark Middleton comes from a big family. His father had five brothers and five sisters, and growing up, Middleton said the best weekends were spent amongst uncles and cousins. He’d say goodbye to their life in town and embrace life a little further south in rural Iron County at Uncle Bud’s cattle ranch.

“I was raised as a preacher’s kid, and in the ’60s and ’70s…I was just enamored with that,” the Missourian explained of the beef industry’s appeal.

It was a change of pace for sure, but from a young age, Middleton said he knew it was where he wanted to stay.

“It wasn’t going to be a quick shot in the arm,” he added. “I knew it was something that was going to be a lifestyle for me because I loved it.”

Maybe it was the novelty of the Western world, but as a young adult, Middleton made the choice to purchase his first cattle. In 1986, happenstance led him to Limousin breed.

He needed a new herd sire, and Uncle Bud’s son-in-law, Gene, let Middleton lease a three-quarter blood Limousin bull. When progeny hit the ground nine months later, the cattleman thought he’d hit a homerun.

“Seeing how those calves came easy and just exploded with growth — I didn’t recognize them two weeks after,” Middleton recalled. “I was hooked.”

The next year, he purchased some purebred heifers from a local breeder. The year after, he saw similar results, and Middleton said he’s been building the herd ever since.

The Limousin breed brought moderate birth weights and high growth calves but also the style and phenotype that appealed to the budding cattleman. Most importantly, Middleton said they also had the rib needed to excel on Missouri grass: pastures built mainly of fescue and legumes.

While there was promise in the livestock themselves, Middleton’s journey in the industry was about to be an uphill climb.

“When I got into seedstock, Uncle Bud said, ‘That’ll take Mark 10 years to build up any customer base or clientele,’” Middleton remembers.

And sure enough, 10 years later, Middleton said it dawned on him that Uncle Bud had been right. Being a first-generation breeder, there was no land, livestock or equipment to be handed down; Middleton labels those as the three major expenses in entering the industry.

The 160 acres became a good spot to grow a cattle operation, and he said there’s pride in upkeeping the two-story farmhouse built back in 1882. All that land, however, had Middleton thinking.

“If I was going to have seedstock, I needed to produce cutting edge genetics,” he explained.

Middleton adopted the breeding philosophy of blending tried and true bloodlines with fresh genetics. To best put that mindset into practice, he decided to gain new knowledge.

“I’m not young, but I’m not old, as a grizzled veteran, I can offer some insight.”

Mark Middleton

“I knew going to AI school in 1989 would give me the opportunity to have 10 plus different bulls that I would be able to individually mate with my cows,” he said of the decision.

Armed with the ability to make pairings of his own choosing, Middleton realized his next big hurdle: dealing with industry trends.

He knew it would take resolve and a stick-to-it attitude to hang in there, but Middleton wasn’t intimidated.

“Everything I do, I stick with it for the long haul,” he said.

Part of that challenge was solved by leasing land as he was getting started. When Middleton was able to purchase his own farm in 1992, Bourbon, Missouri, became home.

Looking back today, Middleton credits a lot of his success to keeping to the middle ground. He said he didn’t jump into anything right away; he liked to watch those trends play out a bit before he tried his own hand at them.

From chasing the polled and black genes all the way to the adoption of Lim-Flex cattle, slow and steady won the race for Middleton.

continued from page 29

At Middleton Limousin today, most of the nearly 50 females he and wife, Jeanne, own are black-hided and Lim-Flex. There’s still some purebreds and reds on the property, but his focus lays more with the quality of the cattle than their “trendiness.”

“We stress performance cattle with style,” Middleton said of his herd. “EPDs are huge to me. Enhancing those EPDs through DNA testing, Limousin Inventory Management System and Lim Vision are all vital tools to stay relevant.”

continued on page 32

7TH ANNUAL BULL & FEMALE SALE

February 16, 2025

Fennimore Livestock Exchange • Fennimore, WI

Limousin, Lim-Flex & Angus Cattle. Offering 50 Bulls, 20 Females & 5 Opens

We are weaning excellent calves out of top sires like: Wulfs Horton, Wulfs Gallagher, VL Hunker Down, CELL History Buff, Wulfs Endeavor, L7 Jukebox, S Architect, Acclaim, Justification and other great sires.

Call or visit us at the NWSS.

SPRING CREEKS CATTLE CO.

The Mitchell’s

48715 Hilldale Rd., Wauzeka, WI 53826

www.springcreekscattle.com

608-553-8070

f Spring Creeks Cattle Company

• JANUARY 2025

Each year, Middleton retains a few heifers and sells bulls to commercial customers. While 2025 marks the second year the operation will present an offering of bred females, show heifers, herd sire prospects and genetic opportunities in an online sale, Middleton also sends some of his top, young bred females and herd sires to the annual Missouri Limousin Breeders Association sale each spring.

The MLBA holds a special place in Middleton’s heart. He is currently serving his second term on the board of directors.

“I’m not young, but I’m not old,” he joked. “As a grizzled veteran, I can offer some insight.”

Beyond the kindred spirit he shares with his fellow members, Middleton enjoys the chance to help promote the breed he loves.

Through his years as a producer, he said it’s taken time and energy to show others the breed was worthy of the spotlight.

“Limousin bulls have always sold themselves as we founded our breed as the ‘carcass breed,’” Middleton said. “Now we are that and so much more.”

Beyond a hiccup with a few hot-headed genetic lines in the ’80s, Middleton said he’s known the Limousin cow was something special since he bought his first female.

“The mothering, milk, growth, feed efficiency and longevity have, over time, won a lot of people in the industry over,” he explained. “NALF and state and local associations have done a good job proclaiming the positive attributes of the Limousin female as a productive cow that excels in a wide variety of climates and conditions.”

Bred To Last

Judy Bugher, 405/306-1315 • Edna Manning, 405/306-1316 9700 Slaughterville Rd. • Lexington, OK 73051 Ranch Office: 405/527-7648 • hayhooklimousin@gmail.com

While Middleton knows having the right kind of cattle can make a difference in a herd’s ability to thrive, he also believes management plays a major role. After attending grazing school in 2001, he realized he should be thinking about raising grass to be harvested by cattle rather than just raising cattle.

With the farm being located just about 80 miles from St. Louis, land is a hot commodity. Since that means there’s no new property up for grabs, Middleton’s had to learn to make the most of the acreage he has.

Forage availability is dependent on Mother Nature. While weather’s out of Middleton’s control, management can make all the difference. It’s about “optimizing” rather than “maximizing,” he adds, noting the lessons have fit in well at Middleton Limousin.

“Our model has always been to leave the land better than we found it,” he said.

Though he left the title of “preacher’s kid” behind when trading a city life for the cattle industry, Middleton’s proudly found that memories from Sundays in church during his father’s 40-year tenure as a preacher, have continued to hold weight in his current life.

“We don’t always get it right, but we take it very seriously to do our best with our land and the livestock God has entrusted us with,” he said. “We want to be good stewards of the land and the animals.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Megan Silveira is a freelance writer originally from Denair, California. She is currently based in Saint Joseph, Missouri. She completed her graduate studies in agricultural communications from Oklahoma State University in May 2021.

performance cattle we strive to produce. The cattle available at Hayhook represent more than four decades of breeding and selection. They are bred to last and be profitable in a real world environment. We select top genetics and then prove them within our program so we are confident they will work for you. Call or come by the ranch to see the quality selection of bulls and females we have available.

embodies the kind of

As we ring in a new year, we are reflecting on how blessed we truly are. We are pleased with the progress our breeding program has made and are thankful for the acceptance of the cattle we are producing.

Thank you to the following buyers for your purchases in our online sale. We greatly appreciate your support and wish you success with your purchases. Merediths Limousin, Iberia, MO • Zech Francis, Stoutland, MO • Bryant Farms, Wagoner, OK • Little’s Limousin, Eldon, MO Glendenning J Bar J, Lebanon, MO • Lyndon Schrock, Stark City, MO • Excel Ranches, Perryville, MO

Watch for our consignments at:

We welcome your call or visit to see the bulls and females we have available.

by Dr. John Yost Extension Educator, Ohio State University

Ican’t say for sure, but I imagine that any cow-calf producer would trade frozen ground for mud. The downside of frozen ground and newborn calves is the chance for hypothermia. Cows aren’t stupid. When the weather turns cold the herd will congregate where it is dry and sheltered. Those cows that come into labor and look to isolate themselves are often left to go to the worst spot of the field to drop their calf. The sight of a new calf stretched out in a wet hole will knot up your stomach and you know it is going to be a long night trying to get it warmed back up.

Newborn calves don’t benefit from heat generated by the rumen fermentation that helps their mother weather cold temperatures. When air temperature drops below 55 degrees Fahrenheit, a calf is reliant on metabolic heat from the small fat reserves that are deposited prior to birth. When a calf is born into an extreme cold environment, their normal 18-hour energy reserve can be quickly exhausted through shivering, leading to hypothermia.

A calf’s normal body temperature at birth should be between 101.5 and 102.5 degrees. As their core temperature decreases, the symptoms of hypothermia will set in. The body’s initial reaction is to preserve

its core temperature by decreasing blood flow to the limbs, shortened breathing and shivering. This biological response can delay a calf trying to stand and nurse, thus compounding the problem. If their core temperature drops close to 88 degrees, breathing rate will drop to four to five breathes per minute and the calf may appear to be deceased. Knowing the rectal temperature of a hypothermic calf is necessary to determine what supportive care is needed. Every cattleman should have a rectal thermometer as part of their newborn calf tool kit. You can also use a calf’s behavior to determine how much trouble it may be in. If their body temperature has just dipped below 100 degrees, and they are still able to hold a normal laying position, they may only need to be dried off and relocated to a sheltered space to regain their body temperature. Moving them to a well bedded barn with mom can get them headed back in the right direction. It is when their core temperature falls to the mid-90’s or below that more aggressive care is warranted.

Those calves that have a poor suckling response, will need to be provided an external heat source to begin raising their core temperature. It could be just putting them in the heated shop, sitting

with them in the floor of the truck, or using a warming box. This will probably require you to take them away from mom and you will need to provide some initial nutrition. A calf needs to consume four to six quarts of colostrum during its first 24 hours of life. As you know, colostrum is essential for providing early immunity until their immune system develops around the time they are one to two months old. The more they can consume, earlier in that 24 hour period, the better off they will be. Ideally, you can milk out the mother but, if not, you can substitute a quality colostrum replacer of 100 igG.

If a calf’s temperature drops below 90 degrees, you will need to all of the available tools to give it a fighting chance. A recent study by Copeland et al., from Iowa State comparing forced air to water bath rewarming methods found that both systems were able to successful return a calf’s body temperature to normal range. The water bath method (64 minutes) worked twice as fast as a forced air system

to support the calf’s head during the rewarming process. You will also need to use a stock tank heater to maintain the water temperature around 100 degrees. If you use a forced air system, like a torpedo heater, keep the heater far enough away from the calf as to not cause burns. Another point to is to get the calf off the floor when using forced air by laying them on a wooden pallet. Concrete and bare earth will continue to rob heat from the calf. These calves will need to be tubed every couple hours with about 24 oz. of colostrum replacer. Researchers have looked at adding caffeine or sugar to these tube feedings, but the results have been inconclusive.

I am always amazed at the fight in some cold calves. There are times that I worked all day on a calf, not expecting it to make it, only to have it greet me at the shop door. This isn’t a battle you can expect to win all the time. However, I am never surprised at the effort cattlemen and ranchers will put into resuscitating a cold calf. That is just who

Beef Helps Close Nutrient Gaps At Key Life Stages

Recent research studies reinforce the important role beef plays in closing nutrient gaps for vulnerable populations such as adolescents, those who are pregnant and aging adults.

Three recent research studies published in the peer-reviewed, scientific journal Nutrients add to a growing body of evidence reinforcing the important role beef plays in closing nutrient gaps for vulnerable populations such as adolescents, those who are pregnant and aging adults. Each study analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a large dataset gathered from a comprehensive, nationally representative survey of Americans, to assess beef intake and the contribution of nutrients from beef-containing diets. Adolescents, classified as ages 14-18, is a critical life stage with increased nutrient needs for optimal growth and development. Beef’s nutrients, such as protein, zinc, B vitamins and iron, are essential nutrients needed for proper adolescent development. Based on this analysis, adolescents who regularly eat meals with beef are more likely to meet daily recommendations for essential nutrients and have a lower prevalence for nutrient inadequacies. The researchers found that adolescent beef consumers with an average beef consumption of as little as 1.7 ounces per day had upwards of 15% more intake of calcium, iron, phosphorus, selenium, sodium, choline, vitamin B12 and zinc than adolescents who do not regularly consume beef.

Proper nutrition in supporting maternal and child health through pregnancy and lactation also is critically important. About 95% or more of pregnant and lactating women who eat beef have adequate intakes and meet nutrient recommendations of zinc, calcium, vitamin B12, protein, riboflavin, iron and niacin; yet many pregnant and lactating women who do not regularly eat beef are inadequate in these nutrients. Based on this analysis, it is estimated that an additional 830,000 pregnant and lactating women would no longer have inadequate intakes for zinc if they incorporated as little as 1.74 ounces of beef into their daily diet. Finally, a significant proportion of older U.S. adults—those 60 years and older—consume less than the recommended amounts of key nutrients each day, which can negatively impact health. This study found older adults who consume beef have improved intake of 12 nutrients, including nutrients often lacking in this population, protein and vitamin B12. The research indicates a higher proportion of this age group would meet nutrient recommendations for protein and vitamin B12, as well as other essential nutrients, by including about two ounces of beef per day in their diet.

Source: Kansas Livestock Association

SUBSCRIPTION FORM

Balamore Farm Ltd.

PREMIUM CATTLE & PLANTS

by Sarah Anne Johnson

Balamore Farm Ltd. overlooks the Bay of Fundy in Great Village, Nova Scotia. The Bay of Fundy is known for the highest tides in the world. The area where Balamore Farm is located has a rich history of agriculture — it is some of the earliest farmed land in Canada. It was originally settled by the Acadians who brought their dyke-making skills with them from France in the 1600s. The name “Balamore Farm” was established long before the Coopers owned it, and it is Gaelic for “Great Village.”

With a passion for the beef industry, a diverse group of bloodlines and uncompromising standards, Joe and Carolyn Cooper along with their family, Robert and Emily, David and Kathleen, and William, raise Limousin, Charolais, Angus and Simmental cattle.

Joe’s parents bought the farm in 1962. It was a mixed farm of hogs, commercial cattle, carrots and grain. Joe’s love of cattle was evident from a young age – he had cattle of his own at the age of five and by eighth grade he had 10 purebred Hereford cows. In 1990, Joe started growing strawberry plants for farmers in Florida, and in 1995, he and Carolyn bought the farm from his parents. Since then, the nursery business has expanded and includes plug plants, tips and bare roots.

Like most farm kids, the Cooper boys grew up working on the farm in the summers, and each grew to have a preference for certain areas of the operation. Although everyone has their area of expertise, all members of the family help out in all areas of the farm when necessary.

Cattle have always been a part of Balamore, with the primary focus on commercial cows. It wasn’t until Joe and Carolyn’s youngest son William became involved in 4-H in 2012 that the Coopers started buying purebred Limousin cattle. Since then, more breeds have been added to diversify and appeal to the local market. The Coopers have a love of all breeds and like the challenge of creating good animals regardless.

The Coopers used to feed a large number of feeder cattle and stockers. “We believed that Limousin-cross cattle were the best to feed. Those were the ones that we could make money on while feeding them out. Muscling and lean yield is what the Limousin breed is known for and because of that, we believed in Limousin cattle. We try to make bulls with thickness, big tops and length. When we were buying customers’

continued on page 40

continued from page 39

calves back or feeding cattle out, Limousin cattle were the kind we wanted to feed. We felt the breed was way ahead of every other breed in terms of those traits,” Robert said.

When it comes to setting their operation up for success there are three key areas Balamore Farm Ltd. focuses on. “We try to raise the best cattle we possibly can, provide the best customer support and be trustworthy and honest with our customers,” Robert said.

Each year, Balamore Farm Ltd. hosts their Thickness Sells Bull Sale at the farm in Great Village, Nova Scotia. This past year marked their 12th Annual Thickness Sells Bull Sale, which featured their top Angus, Charolais, Limousin, Simmental and Shorthorn bulls. Regardless of breed, the cattle raised at Balamore Farm share the traits the Cooper family loves and prioritize — thickness, clean front ends, length, docility and good structure.

Balamore Endeavor 701E is the individual that put Balamore Farm Ltd. on the map and remains at the heart of their program today. “Endeavor combined calving ease with incredible thickness and growth. His daughters are awesome. We’ve never found a bigger footed bull that is as versatile as Endeavor. A good number of our herd is related to him somehow and even though he’s gone, we still continue to use him wherever we can,” Robert explained.

Balamore Farm Ltd. is truly a family endeavor, but it wouldn’t be what it is today without the individuals who have impacted the Cooper family along the way. “Mike Geddes, who used to manage Top Meadow in Ontario, is on our team and he’s been awesome as a mentor and as a friend. Mike has a great deal of knowledge about the Limousin breed. Taylor Stewart is our Herdsman and has been with us since he was 17. We wouldn’t be able to run as many cows or do nearly as good of a job without Taylor’s hard work, dedication and everything he does,” Robert explained.

“The future of the Limousin breed is bright. I believe there will always be a market for Limousin-cross cattle as long as the Limousin breed keeps true to itself,” Robert said.

The Cooper family understand how fortunate they are to live in such a beautiful place, with a family that is fully engaged in the farm, and surrounded by a great team who is committed to making it work.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sarah Anne Johnson raises registered Limousin & Lim-Flex cattle with her fiancé, Coulton West, in eastern Ohio. Together they own and operate West Ag, LLC. Sarah is a sixth-generation beef cattle producer and works as a District Sales Manager for Syngenta. She has exhibited Limousin cattle on the state and national levels since the age of four and she served as a NALJA Board Member during her junior show career. Connect with Sarah at 614-266-2646 or sarah@limousin365.com.

Pasture To Plate Performance Sale,

Limousin and Lim-Flex Heifers

SALE MANAGEMENT

MC Marketing

Kiley McKinna, 402-350-3447 Wiley Fanta, 320-287-0751

AUCTIONEER

C.K. Sonny Booth, 918-533-5587

Hosted by

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2025 1:00 p.m. MST

OLIM KEYSTONE 23K

75% Lim-Flex • Sired by MAGS Cable 2023 NWSS Grand Ch. Limousin Bull Lead bull in 2023 NWSS Grand Ch. Lim-Flex Pen Owned with Rolling Acres Limousin Farm, WV Semen available through Grassroots Genetics

Sons and Daughters Sell!

Live Auction Kersey, CO

OLIM KOLT 45

37% Lim-Flex • Sired by DB Iconic G95

High-Selling Lim-Flex Bull - 2024 Sale

Owned with Lawrence Family Limousin, TX

Maternal Brothers Sell!

OLIM LATIGO 320L

84% Limousin • Sired by OLIM Jackpot 209J

High-Selling Limousin Bull - 2024 Sale

Owned with Kelly Blake, UT

Paternal Brothers Sell!

OLIM LAREDO 367L

84% Limousin - Sired by OLIM Jackpot 209J

High-Selling Limousin Bull - 2024 Sale

Owned with Brackman Limousin Ranch, Walnut Ridge Limousin and Duff Limousin Semen available through Grassroots Genetics

Paternal Brothers Sell!

OLIM LATTE 373L

80% Limousin - Sired by ROMN Floyd Mudhenkey 101F High-Selling Female - 2024 Sale

Owned by Kyle Ruehle, KS

Paternal Brothers Sell!

by Krista Ehlert

Assistant Professor & SDSU Extension

Range

Specialist

Dry fall conditions can have cascading effects on grazing systems, particularly in the Northern Great Plains, where rangelands and pastures are critical to livestock production. Reduced fall growth can compromise root reserves, deplete forage supplies, and strain soil and water resources, making for a challenging spring. Taking proactive steps now can mitigate these impacts and prepare pastures for recovery, ensuring sustainable grazing in the upcoming season.

Assessing Forage and Pasture Conditions

The first step in preparing for spring grazing after a dry fall is to thoroughly assess your forage and pasture conditions. Start by conducting a forage inventory to evaluate your current feed supplies, including hay, silage, and other stored feed. Determine whether your reserves will meet winter and early spring needs, or if additional feed will need to be purchased or conserved.

Next, inspect the health of your pastures. Reduced fall rainfall leads to weakened plant root systems and bare patches in pastures.

Overgrazed areas may require extra attention, as they are more susceptible to erosion and slower recovery in the spring. Remember, overgrazing is a repeated offense; closely grazing your pastures one time during one grazing season to accomplish your grazing goals is likely not overgrazing; doing this time and time again will drastically deplete root reserves. Consider mapping out which areas are most vulnerable and prioritize them in your grazing and recovery plans for this coming spring.

Developing a Winter Grazing Plan

Strategic grazing during the winter can help alleviate stress on your pastures while preserving forage for spring. Rotate livestock carefully to avoid overgrazing areas that were already stressed by the dry fall. Focus grazing on pastures that received slightly more moisture or that are less drought sensitive. Temporary fencing can be a useful tool to control livestock movement and protect areas with lower plant vigor.

continued on page 44

The Heartland Limousin Association welcomes all Limousin enthusiasts. The HLA is passionate about promoting Limousin genetics, honoring commercial producers and encouraging youth with their Limousin projects.

Who can join? Any reputable supporter of Limousin cattle is welcome as long as you fill out the application form and send $50 membership dues each year.

Make check payable to the HLA and return this form and $50 payment to: HLA, P.O. Box 33, Bluffton, AR 72827

In general, grazing during the winter will not negatively impact next year’s forage production if there was enough recovery prior to the winter grazing event, and if you have an understanding that you need to leave enough behind after grazing in the winter to help foster spring growth. Grasses in the Northern Great Plains go dormant in late fall and winter, storing their carbohydrate reserves in the roots belowground, so grazing will not damage them.

Enhancing Soil and Forage Resilience

If weather and resources allow, consider planting cover crops to extend your grazing season. These crops protect the soil from erosion, improve water infiltration, and add organic matter, creating a moreresilient base for spring growth. Cover crops can also suppress weeds, reducing competition for limited resources. In South Dakota, fall and winter grazing can be done by planting brassicas, grasses like oat and barley, and legumes in July and August. Spring cover crop grazing needs can be met by planting cool-season crops that can overwinter, like winter cereals (winter rye, triticale); planting is recommended during late summer or early fall.

Securing Water Resources

Water availability can be another challenge following a dry fall. Inspect all water systems, including wells, tanks and ponds, to ensure they are functioning properly and have adequate capacity for livestock needs. Drought conditions may lower water table levels,

so it’s critical to address any potential shortages before spring. If necessary, develop alternative water sources or plan to haul water to areas with insufficient supplies.

Adjusting Stocking Rates

Dry conditions may require a reduction in stocking rates to balance forage supply and demand. Evaluate your herd size and consider selling cull animals or leasing additional grazing land to reduce pressure on your pastures. While reducing stocking rates can be a difficult decision, it is often necessary to protect the long-term health and productivity of your land.

Another strategy is to designate reserve pastures for spring grazing. These are areas that were not heavily grazed in the fall and may recover more quickly if winter and early spring precipitation improves. Reserving these areas ensures you have high-quality forage available when the grazing season begins.

Planning for Supplemental Feeding

When forage supplies are low, supplemental feeding becomes a critical component of winter management. Secure supplemental feed early to avoid shortages or price increases later in the season. Hay, silage, and grain-based rations can all be used to stretch forage supplies, but it’s important to balance these feeds with the nutritional needs of your livestock.

Crop residues, such as corn stalks or soybean stubble, can also provide an affordable and effective alternative feed source. Grazing residues should be managed carefully to prevent overuse and maintain soil health for future planting.

Monitoring Weather and Remaining Flexible

Winter and early spring precipitation will play a significant role in determining how well pastures recover from a dry fall. Keep a close eye on long-term weather forecasts and be prepared to adjust your grazing plans as conditions change. If precipitation remains low, consider delaying the start of spring grazing to give pastures extra time to recover. Early grazing on stressed pastures can set back recovery and reduce forage production throughout the season.

Seeking Professional Guidance

Finally, don’t hesitate to reach out to experts for guidance. Your local Extension office can provide tailored advice, soil testing resources, and access to programs that support drought management and sustainable grazing practices. Workshops, field days and online resources are valuable tools to help you navigate the challenges of dry conditions and prepare for the grazing season ahead.

Conclusion

A dry fall presents significant challenges, but it also offers an opportunity to implement proactive and adaptive management strategies. By assessing forage and pasture conditions, developing a winter grazing plan, enhancing soil health, and remaining flexible, ranchers can reduce the impact of drought stress and set the stage for a successful spring grazing season. With careful planning and timely action, you can support both the health of your land and the productivity of your livestock operation

Can the commercial cow herd benefit from reproductive strategies?

A look at how AI, synchronization, sexed semen, ET and IVF benefit commercial cattleman.

by Denise Schwab ISU extension beef specialist

When we think about reproductive strategies to improve the beef cow herd, we usually think about AI, synchronization, sexed semen, ET and IVF. These technologies may seem to lend themselves to the seedstock industry more than commercial herds, but what is the value of those technologies to the commercial cattleman?

Maybe one of the biggest benefits is the genetic improvement potential from using artificial insemination. AI allows for the use of the top proven bulls in an effective crossbreeding rotation or purebred system regardless of operation size, at a fraction of the cost of purchasing and maintaining a bull year-round. The commercial herd may use AI to produce top-quality crossbred replacement females while purchasing natural service bulls focused on producing high growth, carcass merit calves for the feedyard. However, utilizing AI successfully requires good estrus detection, manpower to implement the process, and good working facilities.

Estrus synchronization is typically paired with AI, however it doesn’t have to be. The initial benefit of synchronization is in shifting the calving distribution to earlier in the season, resulting in more older and therefore heavier calves at weaning time. What is this worth?

Assuming nursing calves are gaining about two pounds per day, a calf that is 21-days older than herdmates results in an additional 42

pounds of weaning weight. At a value of $3 per pound, these older calves could result in an additional $126 per calf. These early-born steer calves also produce heavier carcasses with greater marbling scores, and the heifer calves breed earlier in their first breeding season (Funston et al., 2012).

Research by Day (2024) showed a wide range of cows (17-67%) were not cycling at the start of the breeding season, thereby preventing them from calving at the start of the next calving season. Estrus synchronization protocols using progesterone have the ability to induce cycling in these cows setting them up to breed sooner and calve earlier. To demonstrate this, Rogers et al. (2012) exposed one group of cows to a natural service breeding season and another group received the 7-day CO-Synch + CIDR synchronization, and AI followed by natural service. The group synchronized and AI resulted in 44% of the cows calving in the first 21 days, compared to 25% of the natural service cows, plus the synchronized cows weaned an addition 38 pounds per cow exposed. A secondary impact is that heifers that calve in the first cycle as a heifer will continue to calve early throughout their lifetime, further increasing lifetime weaning weights.

Estrus synchronization is not without costs – product, labor, trips through the chute, semen and possibly more bull power. Protocols

vary greatly and can be very simplistic or quite elaborate. Typically, the more elaborate the protocol, the more trips through the chute and more product used. Probably the biggest factor in success of synchronization is implementing the protocol accurately and precisely. For instance, if a protocol says to remove a CIDR seven days after insertion and breed 60-66 hours later, you need to follow that exactly. The Estrus Synchronization Planner can assist in calculating timing of trips through the chute for various protocols. So what is the cost vs return? Again, it depends on the protocol, but for example the Select Synch with timed AI requires an injection of GnRH, followed by an injection of PGF2a seven days later, then heat detect and AI cows who come into heat, 72-84 hours post PGF2a shot, AI remaining cows and inject GnRH on any cows who failed to express estrus. The cost of one PGF2a and two GnRH injections is roughly $12, semen cost of approximately $30, plus the time and labor of three trips through the chute along with heat detection.

A more simplified synchronization protocol may actually work better for commercial producers who still want to bull breed but move more cows to calving earlier in the calving season. In this case bulls are turned out with cows for five days, and anything that conceives then will not be affected by the protocol. On day five, cows are gathered and given one injection of PGF2a which will shorten the cows estrous cycle and cause any cows not bred by the bull in the first five days to go into heat a few days after receiving the shot of PGF2a. Bull power needs to be adequate (1:25 for mature bulls, 1:15 for yearling bulls) and bulls must have been breeding soundness evaluated prior

to turnout. Fort Keogh Research Center at Miles City, Montana, implemented this protocol for three years resulting in a pregnancy rate of 85% in a 32-day breeding season.

Embryo transfer may not have as much of a direct impact for commercial herds, however several producers have been able to capitalize on ET by producing quality recipient cows for ET programs. Cows that aren’t producing the quality of calves that fit your own market may perform well as a recipient provided they maintain their weight well and milk adequately.

One reproductive technology we seldom discuss but is fundamental for all herds is a bull Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE). The BSE includes a semen evaluation including both morphology (structure or defects) and motility (movement) of the sperm. But it also needs to include observations of feet, legs, eyes and an exam of the scrotum and penis to ensure there are no defects or signs of disease that would inhibit breeding.

Finally, these reproductive technologies are effective tools to assist both the commercial and seedstock herd to improve reproduction and therefore profits. A sound foundation of nutrition, health and management are critical for the success of any of these technologies. Adequate forage and feeds to support a body condition score of five to six, a healthy immune system backed with a good vaccination protocol, low stress handling practices, and protection from weather challenges are all required to optimize reproduction efficiency. No technology can override management mistakes

Looking Ahead To 2025 Starting Inventory

Cow/calf producers are in the driver’s seat for the foreseeable future.

Nevil Speer

Number Six: The beef industry has witnessed five consecutive years (2019-thru-2023) of declining beef cow inventory. Sooner-or-later that trend has to reverse course – right? And during the past year, there’s been lots of discussion in the ag media about the overall decline in cow slaughter numbers. So, surely 2024 must have been the year for that to happen – also right? Not so fast; 2024 is shaping up to be year number six.

Slaughter Rate: While it’s true that cow slaughter sharply declined during the past year, the absolute number doesn’t really tell us much; it’s the relative number that matters. That is, the true indicator of producer intentions is the slaughter rate (total slaughter as proportion of beginning inventory). It’s not a perfect predictor (more on that below), but it’s a fairly reliable indicator of which direction the cowherd is headed.

Through November, beef producers have marketed 9.35% of 2024’s starting inventory. And if we assume another 0.85% through December (we’ll know the final numbers in mid-January from USDA), that’ll bring the slaughter rate to 10.2% for the year. Based on the data, beef cow inventory will likely have declined another by

continued on page 50

0.85% during the year. Net-net: the U.S. beef cow inventory will likely start 2025 with fewer cows (~28M) versus last year’s mark (28.2M head).

That directional trend is further reinforced by the quarterly heifer feedlot inventory. Heifers have comprised roughly 39.5% of total feedyard population during the past several years (the most recent reading occurring in October). No matter how you slice it, producers aren’t signaling any meaningful intention to start rebuilding the nation’s cowherd.

Survey: As noted above, none of that is a perfect marker. Don’t go betting the 28M number; there’s lots of room for some over-orunder. Primarily, it’s contingent on last year’s starting number. And depending on how the cattle inventory survey shapes up, the 2024 benchmark is subject to revision (which some years can be sizeable).

Surveys are an imperfect tool (albeit far better than nothing) and there always exists possibility of corrections. Therein lies the next important part of all of this – response rate. It’s key to ensuring the estimates are as accurate as possible. Of course, that has broader implications for the entire industry. USDA explains the survey, “helps packers and government leaders evaluate expected slaughter volume for future months and determine potential supplies for export, as well as aid in determining program and resource needs in times of emergencies. Obtaining the current count of cattle will serve as an important decision making tool for the entire agricultural industry.”

There is no such thing as a perfect count. However, active producer participation in the survey helps ensure that “close” really is just that. Ultimately, better response rate leads to more precision, and that benefits all stakeholders.

Big Picture: Whatever the number turns out to be, cow/calf producers still have not turned their attention to rebuilding. The question that immediately follows is something like, “What will it take to make that happen?” There’s no perfect answer because every operation is different, but it includes regulatory certainty, interest rate stability, slowing equipment cost inflation, and long-run confidence that drought will quit rearing its ugly head.

Then, question number two goes something like, how will we know when the trend changes course? My response is typically something like, “We’ll know it when we see it.”

But in the meantime, I don’t hear too many producers complaining. In the big picture, continued tight numbers (along with stellar consumer demand) means cow/calf producers are in the driver’s seat for the foreseeable future.

PACKERS FACING Perfect Storm

by Dennis Smith Archer Financial Services Inc.

I’ll cut right to the chase. Entering 2025, the beef fundamental makeup is such that beef packers are facing a perfect storm. I visualize sharply higher cattle prices reaching price levels never dreamed of. Below is a list of 10 bullish fundamentals that are coming into play:

• The 2024 calf crop, reported in the cattle inventory report on Jan. 31, should be record small.

• The beef cow herd is down over 10% from the peak.

• Due to drought in the U.S., the industry has placed a decadehigh percentage of the calf crop, more than 80%.

• The Mexican border closure is disruptive to feeder imports and will continue to restrict imports even after the border is reopened due to safety protocols. Sharply higher prices for cash steers and feeder cattle expected.

• Plentiful rain in the southern Plains since November, boosting winter wheat crop ratings, will limit placements this winter.

• Potential tariffs imposed against Mexico and Canada will shut down beef imports from the northern and southern border.

• JBS/Brazil shut down 11 beef plants during November to break the cash steer market in Brazil. Steer prices rallied more than 50% in four months. This is expected to severely curtail U.S. beef imports from Brazil during December and spilling over into January.

• Dressed cattle weights have peaked.

• U.S. beef demand remains stronger than expected. In the wake of the U.S. presidential election, U.S. consumer confidence has soared.

• Two new beef slaughter plants are scheduled to come on line in April, expanding industry slaughter capacity at a time when onfeed numbers are likely to be dropping sharply.

Beef packers are incredibly good at what they do: Buy live cattle for as little as possible, and sell beef for as high as possible, assuring profits. During 2024, nearly everyone, including me, expected cattle supplies to get tight and prices to soar, with packers losing control of the market and bleeding red ink in the process. That did not happen.

While prices were strong at times, beef packers utilized the tool of slowing chain speed to prevent wholesale beef prices from falling sharply while keeping the cash steer market under wraps. This tool had three impacts on the market:

• Constantly slowing the marketing rate in combination with larger placements than expected allowed on-feed inventory to remain near year-ago levels.

• The slower chain speed over time forced cattle weights upward and into all-time record highs. This was engineered by the packers to help preserve margins.

• While still a challenging environment, beef packer margins for much of the year remained profitable.

Mathematically, in my opinion, it will be impossible to keep onfeed inventory near 2024 levels during 2025. The cattle inventory report, scheduled for release on Jan. 31, will confirm another decline in the calf crop. As stated above, both feeder cattle imports and beef imports from Mexico and Canada will be hampered next year. Beef imports from Brazil are also expected to decline.

Sharply lower placements, fueled by excellent wheat pasture and fewer numbers of calves available, will drive on-feed inventory sharply lower early in 2025. At the same time, industry slaughter capacity is expected to increase, creating more competition for fewer cattle.

As beef production falls, one should expect sharply higher cash steer prices and sharply higher feeder cattle prices. Both will see unheard-of record highs in 2025. At times, beef packer processing margins will be highly unprofitable. When it gets to an extreme, wholesale beef prices will have to soar higher to ration the tight supply.

If the Corn Belt has another good growing season, keeping feed prices from moving sharply higher, the onset of heifer retention will throw another bullish log on the fire. Historic price levels and historic volatility lie ahead

Checking Boxes

FEBRUARY 11, 2025 Hosted on L365Auctions.com Visit www.vennerlimousin.com for photos and videos All bulls selling have complete data and GE-EPDs.

Our cattle check the boxes for EPDs, performance, power and eye appeal.

JBV Extra Credit 409L

The combination of History Buff and Earning Power has really worked around here. Exceptional numbers with both indexes in the top 3% suggest he will work in a variety of programs. Well balanced and powerfully muscled, he has the look of a herd bull.

JBV Game Seven 329L

Every sports fan knows the importance of a game seven, it means climbing to the top. This Yellowstone son will do that for you. Balanced numbers across the board and top level performance along with an attractive look make him a candidate to get your program to Game Seven.

JBV Vivid Colors 328L

This year, since mother nature blessed us with an abundance of heifers, we are reaching deep into our replacement pens to offer several bred heifers, both spring and fall calving. These are females that should be staying here and JBV Vivid Colors fits that mold. We breed for balance, and that best describes her.

Using Sexed Semen To Navigate The Genetic Fork In The Road

by Garrett Ulmer University of Tennessee

Some cattle are excelling at rapidly producing a high-quality end product; however, they are usually not the low maintenance females that producers want to have in their cow herd. Similarly, the ideal bull for producing replacement females may not produce highvalue feeder or carcass cattle. Rather than focusing our breeding goals on being heavily terminal or primarily maternal, sexed semen allows herds of all sizes to “take both roads.” Intentionally making quality replacement females while maximizing terminal value from non-replacement animals. Kenny Wells from ABS Global detailed innovations in this space during the Advancements in Producer Education breakout session.

Wells emphasized that competing industries have already capitalized on creating breeding programs which allow them to achieve maximum profitability. Pork producers leverage optimized genetic lines along with maternal and terminal heterosis to increase in product value of offspring. Dairy farmers have refined their maternal unit for milk production with female sexed semen while also making use their former byproduct, dairy steers, by utilizing terminal beef genetics.

Sexed semen is not just a tool for dairy producers, beef operations can use it to meet maternal and terminal goals within the same calf crop. During his presentation, Wells discussed ways that ABS has deployed sexed semen in beef settings. One example is the 60/40 Sync Program, which builds on the idea of segmenting your cow herd so that your most fertile cows are bred to produce your replacement heifers, while the rest will produce a more terminal animal.

The 60/40 Sync Program works by synchronizing and fitting all females with an estrus detection aid, just as recommended for fixedtime AI protocols. Females that display estrus with fully activated patches, usually around 60%, are then time AI bred with female

continued on page 56

Setting The Stage

While it is exciting to win banners and recieve compliments from fellow breeders, it’s the production aspect of the business that really gets us excited. Look for intriguing genetic combinations from these three females as they transistion from the show road to the donor pen.

NAILE Junior Show

Grand Champion Lim-Flex Female & Division III Champion

SSUL Charmed 3419L ET

3/25/23 • 42% LF

Homo Black • Double Polled

S: Silveiras Forbes 8088

Contact us today about the cattle we have for sale privately.

NAILE Junior Show Division II Champion CELL 3354L ET

D: Ratliff Howboutit 008H ET

Shown by Claire Sennett of Waynetown, IN

NAILE Junior Show

Division I Champion Sennett SSUL Maserati

1/23/24 • 42% LF

Homo Black • Double Polled

S: Silveriras Forbes 8088

D: Ratliff Howboutit 008H ET

Shown by Claire Sennett of Waynetown, IN

2518 North State Road 25 Waynetown, IN 47990

Lance: 765-366-4894

Tucker: 309-660-4448

Ellie: 765-376-7330

9/6/23 • 50% LF

Homo Black • Dbl Polled

S: Silveiras Style 9303

D: Riverstone Charmed

Shown by Claire Sennett of Waynetown, IN

SAVE THE DATE

Excel Ranches

INAUGURAL ONLINE SALE

MARCH 18, 2025

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SELLING 12 LIMOUSIN LOTS

Bulls • Females • Genetics

FEATURING THE INFLUENCE OF THESE HIGH PROFILE PRODUCERS:

JDIL Journey 104J

SALE MANAGEMENT

KILEY McKINNA • 402-350-3447

WILEY FANTA • 320-287-0751 mcmarketingsales@aol.com www.mcmarketingmanagement.com

CANADIAN DIVISION

Ron, Barb, Cody, Amy, Lincoln, Avery & Brooks Miller RR 1, Westlock, AB T7P 2N9 Cody: 780-349-0644, Cody@excelranches.com

U.S. DIVISION

Trevor, Lauren, Braxton & Kinsley Miller 595 Leisure Ln., Perryville, MO 63775 573-513-3475, excelranches.us@yahoo.com

continued from page 54

sexed semen from maternally designed bulls. The remaining females that have not displayed estrus, around 40%, are time AI bred with conventional semen from terminally focused bulls and all cows are exposed to a terminally oriented sire for clean-up. This program aims for the resulting calf crop to be made up of 35% maternally designed heifer calves to retain in the herd and 65% terminally focused animals, the majority of which are steers, to market.

Wells discussed how the strategic use of sexed semen could allow even very small producers to implement a structured crossbreeding program by using different breeds of bull as maternal and terminal sires. Programs like the 60/40 also have long-term reproduction benefits within herds. It allows the most fertile cows to have heifer calves born early in a calving season. This “head start” results in older replacement females that conceive earlier and have heavier calves throughout their productive lives. Wells was clear that even though this program may not maximize pregnancy rate to AI, it does create the opportunity to generate the “right” calf from every mating.

Wells’ presentation discussed a multi-year demonstration of the 60/40 program between ABS and the Bair Ranch in central Montana. The study assigned 250 cows to either a control group, which followed a fixed-time AI protocol using conventional semen, or a test group, which implemented the 60/40 Program. Over four years of data collection, the Bair Ranch averaged 25-30% of the calf crop being maternally designed heifers resulting from sexed semen — exceeding the ranch’s target of 23-24% to keep as replacements every year. Key takeaways included that female sexed semen resulted in an average of 91% heifer calves and that female sexed and overall pregnancy rates in the 60/40 test group were lower than those of conventional semen. Their work also indicated that the 60/40 program reduced the relative proportion of calves being born in the first interval when compared to the control. However, more 60/40 calves were born in the second calving interval, suggesting that 60/40 sync likely doesn’t significantly impact the length of the calving season.

Wells was clear: For the 60/40 program to work, producers must choose the right genetic inputs for their respective programs. With sexed semen, producers can adjust areas of their herd that previously they could not: more selection pressure can be applied to terminal traits without throwing maternal quality out of balance, and maternal traits can be selected for without reducing terminal profitability. The implementation of crossbreeding also allows for significant increases in efficiency through heterosis, particularly for lowly heritable maternal traits such as fertility and health.

Taken together, 60/40 Sync Program provides a framework for a more efficient, sustainable, and resilient breeding system. The concept laid out by Wells represents a flexible and adaptable strategy for producers to focus on making fertile, feed efficient, and moderate replacement females while enhancing growth and carcass quality on their terminal calves.

To watch the Well’s presentation, visit https://youtu.be/ mfLZqMThS4s

Cattle Supplies In Focus Heading Into The New Year

Cattle prices showing signs of strength, and beef demand matrices point to robust beef demand heading into 2025.

by Tyler Cozzens Director, Livestock Marketing Information Center

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) Dec. 1 “Cattle on Feed” report was received as neutral when compared to industry analyst’s pre-report expectations.

November cattle marketings came in 26,000 head (-1.5%) below the prior year at 1.725 million head, which was close to the -1.8% decline in average pre-report estimates for cattle marketings. Part of the decline in cattle marketings can be explained by one less

slaughter day in November compared to last year. November cattle marketings were higher than the prior year in Idaho (+1,000 head), Iowa (+3,000 head), Nebraska (+40,000 head), Oklahoma (+4,000 head) and Washington (+3,000 head). These were overshadowed by declines in California (-4,000 head), Colorado (-20,000 head), Kansas (-15,000 head), South Dakota (-3,000 head) and Texas (-35,000 head).

The number of cattle on feed as of Dec. 1 in feedlots of 1,000 head or more capacity was reported down slightly by 34,000 head (-0.3%) from a year ago to 11.982 million head. This was in line with prereport estimates, which were expecting cattle on feed to be down, on average, less than 1% (-0.1%) from a year ago.

At the state level, increases in cattle on feed in December were reported for Colorado (+30,000 head), Iowa (+20,000 head),

Nebraska (+20,000 head), Oklahoma (+40,000 head), Minnesota (+5,000 head) and South Dakota (+5,000 head). These increases were more than offset by declines in cattle on feed numbers in Arizona (-34,000 head), Kansas (-80,000 head), Texas (-30,000 head) and Washington (-10,000 head). California and Idaho remained level with the prior year.

In November, the number of cattle on feed over 120 days was calculated to be just over 4 million head, which is a decline of about -3% from the prior year. This marks the first month of 2024 where cattle on feed over 120 days was below year-ago levels.

Pre-report estimates were all expecting November placements to decline from a year ago, with estimates ranging from down -7.4% to down -1.1%, with an average of -4.1% to about 1.789 million head. The actual number of cattle placed during the month of November was reported at 1.796 million head, a decrease of

69,000 head (-3.7%) from the prior year and within 0.4% of prereport expectations. Of the 1.796 million head of cattle placed in November, 1.290 million head weighed less than 800 lb., a decline of 60,000 head from last year. The remaining 506,000 head of placements in November weighed over 800 lb., a decline of 9,000 head from the previous year.

USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) reporting the detection of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico has resulted in a temporary suspension of bovine imports from Mexico, which took effect on November 25, 2024. Last week APHIS released further information on the next steps in the process to start resuming the importation of ruminants from Mexico to the U.S. Further details on the new protocols can be found on the APHIS website.

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North American Limousin Junior Association

THANK YOU!

YOUR SUPPORT MEANS SO MUCH TO US

Thank you to Edwards Land & Cattle and Dustin & Charmae Kendall for hosting and inviting the North American Limousin Junior Association Board of Directors to their operations and facilities for board meetings.

If you would like to host the NALJA Board of Directors and/or give them a tour for one of their board meetings, reach out to a board member or the junior advisor, Mallory at Mallory@NALF.org.

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continued from page 59

A few key provisions from the new protocol include the identification and configuration of pre-export facilities by Mexico along with APHIS inspection of these facilities prior to use. As part of the protocol, administration of ivermectin will be required prior to cattle being delivered to the pre-export facilities. Then, before cattle are allowed to cross, they will go through a final inspection and get dipped.

APHIS anticipates a gradual resumption of cattle imports from Mexico could occur in January. Weekly data released by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has reported no cattle imports from Mexico since the last week of November. Seasonally, cattle imports from Mexico reach their highest levels of the year in November and December. Last year, the U.S. imported 144,181 and 125,155 head of cattle in November and December, respectively, for a total of 269,336 head.

As the year ends, cattle prices have been showing signs of strength. Since the start of November, steer calf prices (500-600 lb., medium and large #1) in the Plains region have seen gains of about $30-40/cwt. Compared to a year ago, recent weekly steer calf prices in the Plains region are tracking approximately $4060/cwt. above year-ago levels. Feeder steer prices (700-800 lb., medium and large #1) in the Plains region are also posting gains over year-ago levels, with the last few weeks reporting increases of about $30-50/cwt. The fed steer weekly price (5-area weighted average) has risen about $10/cwt. since mid-November. Compared to a year ago, the fed steer price over the last few weeks has been tracking about $20-25/cwt. higher.

As we move into the new year, NASS will be releasing the annual “Cattle” report at the end of January, which details national inventory levels. This will be a key report for the cattle industry, giving a snapshot of available supplies for 2025, and will also start to paint the supply picture for subsequent years.

On the other side of the equation is demand. From a larger macroeconomic perspective, inflation, interest rates and the unemployment rate are just a few factors that will be watched closely in 2025. Looking closer at beef demand, retail beef prices over $8.00/ lb. in recent months will be a driving factor into beef demand for 2025. Currently, evaluation of the various matrices for beef demand points toward robust beef demand heading into 2025

by Alison Jones NALF Director of DNA Processing & Accounting Operations

As we enter 2025, I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. My part of the state was blessed with over three feet of snow in the last month, so naturally we are hoping we can turn that into green grass come spring.

Ready or not, spring calving season is upon us, and the LIMS whole herd reporting deadline is around the corner. Between calving, winter weather and trying to keep up on day-to-day chores, things can quickly become chaotic. Some producers choose to take DNA samples on newborn calves while they are tagging, while others wait until a later handling time such as branding or weaning. Determine what is best for your operation and stay as organized as possible.

We understand the cost of doing business is high, and NALF wants to make sure you are getting the most bang for your buck. We ensure your DNA results and genomically-enhanced EPDs are delivered to you in a timely fashion. Once you receive an email from Digital Beef stating your 100K test is complete, it will take another 10-14 days before EPDs are enhanced (they will be highlighted in yellow on the animal’s Digital Beef page once enhancement is complete). The data needs to go through a weekly run with IGS (which starts on Mondays), and EPDs will most likely be published the following Monday. While we can’t hurry the process along, if breeders make sure

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continued from page 62

all of their information is complete and correct ahead of time, this will make for a smoother and quicker transition. If the animal is not already registered, make sure to register it as soon as your results are back, as an animal cannot have genomically-enhanced EPDs until its registration is complete.

Though this next part is simple, it is the most important: make sure there is DNA to test in the sample. If you are using Tissue Sampling Units, check each tube to assure there is tissue in the liquid. Neogen will not attempt to test an empty TSU. When you remove the tissue sampling unit from the gun, turn it upside down before placing it back in the box to make sure the sample was collected, and try to avoid any tattoo ink. For blood cards, make sure the blood fills the circle of the card and is not clotted, and for hair, make sure there are at least 25 roots on the follicles sent in for testing. If you can assure there is adequate sample to test, this may save you from having to run a single cow in for the sake of getting another sample.

If you are requesting parent verification on an animal, make sure the listed parents have DNA on file. Sending samples for parent verification of a multi-sire pasture group does not do any good if only one of the bulls has a DNA sample on file. Check each one on Digital Beef for a 100K or SNP. The markers column should have a Y along with a number in parenthesis. Most of the time, if an animal has a color or polled test on file, we can use the same sample to attain parentage markers if needed. Additionally, if an animal was tested prior on the 100K, we are able to pull results for homozygous traits (color, polled, F94L) and some defects without having to wait the extra 3-4 weeks for results.

For animals in a birth queue awaiting DNA results, make sure all of the information is filled out and you aren’t getting any error messages. For embryo calves, make sure the flush and transfer dates are complete. If you get the message “Embryo Transfer of Ownership documentation needs to be forwarded to the NALF office,” you will need to reach out to whoever you purchased the embryos from, and request they transfer the purchased embryos to you. Make sure the flush and transfer dates are the same in both the embryo inventory and the birth queue. If you are requesting parent verification on an embryo calf of a sire or dam born prior to 2012, make sure they have a Y and number in parenthesis in the markers column. If they have a N or STR in the marker column, or you are not sure what you need, please contact Tammy or myself, and we will make sure additional testing is done to verify the calf. AI sires born on or after January 1, 2015, will require a 100K plus full parent verification, and donor dams require a 100K plus sire verification. If you are considering flushing a cow or collecting a bull and are not sure, give us a call to make sure all the requirements can be met. We are able to work with other breed associations to attain markers if needed.

As always, if you have questions, please feel free to call or email Tammy or I anytime. We look forward to catching up with many of you in Oklahoma City and Denver

JUNIOR SCENE

by Wyatt Jacoby NALJA Director

Hard Work and Dedication

As soon as the gates to the show grounds open, the rigs start rolling in. Fancy trucks without a speck of dirt, tailgates intact, shined up like the owner has used a whole bottle of show sheen on them. Trailers that cost more than all my possessions combined, more lights than a Christmas tree, 12 ramps, hydraulic jacks that you could only dream of...So maybe I’ve drooled over a few of those rigs once or twice BUT it only takes me a few minutes before I remember that what’s inside the trailer is much more important than the trailer itself.

Sometimes the flashiest thing about a trailer is the animals inside and that is something to be proud of. The quality of the animals you raise is the most impressive and most important part of our job as Limousin breeders and exhibitors.

2024-2025 NALJA BOARD

PRESIDENT, Eliza Truel .................................................... Skiatook, OK entruel@gmail.com

VICE PRESIDENT, Boone Begert Allison, TX boonebegert23@gmail.com

SECRETARY, Mikayla Askey Queen Creek, AZ mimaas2003@gmail.com

TREASURER, Shane Kendall ............................................ Magnolia, NC skendall3795@mail.sampsoncc.edu

SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR, Turner Sanders .......................Huntington, TX turnersanders05@gmial.com

EX-OFFICIO, Landry Kleman Nazareth, TX ltkleman@hotmail.com

DIRECTOR, Jacey Smith Decatur, AR jacey.smith12@gmail.com

DIRECTOR, Memphis Peterson ....................................... Pukwana, SD mcpl72007@gmail.com.com

DIRECTOR, Brandt Gazaway .......................................... Stillwater, OK gazawaybrandt@gmail.com

DIRECTOR, Wyatt Jacoby ................................................. Paradise, TX circlejlimousin@gmail.com

DIRECTOR, Kason Kiser Lufkin, TX kdk1818@yahoo.com

Let’s start with the basics…genetics. Whether you have poured over EPDs, done your research and worked hard to purchase animals with quality genetics that fit your program goals or you have the honor of showing animals out of the herd your family has raised and worked hard to improve for many years, one thing is true to all production programs — genetics are the foundation of building a productive and successful herd. You wouldn’t build a house on sand; a solid foundation is key to the longevity and success of a program and of each individual animal. Breeding animals that are healthy and a piece of the bigger picture of your overall goal ensure you have the greatest opportunity to build something great and produce quality animals you are proud to walk out of the trailer!

Genetics are the foundation needed to be successful but then what? Nutrition and optimal care. Protein and fat percentage, palatability and nutritional value are all necessities I hope you all make a priority, but when your animal is in great condition and ready to take the step from good to great, do you put in the time and effort to select high quality supplements that target the areas the animal you are investing in needs to improve?

The last key factor in raising quality animals, the one that is the hardest to come by and easiest to attain, is hard work, character and integrity. These are the factors that means the most to me and the ones I take the most pride in. I have been blessed with great examples in this area and choose to surround myself with other junior members and breeders who also make the foundational qualities a priority.

The amount of time, sweat and tears you put into your animals is evident as soon as you walk in the show ring. I spend more time in the barn than anywhere else, and I’m covered in dirt, mud and other things 99% of the time from working hard. I take pride in knowing I am raising my animals ethically and they are happy, healthy and productive.

The rigs pulling in here with all of the flashy bells and whistles are something we all wish we could have, and I am committed to working hard to have the opportunity to pull one onto the grounds in future, but I know that no matter what my rig looks like, I will never be as proud of the trailer as I am of the cattle that I walk out of it. If you remember to keep genetics, nutrition and hard work your top priorities, you can confidently walk away a winner in the ring and a successful cattleman, and THAT is something to be proud of.

34 Years Strong

As we continue our third decade in the Limousin breed, it is evident our strict breeding practices hold significant value to our program’s advancement. Our main goal in raising Limousin & Lim-Flex cattle is to balance look with production. We want good, attractive calves boasting impressive numbers that excel in the real world. Call today to see how we can put our past 34 years to work for you.

Flare

CELL Keystone

12 HEAD SELL Show Heifers | Bred Females | Bulls Featuring progeny by:

SALES & EVENTS

SALE TEAM:

Kiley McKinna - 402-350-3447 Wiley Fanta - 320-287-0751

We invite you to visit our website to learn more about our program. Your call or visit is always welcome.

WZRK Program

• Free wintering until April 1

• Free delivery up to 250 miles

• Half down, balance due upon delivery

• All bulls unconditionally guaranteed for first breeding season

• All bulls have been genetically tested and carry GE-EPDs Call the ranch or our trusted sales team for more information or a complimentary catalog.

2024 Sale

LFL Kujo 2130K

Purchased by Buck Ridge Cattle Co. of Seymour, MO, and Merediths Limousin of Iberia, MO

Bullish On The Business

2024 Sale

LFL Kash Card 2156K

Purchased by Linhart Limousin of Leon, IA

We look forward to seeing everyone at Cattlemen’s Congress and the National Western Stock Show.

2023 Sale

LFL Johnny 1117 J Purchased by Chris Deberry of Springlake, TX

2021 Sale

LFL Genetic Values 9148G

Purchased by Hunt Limousin of Oxford, NE