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Keys for Success By Terry Ropp
Jim Singleton believes nutrition, strong health protocols and genetics are important for his herd Farmers are aware of the com- he graduated, he served an internship with plexity and diversity of agricul- the Federal Land Bank, a turning point in tural. Jim Singleton of Gravatt, Ark., his life. He was offered a full-time position uses that complexity to his best advantage. even though his degree was in ag education. Jim was raised within a mile and a half The Federal Land Bank’s highest priority in of where he now lives. When he was 5, he hiring was finding someone who was both would sometimes go to his grandfather’s knowledgeable and comfortable talking with Grade C dairy farm where he was expected farmers. Jim accepted the offer and never looked back. Eventually, the Federal Land to bucket feed calves. “I realized that the calves were depend- Bank evolved into Farm Credit Services. Jim ing upon me for their food and that made was employed by FCS for 17 years, before reme feel valuable and important,” Jim said. locating to Arvest Bank as Community Bank He nad wife Lisa raised two children on President of the Gravette bank, a position he their farm, daughter Jordan and son Jacob. has held for more than 19 years. An advantage of Jim’s job is that the They now have a young grandchild named Wells to introduce to the marvels agriculture. constant flow of economic, political, social Jim’s original intent was to become an ag and technological information keeps him up to date for both his farm career. teacher and FFA advisor. In 2020, his family was named the BenHe belonged to both 4-H and FFA and held various offices, including serving as Gravette ton County Farm Family of the Year. Singleton Brangus Farms is comFFA Chapter president his senior prised of 115 acres, though Jim year. He attended the University Gravette, Ark. leases and farms a total of 350 of Arkansas and completed a deacres with a herd of 110 cows. gree in ag education. Half of the Brangus are Ultra Prior to graduating college, Black commercial Brangus, while however, Jim realized he really the other half are registered Brangus wanted to own and operate his breeding stock. own farm. The summer before
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“The Brangus combination of Angus and Brahman brings together Angus maternal traits and carcass merit with Brahman heat tolerance and disease resistance,” Jim said. Jim also keeps 15 to 20 replacement heifers and markets 15 breeding bulls every year. His home place has good working facilities and is where most of the registered stock are kept for AI breeding purposes. Jim breeds on natural heat cycles, using a cellular connected heat detection system that sends text messages to his cell phone once a cow comes into heat. This system has led to higher conception rates, and less time checking heats on cows. Jim’s primary selection criteria for AI use on the main cow herd are maternal characteristics, as well as weaning and yearling growth while AI bulls for heifers are selected for calving ease, pedigree and performance data. However, bull traits for use on the remaining herd are length, as well as heavy bones and muscles. A strict 60day calving window is employed. Breeding bulls are on the leased land
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with no heifers. They are kept for five or six years, with females being culled earlier if they have health issues, show up open at preg check or calves are not of good quality. Local technician Amanda Price preg checks all females on site using ultra sound 30 days after bulls are pulled. Breeding bull calves and high-quality replacement heifers are sold off the farm at approximately 15 months old. The remaining bull calves are kept as market steers, processed under the Beef Quality Assurance Program criteria, and sold at 600 to 750 pounds at auction. Jim believes success in beef cattle production comes from applying three important practices. The first is providing good nutrition, which is dependent on the animal’s production stage. In order for a calf to live up to its genetic potential, it must receive proper and adequate nutrition. Annual hay quality testing powers the nutrition program. Jim’s hay usually tests at 15 to 16 percent protein, with 75 percent total digestible nutrients, thereby reFEBRUARY 1, 2021
