Uppin’ the Ante

MORE CATTLE AVERAGE STEADY Uppin’ the Ante Sale

Uppin’ the Ante Sale September 24, 2011 • Guelph, ON Gross Average

3 Cow/Calf Pairs $14,400 $4,800 9 Bred Cows 26,000 2,889 20 Bred Heifers 57,450 2,873 19 Heifer Calves 54,000 2,842 51 Lots $151,850 $2,977

Auctioneer: Carl Wright Blockman: Chester Tupling

Fourteen consignors participated in this 6th Annual event. The quality was higher and more consistent than last year and with 10 more lots the sale was steady and solid. The sale included a herd reduction for Gold-Bar Livestock and saw cattle sell into four provinces.

High Selling Cow/Calf Pairs

Lot 3, WHISKEY HOLLOW UPLIFT 25U (Double Polled), sired by HFCC Pld Evolution 5L, out of a Hicks Lex 13L daughter, bred to PCFL Ultimate14R. Sold for $3,700 to Rollin’ Acres Charolais, Shelburne. Consigned by Whiskey Hollow Cattle Co., Norwood.

Lot 3A, WHC YASMIN 5Y (84 lb. BW), sired by Rollinacres Manohman808U. Sold for $1,900 to Kevin & Anissa Krakar, Vanessa.

Lot 4, CORNERVIEW WORLDCLASS 26W (3rd Gen. Polled, 99 YW EPD), sired by Sparrows Coach 467S, out of an HTA Whitehot 105A daughter, bred to STA Gibson’s Finest 3X. Sold for $3,400 to Rockin’ Bar A Charolais, Rivers, MB. Consigned by Cornerview Charolais, Cobden.

Lot 4A, Cornerview Yazmin 16Y (3rd Gen. Polled), sired by TLC Integrity 5087P. Sold for $1,600 to to Kevin & Anissa Krakar.

High Selling Bred Cow

Lot 5, MEDONTE RISQUE 7R (Polled), sired by SVY Freedom Pld 307N, out of an SVC Futurist 809X daughter, bred to TR Mr Firewater 5792R. Sold for $4,200 to CM Livestock, Honeywood. Consigned by Medonte Charolais, Hillsdale.

High Selling Bred Heifers

Lot 17, MEDONTE XTEERNAL AFFAIRS 5X (3rd Gen. Polled, 80 YW EPD), sired by SVY Freedom Pld 307N, out of a Sparrows Eldorado 361L daughter, bred to TR Mr Firewater 5792R. Sold for $6,000 to Elder Charolais, Coronach, SK. Consigned by Medonte Charolais.

Lot 25, PCFL CHEYANNE 9X (Full French), sired by PCFL Wildfire 9T, out of a PCFL Texas Rio 136P daughter. Sold for $6,000 to Stephens Charolais, Moosomin, SK. Consigned by Rollin’ Acres Charolais.

High Selling Heifer Calves

Lot 36, ROLLIN ACRES WHY NOT 6Y (Full French), sired by PCFL Whisky-Jack 21T, out of a PCFL Omega 33J daughter. Sold for $5,200 to Stephens Charolais. Consigned by Rollin’ Acres Charolais.

Lot 46, CORNERVIEW YANNA 26Y (3rd Gen. Polled, 3rd Gen. Red), sired by Harvie Crystal D Trigger 35T, out of an HEJ Ripper 66P daughter. Sold for $3,600 to Langstaff Charolais, Wallaceburg. Consigned by Cornerview Charolais.

Lot 39, CORNERVIEW YOLANDA 13Y (3rd Gen. Polled), sired by Sparrows Coach 467S, out of a Whitewater Paymaster 3P daughter. Sold for $3,400 to Louber Farms, Ste-Marie, QC. Consigned by Cornerview Charolais.

Lot 43, CORNERVIEW YANNIS 18Y (Double Polled), sired by Sparrows Coach 467S, out of a PCC Patriot 418P daughter. Sold for $3,400 to Kirlene Cattle Co., Brighton. Consigned by Cornerview Charolais.

Colin Montroy bought the high selling bred cow Kelly Stephens bought the high selling bred heifer and heifer calf Chester Tupling was consignor, selector, blockman & buyer

Brian Coughlin, Ron Elder, Donna Ross & Gord Tomlinson visit after the sale

Pat McCaskie & Family took two show heifer calves

Chloe, Wayne, Sara & Joey Parkinson sweep the ring on two good heifer calves

MANAGEMENT A Guide to Udder & Teat Scoring Beef Cows

Dr. Rick Rasby, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Introduction

The conformation of a beef cow’s teats and udder are important in a profitable cow/calf enterprise. Females with poor udder and teat conformation are a management challenge for commercial cow/calf producers.

Cattle producers do not have the time or labor to manage around cows that need intervention at calving to physically “milk-out” a quarter(s) so that the calf can suckle or to save the quarter from infection. Research findings in two experiments indicates that the occurrence of clinical mastitis in beef cow herds was 17.5% and 11.9% resulting in a reduction in weaning weights of 12.5% and 7.3%, respectively.

Poor udder and teat conformation can potentially lead to increased calf sickness as teats may be contaminated with mud and debris from a lot or calving area before the calf suckles.

Although selecting and culling based on conformation of teats and udders may be considered convenience trait selection, selecting against poor teats and udders increases profit potential by increasing calf performance, reducing calf sickness, increasing longevity of the cow, and reducing labor inputs.

Udder and teat conformation is moderately heritable (h2 of udder attachment = 0.2 to 0.3; h2 of teat size = 0.5), so enhancing teat and udder quality can be accomplished by selecting bulls whose female offspring have good teat and udder conformation and by not selecting replacement heifers from dams that have marginal teat and udder conformation. When selecting bulls from your seedstock provider, request the udder score of his dam or visually appraise the udder of the dam to help reduce undesirable udder conformation in your herd.

Udder Suspension and Teat Size

A strong median suspensory ligament is essential for udder conformation. A weak median suspensory ligament results in a lowing of the floor of the udder, sometimes below the hock which makes it more difficult for the calf to nurse and the teats may drag in the mud when the cow walks, and the teats may be suspended inward or outward when filled with milk instead of straight down.

In Panel 1 are drawings of different median suspensory line which illustrates the strength and importance of this ligament. The median suspensory line/ligament in Drawing 1 is pronounced and would be considered ideal. This type of attachment should allow for the udder to be carried above the hock for many years and teats suspended perpendicular to the ground when fill of milk.

Drawings 2 and 3 in Panel 1 illustrate different degrees of prominence the median suspensory ligament with the suspensory line in drawing 2 being more pronounced and more favorable than that illustrated in Drawing 3. Notice as the median suspensory ligament becomes less prominent (weaker) the udder begins to “sag” below the hock, the teats suspend closer to the ground. Also notice, as the ligament becomes weaker, the teats tend to splay outward from each quarter. This is more pronounced when the udder is engorged with milk.

Drawing 4 in Panel 1 illustrates

Panel 1: Median suspensory ligament providing various levels of udder support

Drawing 1:Prominent median suspensory ligament holds the udder tight to the body cavity. Teats are suspended perpendicular to the ground. Drawing 2: Intermediately prominent median suspensory ligament suspends the udder farther from the body cavity. The udder is suspended about level with the hock and almost perpendicular to the ground. Drawing 3:With a very weak median suspensory ligament, the udder and teats are suspended below the hock. When the udder and teats are engorged with milk, teats splay outward. Drawing 4:The median suspensory ligament is absent. The udder and teats are suspended below the hocks. The udder balloons and the teats splay outward.

Panel 2: Ideal udder suppension from a side view