Affiliated with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Beef Improvement Federation U.S. Beef Breed’s Council National Pedigreed Livestock Council
GENERAL INFORMATION
Published ten times annually by the Red Angus Association of America at the national headquarters (18335 E 103rd Avenue, Suite 202 Commerce City, CO 80022). A non-political magazine dedicated to the promotion and improvement of breeding, feeding and marketing Red Angus cattle. Subscription rate: U.S., 1 year - $30.00; 2 years - $55.00. Canada and Mexico, 1 year - $44.00, 2 years$82.00 (Payable in U.S. Funds Only). International Air Mail, 1 year - $55.00; 2 years - $100.00 (Payable in U.S. Funds Only). These rates are based on Third Class Bulk mailed from Lubbock, Texas. Add $20.00 per year for First Class.
EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING POLICY
Advertising and editorial content are not limited to any particular class of product or subject matter. However, we reserve the right to refuse publication of any material not within the bounds of high agricultural ethics. While we devote the utmost care to the preparation of each advertisement, we cannot be held responsible for ads received after the ad deadline. Furthermore, the accuracy and content of copy received over the telephone is entirely the responsibility of the advertiser. No adjustment for incorrect ad copy will be considered for ads that are received after the ad deadline or that are placed over the telephone.
will be billed to the advertiser.
RAAA Board of Directors
President Bob Morton Three Forks, Montana info@gmracattle.com
First Vice President/
Area 3 Director - Rocky Mountain Kevin Miller Briggsdale, Colorado kmiller@wigginstel.com
Region A Director Chuck Feddes Manhattan, Montana feddesredangus@gmail.com
Region B Director Connie Mushrush Strong City, Kansas redcows@mushrushredangus.com
Region C Director/Treasurer Johnny Rogers Roxboro, North Carolina jrrogers1968@gmail.com
Area 1 Director - West Sam Lorenzen Bend, Oregon lorenzensam@gmail.com
Area 2 Director - Montana Bruce Ketchum Plevna, Montana ketchum@midrivers.net
Area 4 Director - Southwest Kyley DeVoe Justin, Texas kyley@3klandandcattle.com
Area 5 Director - Northern Plains/ Board Secretary Steve Koester Steele, North Dakota koester@bektel.com
Area 6 Director - Great Plains Newley Hutchison Canton, Oklahoma newley@chainranch.com
Area 7 Director - Northeast
John Langdon Benson, North Carolina johnlangdon5@gmail.com
Area 8 Director - Southeast
Raymond Prescott Gray Court, South Carolina bullhill2@prtcnet.com
Area 9 Director - Midwest Stuart Gilbert Stockport, Iowa redcowrelocators@gmail.com
Board Commentary
by Bob Morton, RAAA President
Reputation of Red Angus Females Continues to Flourish
It is late-August as I sit here writing this Board Commentary. The focus this month is the Red Angus female, and this past week Red Angus heifers made a huge splash! I attended the Bighorn Classic Superior Livestock Sale in Sheridan, Wyoming. Several of my bull customers were selling their calves, and I went to the sale to show my support. It was an extremely exciting event to attend for a Red Angus producer. Every time a set of quality Red Angus heifers would come across the block, the excitement level would go up several notches. You could just feel it in the room.
The final day of the sale saw large lots of Red Angus-sired calves consigned by multiple owners, and grouped close together in the sale. Many of the heifer lots brought over $1,000 per head! One consignor sold their heifers for nearly $1,150 per head and yet another consignor sold their heifers for $1,200 per head! These 550- to 600-pound calves were bringing over $2 per pound! No other cattle of any other breed were able to keep up with that kind of demand.
I was told that Red Angus heifers topped the sale for every weight class from 460 to 690 pounds. The positive impact of the Red Angus breed on the day’s events prompted Danny Jones, President of Superior Livestock, to approach me after those heifers sold and shake my hand, saying “Congratulations to the Red Angus breed! What a week!”
This is the type of response I hear more and more as Red Angus cattle make their mark on the industry. For this reason, we are seeing a significant increase in the number of commercial cattlemen turning to the breed to supply their bull inventories, hoping to cash in on the benefits Red Angus provide.
I know that anyone who is reading this is already aware of the great strengths of the Red Angus cow, but let’s reflect for just a minute to remember how she got us here. She is highly maternal, has strong growth, excellent carcass, great disposition, longevity and fantastic eye appeal to mention just a few. I hear stories from all segments of the cattle industry regarding how producers love their Red Angus cattle.
•One producer from Missouri called me to share his excitement that his daughter had won champion carcass with a Red Angus steer out of one of his favorite Red Angus cows.
•As I reflect on this spring’s calving season, I can recall dozens of posts on social media about one producer or another’s favorite Red Angus cow giving birth with photos and anticipation of how beautiful the calf will grow up to be.
•Thinking about our own herd, I recall a cow from a few years back that produced 16 natural calves for us. When she finally laid down at the edge of a small meadow late one fall to take her last breath, she had never in her lifetime raised a calf with a below average weaning weight!
To keep up with the demand for Red Angus genetics in the commercial side of the business, we will certainly need to continue to grow as an association. Just last week we gained 30 new memberships at RAAA! Looking at the trend over the last few years, we are gaining new memberships every month. We have more registered animals than ever before. We are transferring more cattle than at any time in our history.
It is a great time to be a part of the Red Angus family! n
Progeny Sell from these Sires in Volume!
BIEBER HARD DRIVE Y120
Reg# 1436718
BIEBER SPARTACUS A193
Reg# 1617230
BIEBER ROLLIN DEEP Y118 Reg# 1436844
BIEBER FEDERATION B544
Reg# 1689752
BIEBER DEEP END B597
Reg# 1694338
PIE STOCKMAN 4051
Bieber Red Angus is a family-owned business with roots in registered Red Angus cattle going back over 50 years. Our cow herd runs under range conditions typically requiring 10+ acres per cow/calf pair. We are dedicated to producing profitable cattle, in a commercially-focused system.
Bieber Fever XIII!
Annual Fall Female Production Sale and Age Advantaged Bull Offering
Thursday, November 9, 2017 at the Ranch near Leola, SD
550+ Females
100+ Registered Red Angus Bred Heifers Bieber Fever XIII is your opportunity to buy bred heifers from the heart of the Bieber program. Using our top sires, we’ve bred 460 heifers due to calve next Spring.
150+ Registered Red Angus Cows Our bred cows will give your program an opportunity to produce cattle at a profitable level.
300+ Commercial Red Angus Bred Heifers These heifers are AI’d and come from some of our best customers. If you are looking for heifers, this will be an offering you have to see!
120 Age-Advantaged Red Angus Bulls
These are stout, good looking bulls with great EPDS and a history of prepotency behind them. This sale will offer sons of Hard Drive, Rollin Deep, Spartacus, Epic, Samurai, Federation, Federalist and Right On.
Reg# 1724236 ®
BIA PRO PLUS ULTRASOUND SOFTWARE
WE SET THE STANDARD
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• Compatible for measuring weaned calves
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Fall Headliners
Fall Headliners
LSF BRA NO WORRIES 4657B RAAA 1689588 1A
BROWN JYJ REDEMPTION Y1334 x LSF JBOB EXPECTATION 6034S
No Worries
No Worries
✔ Pedigree is a perfect blend of calving ease, growth, and end product
✔ Pedigree is a perfect blend of calving ease, growth, and end product
✔ One of only five bulls in the breed with his degree of calving ease, yearling growth and exceptional IMF and REA
✔ One of only five bulls in the breed with his degree of calving ease, yearling growth and exceptional IMF and REA
✔ Ranks in the top 5% of the breed or better for CED, BW, and both profit indexes
✔ Ranks in the top 5% of the breed or better for CED, BW, and both profit indexes
✔ NO WORRIES is super sound structured and long bodied
✔ NO WORRIES is super sound structured and long bodied
29AR0264
LSF SRR BIG BEEF
LSF SRR BIG BEEF B630 RAAA 1709420 1A
LSF BOXED BEEF 9063W x FEDDES BIG SKY R9
We Have the Beef
We Have the Beef
✔ BIG BEEF offers all that we loved about his sire BOXED BEEF, but with more calving ease in a more moderate, deep, soft sided package
✔ BIG BEEF offers all that we loved about his sire BOXED BEEF, but with more calving ease in a more moderate, deep, soft sided package
✔ Offers an outcross pedigree with an EPD tabulation stout enough to move progressive herds to the front of the pack: CE, Growth, Maternal and End Product
✔ Offers an outcross pedigree with an EPD tabulation stout enough to move progressive herds to the front of the pack: CE, Growth, Maternal and End Product
✔ He is a maternal brother to LSF Night Calver, his dam from the Della tribe by Big Sky is quickly becoming one of the breed greats and is loaded with maternal power
✔ He is a maternal brother to LSF Night Calver, his dam from the Della tribe by Big Sky is quickly becoming one of the breed greats and is loaded with maternal power
✔ BIG BEEF is impressive on the hoof, he appears super deep bodied and easy fleshing with good thickness and muscle, and sound to the ground
✔ BIG BEEF is impressive on the hoof, he appears super deep bodied and easy fleshing with good thickness and muscle, and sound to the ground
REDHILL B571 JULIAN 1W
REDHILL B571 JULIAN 1W RAAA 1308289 1A
RAAA 1308289 1A
BECKTON JULIAN GG B571 x BFCK CHEROKEE CNYN 4912
BECKTON JULIAN GG B571 x BFCK CHEROKEE CNYN 4912
Timeless Genetics
Timeless Genetics
✔ Breed leading Calving Ease and Birth Weight EPDs
✔ Breed leading Calving Ease and Birth Weight EPDs
✔ Daughters in production are gorgeous, highly productive females
✔ Daughters in production are gorgeous, highly productive females
✔ Progeny proven calving ease with added performance and marbling
✔ Progeny proven calving ease with added performance and marbling
✔ Moderate framed, long bodied bull with added muscle expression
✔ Moderate framed, long bodied bull with added muscle expression
FEDDES OSCAR X28 RAAA 1368605 1A
RED CROWFOOT OLE’S OSCAR x BIEBER ROMERO 9136
Next Step Calving Ease & Maternal
Next Step Calving Ease & Maternal
✔ OLE’S OSCAR’s best son for both direct and maternal calving ease and still an industry leader for growth and marbling
✔ OLE’S OSCAR’s best son for both direct and maternal calving ease and still an industry leader for growth and marbling
✔ Offers more depth of rib, muscle shape, and calving ease than his sire
✔ Offers more depth of rib, muscle shape, and calving ease than his sire
✔ His dam is a fabulous young cow that is working toward donor status
✔ His dam is a fabulous young cow that is working toward donor status
✔ His maternal grand dam, Feddes Sleek 2S, is a favorite in the Feddes Red Angus donor pen
✔ His maternal grand dam, Feddes Sleek 2S, is a favorite in the Feddes Red Angus donor pen
✔ Progeny are very consistent, moderate framed, deep bodied and wide based - daughters in production are becoming superb young females
✔ Progeny are very consistent, moderate framed, deep bodied and wide based - daughters in production are becoming superb young females
Don’t miss out on our elite fall headliners! Contact local ABS Representative or call
OSCAR x Camp 1A Mr Advance T35, Smoky Y Oscar 501C, Smoky
OSCAR X28 Grazing
OSCAR x Camp 1A Mr Advance T35, Smoky Y Oscar 501C, Smoky Red Angus Ranch, KS
OSCAR X28 Grazing
RAAA National Office
18335 E 103rd Avenue, Suite 202
Commerce City, CO 80022 (940) 387-3502 • Fax (888) 829-6069
Kevin LeMaster (515) 225-0051 • kevin@redangus.org
ARA Editorial Coordinator
Tracey Koester tracey@redangus.org
Junior Programs Coordinator
Kim Heller (515) 851-2019 • kim@redangus.org
Red Angus Foundation, Inc. Fund Raiser
Patsy Krause (406) 599-2852 • patsy@redangus.org
Database and Registration Consultant
Kenda Ponder Ext. 15 • kenda@redangus.org
Registry & Office Manager
Angelia Brooks Ext. 5 • angelia@redangus.org
Manager of Membership and DNA Programs
Halla Pfeiff Ext. 10 • halla@redangus.org
DNA Programs Coordinator
Fallon Flick Ext. 7 • fallon@redangus.org
Registry Specialists
Fax: (888) 829-6069
Assistant Registration Department Manager
Amanda Travis Ext. 6 • amanda@redangus.org
REDSPro/Registry Specialists
Jeananne Mosher
Ext. 18 • jeananne@redangus.org
Caroline Graham Ext. 14 • caroline@redangus.org
Association Commentary
by Tom Brink, RAAA Chief Executive Officer
The Red Angus Advance
Growth in the Red Angus breed has been nothing short of tremendous during the past two years – we could not have scripted it any better. No other U.S. beef breed of significant size can compare when it comes to the rate at which registrations, cow inventories and other key business metrics have increased (see table below).
There are many reasons why Red Angus is experiencing such rapid expansion, however, the main driver is strong acceptance by commercial cattle producers, especially in the cowcalf sector, but also among stockers and feedlots.
Decades of hard work to create a breed that contributes profit-generating traits throughout the beef supply chain are paying off in the form of strong demand for Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced cattle. When a breed is based on sound science and objective selection (as the Red Angus founders emphasized from the beginning and successive generations of leaders have carried forward), coupled with a laser focus on delivering exactly what the commercial customer wants, good things were bound to happen. And they are.
Red Angus feeder cattle sold at or very near the top of the market throughout the summer video sales season. As for replacement females, Red Angus were indeed RED HOT. Just try to find a breed with more market-place buzz –it can’t be done! Reds outselling their black contemporaries (and other colors as well) is becoming so commonplace in many geographies that it is no longer news. On the contrary, it’s actually expected.
Fertility, docility, productivity and longevity are trademark attributes of the Red Angus female that producers have come to rely on. These traits affect bottom-line results in a big way, whether the operation is a large western ranch, a diversified midwestern farm, or a southern herd of any size that is perennially challenged by heat and humidity.
Red Angus Metrics Depict Breed Advancement
Producers all across the nation need this package of traits in their females, and Red Angus is often the source they choose to fulfill those needs. A high-percentage of Red Angus bull buyers plan to keep replacement heifers out of the bulls they purchase. The female side of the production equation always looms large, as it should. That’s good news for the Red Angus breed and its commercial customers, but the good news does not stop there. Wouldn’t it be ideal to produce great-quality replacement heifers and highly marketable steers from the same bull? Obviously, it would – and Red Angus consistently gets that job done.
As we analyze our growth, it is also worth noting that Red Angus is now reaching a point of critical mass. In other words, the Red
Angus breed is now large enough to matter in an industry littered with breeds of all shapes and sizes. Based on available data, Red Angus is essentially tied for third among the largest beef breeds in the nation. It may not be long before it climbs the ladder one more rung. Red
Angus cattle have become a significant contributor to the genetics that make the U.S. beef industry what it is, both at home and internationally. Our programs have found relevance too, as evidenced by the industry-leading Red Angus FCCP –or yellow tag – breed identification program.
These are indeed exciting times for Red Angus. Market acceptance and the growth it engenders are rewards for years of hard work, both by the people who raise this great breed of cattle and the association that supports them. Success is never random. It follows good decisions, unrelenting commitment, and a willingness to stay on task every single day. The RED ANGUS ADVANCE we’re witnessing today is a product of exactly such efforts. Let’s do all we can to keep it going. n
CATTLEMAN APPROVED
$ustainability...
Sustainability is the word of the moment. It means one thing to the consumer, but a more complex thing to all of us in the business of feeding the world. We know we must be sustainable in ALL facets, so at the end of the day, our operations thrive. That means more than just environmentally sustainable; it means raising cattle who are productive without a lot of extra care, and can bring in a paycheck that supports the family.
Recognizing the difference between optimum and maximum is key to sustainability in the long term. Our cattle are very deliberately designed to make sure they contribute to your bottom line. The bedrock is fertility & functionality under real-world conditions. Calve easy, breed back, stay trouble-free on rugged range, and bring in a good calf. Once the foundation is there, we then expect calves to perform in the feedlot and produce the kind of beef that consumers will pay a premium for.
As your seedstock provider, we’ll make sure our genetics help your sustainability – now and 20 years from now.
That’s our promise.
Selling 175 Head 12 mi SE of Manhattan, KS! Friday,Nov.3,2017@12:30pmCDT
Kniebel Cattle Co. Kevin & Mary Ann Kniebel Chuck & Kim Kniebel White City, KS
785-349-2821
www.KCattle.com
This bull and
other SimAngus sell. This bull and 140 other Angus sell.
bull
other Red Angus sell.
D3691945412-0.68814018616.8052.72
D56581755410-5.36210415216.6925.80
D3552085614-6.463103167171.0622.52
D62741945413-4.76811014817.5829.89
D64511965311-5.66610315718.8323.15
D6216*1655510-3.97813013813.9142-.03
D1046*1525610-4.875128177101.1739.53
D1026*1685811-3.170126175121.3941.60
* denotes Black/Red
More of what Ranchers Demand
R.A. BRown RAnch 43Rd AnnuAl
Customer Appreciation Commercial Bred Heifer Sale Over 450 Head Sell!
Heifers sell immediately following the Black bulls and just before the Red Bulls. Heifers sell in groups of 10 with option to sweep the entire load.
Helping market our Customers’ elite replacements is just one of our investments in their success.
Other Customer Service opportunities that may benefit your operation:
• Volume Discounts given on purchases of 10 or more Bulls!
• Free Bull Delivery (min purchase required)
• Maximum EPD accuracy through genomic data & Feed Efficiency testing of every bull
• Free Promotion of customer calves on RAB website, email, and social media.
• Your Personal Bull Shopper - Orders Customized to Fit your program - Free, Convenient, & Satisfaction Guaranteed
Marketing Update
by Katie Ochsner, Commercial Marketing Specialist
Red Angus Females –A Force to be Reckoned With
by Katie Ochsner, Commercial Marketing Specialist
“I can’t believe the premium those Red Angus are bringing!” “I’m thinking I better get into the Red Angus business.” “Have you seen the prices on those Red Angus heifers?”
These are the kind of comments that could be heard up and down the hallways at the Superior Big Horn Classic in Sheridan, Wyoming, this August. The Red Angus Marketing Team has had the privilege of traveling to video auctions throughout the summer months, and we’ve seen first hand the splash that Red Angus genetics are making in the cattle market.
August 22 to 25, I attended the Superior Big Horn Classic where it seems that the demand for Red Angus females culminated, resulting in market-topping prices. The auction room in Sheridan seemed to fall quiet for a few minutes on Friday morning when the price on a set of 600-pound heifer calves from Dick Cooper rose higher and higher, finally selling for $200/cwt –$1,200 per head!
After doing a bit more research, I discovered that those were the highest selling heifers in that weight class across all Superior auctions this summer. It didn’t stop there, though. That trend continued into the following lots of Red Angus females. Immediately following the Cooper heifers, Box Canyon Ranch sold 550-pound heifers for $208/cwt!
Special Red Angus Feeder Calf Sales
Oct. 6Bagley Livestock Exchange, Bagley, MN
While the demand for Red Angus cattle had been a hot topic of conversation throughout the week at Sheridan, this seemed to solidify the view that Red Angus genetics are a force to be reckoned with in the market. In addition to the lots mentioned, Red Angus heifers were commanding the highest prices throughout the week, topping every weight class from 450 to 690 pounds at the Big Horn Classic.
One commonality among these high-selling lots was the presence of the Red Angus yellow tag. While the Feeder Calf Certification Program tag can be used by feeders to qualify for grid premiums, buyers clearly value the genetic verification the program offers on replacement quality females. The presence of the FCCP yellow tag guarantees that those females are at least 50 percent Red Angus bloodlines, and we’ve seen time and time again the advantage that the Red Angus breed offers as a mama cow.
I’ve visited numerous commercial ranches this year that have made the switch from black to red in their cow herd. These producers have observed several advantages since making this change including gentler disposition, increased heat tolerance and improved mothering ability. The popularity of Red Angus females is apparent in the industry, and the Red Angus Association of America is doing all we can to aide the commercial cattlemen in improving the quality of the Red Angus females across the nation.
One way we do that is by offering the Red Navigator commercial female DNA test, which provides insight into the genetic potential of Red Angus-influenced females. By utilizing Red Navigator, commercial producers can make more educated mating and culling decisions, ensuring that Red Angus females will continue to be some of the best in the industry.
Be sure to take advantage of the special promotional pricing of the Red Navigator test, which will last through the end of November. For more information about Red Angus programs such as FCCP or Red Navigator, visit redangus.org. n
Grid Master Award Winners Recognized for Excellence
The RAAA recognizes excellence in commercial cattle and the feeding industry through the Grid Master Award. The prestigious award is earned by those firms who have successfully combined superior Red Angus genetics, feeding management skills and precise marketing to achieve success with the harvest of a superior beef carcass.
Cattle must be Red Angus or Red Angus-influenced and enrolled in the Feeder Calf Certification Program or Allied Access, and must achieve a specified level of carcass excellence.
Conventionally fed Red Angus cattle must be marketed in lots of at least 30 head, reach a minimum of 85 percent Choice and Prime, have a maximum of 5 percent Yield Grade 4s and a minimum grid score of 100.
Naturally fed cattle must also be marketed in lots of at least 30 head, achieve 90 percent Choice and Prime, with a maximum of 10 percent Yield Grade 4s and a minimum grid score of 100. n
Red Navigator Test Offered at Special Fall Pricing
by Gary D. Fike, Director of Commercial Marketing
An exciting opportunity exists again this fall for special pricing on the Red Navigator genomic test for commercial Red Angus females. Producers who use this test, developed by GeneSeek, will be able to compare their commercial Red Angus females against the entire commercial heifer data set on file with the Red Angus Association of America. The test provides percentile rankings for each EPD in the Red Angus suite, providing an excellent tool to make keep-cull decisions more logical and more scientific.
Normally this test is $25 per head, however, from now through Nov. 30, 2017, the price is reduced to $19. Ranchers can order the Red Navigator test by contacting Fallon Flick, RAAA DNA programs coordinator, at 940-387-3502, fallon@redangus.org. Once she receives the blood or tissue samples, analysis will take 15 to 20 business days, after which results will be reported. The females must be 75 percent or greater Red Angus bloodlines for accurate test results.
The interpretation of Red Navigator data is simple, and Commercial Marketing Specialist Katie Ochsner will call producers to walk them through their results.
The industry is changing; it’s time to take cattle feeding down a new road. Recent advancements in cattle nutrition have opened new routes to help limit pulls, treatment and positively benefit the health of an animal. Adopting a new measure of prevention through the feed is an important first step to help minimize delays on the road ahead.
Take a new road with ProTernative® - a proven probiotic that positively activates the immune system of cattle during times of stress. ProTernative works in the lower gut to influence the animal’s natural immunity through an internal active process that only a specific, robust and active live yeast can deliver.
The road you’ve always taken doesn’t cut it anymore. Feed ProTernative and take a new measure of prevention.
Figuring Return on Investment
If a producer has 100 heifers from which to choose, he could test all of them or, he could select the top 50 based on the phenotype that he wants to retain in his herd. This will reduce the cost of the test by half while still identifying his elite replacements. At the special price, the cost to test 50 head is $950 – a small investment in identifying which females will be profitable additions to his herd.
Producers can use the HerdBuilder index to select which heifers to retain as replacements. As a keep-cull determinant, HerdBuilder evaluates the difference between two animals – it is a dollar-indexing tool that includes the income realized through stayability, heifer pregnancy, calving ease and calves that will excel in final product quality.
The following examples demonstrate tangible outcome in two situations:
Example 1
20 heifers x 5 years of breeding = 100 exposures
HerdBuilder of 150: 150 x 100 = $15,000
HerdBuilder of 100: 100 x 100 = $10,000
Equating to a difference of $5,000 on a $950 investment
Using another example with the top 20 percent of HerdBuilder for non-parents under two years of age versus the bottom 20 percent (Fall 2017 evaluation percentiles):
Example 2
20 heifers x 5 years of breeding = 100 exposures
HerdBuilder of 124: 124 x 100 = $12,400
HerdBuilder of 71: 71 x 100 = $7,100
Equating to a difference of $5,300 on a $950 investment
In all reality, the return on investment would likely be between the aforementioned figures. However, the bottom line is clear: it pays to use Red Navigator to select replacement females. At this special pricing, there is no time like the present to invest in genomic progress. n
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Member Services Update
Full Access to REDSPro Functions Gives Members
Real-Time Updates
Members can now complete registrations, transfers, inventory and weight updates, and many more important functions online and in real time. Members can log on to REDSPro with their member number and password, and will now be able to complete their own work through the “Data Entry” tab.
Please take a few minutes to watch the step-by-step tutorial videos for each process. If you have additional questions or comments, please email Angelia Brooks, angelia@redangus.org, or Amanda Travis, amanda@redangus.org.
Thank you to the membership for your patience and understanding through this multiyear construction process. We believe the end-result was worth the wait. Once you submit your data, your registrations or updates are available for review online.
Pay Online
With REDSPro now open, please take time to log in and look around. Try something simple to get started, such as the “My Account” tab. This tab allows for updating your address, view billing history or pay the account balance. Previously, credit card payments and updates to the account had to be made via a phone call or email. This can now be done within seconds by logging in. Be sure that once the payment or correction to the account is made that the job is completed all the way to the end by clicking “Continue” and “Submit.”
Submit Data Early
It is never too early to submit data, especially if a deadline will need to be meet in the near future. The process can be started with the minimum data points and additional information can be added later. If weaning weights haven’t been taken, pre-registrations can be accomplished to start the process. These are called incomplete registrations.
The next National Cattle Evaluation will occur at the end of October.
Fall Herd Inventory Evaluation
If you have cows that are classified as Fall Herd Inventory make sure that these females are still on your active inventory. If you no longer have this animal or she has moved to the spring calving season, please either give her a disposal code or reason code for no calf being reported. It is important to update this information yearly as this determines the billing for Total Herd Reporting. Fall Herd Inventory will be billed in December.
Report Spring or Fall Heifer Exposure
Heifer Exposure is important and easily accessible data to submit. This data in not mandatory, but a key component in the Heifer Pregnancy (HPG) EPD. We ask that you please take the time to report this information. What are the data reporting components?
1) Breeding In and Out Date or AI Date
2) Was the animal exposed – Yes or No
3) Management Group Designation – Indicates the management group
4) Disposal Information – Disposal codes are available for heifers that are not being kept in the herd.
To report Heifer Exposure Data go to REDSPro, Herd Mangement/My Reports.
Select the group on left-hand side of page. A default group can be used or a custom group created before report is generated.
Then select “Heifer Exposure Data Report” on the righthand side of page.
Then click "Generate Report" at the bottom of the page.
The report will be viewable on the screen and then can be downloaded. Updates can be made via an Excel spreadsheet or printed and hand written into to be sent to the Association.
DNA Updates
As deadlines start to form for upcoming events and sales, make sure that DNA samples are submitted to RAAA early. Standard turnaround time for processing of samples takes 15 to 20 business days.
Effective Immediately: If samples are being submitted for Enhanced EPDs testing (ULD, LD, HD, 50K or i50K), all animals must have a registration number to be able to be processed. Results can’t be updated for these tests without a registration number. ■
Technology and Cow Sense Direct Success on Price Ranch
by Teres Lambert for American Red Angus Magazine
When you’re in charge of a family commercial cow-calf operation established in 1898, some might find it tempting to do things the way the previous generation did them. That’s not the case for fifth-generation rancher John Price, Price Ranch, of Deer Trail, Colorado, who returned to the family ranch in 2000.
Price Ranch, established in the late 1800s, has always embraced technology and improved management practices.
“We stick with tradition when it’s worked in the past and continues to be the best solution,” Price stated.
“Most of the time, however, we follow the mindset of my granddad who was an early adopter of technology and management strategies.
“Thanks to my granddad and dad, I grew up knowing the importance of records, and I’ve become a real numbers man. I’m always looking for more data to marry with my ‘cow eye’ to end up with better animals.”
John and his wife Karen, along with their two sons, Conner and Dylan, run about 650 commercial red cows on the rolling Colorado plains where it takes about 30 acres per animal unit.
Tried-and-True Strategies
Price Ranch’s calving program is one based on tradition, a program developed by John’s granddad.
“The way we calve started in the 70s, and it’s a tradition that we haven’t changed,” said Price.
Calving season starts the end of January or the first of February and goes for 60 days, with heifers and cows calving simultaneously. Because heifers are synchronized, however, a large bunch will calve early in the season.
Before calving, all bred females are moved to a large pasture near the calving barn. Every female goes through the chute and is marked with a number using peroxide, bleaching the hair. Each female’s assigned number – 1 through 8 – is based on ultrasound results that indicate when she should calve.
The females are grouped by number and moved to smaller areas to await their time to calve.
Price and his family watch over the pregnant females, touring the close-to-calving pens every 45 to 60 minutes. A hired hand oversees the night shift from about 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
As a female approaches calving, she is typically moved into the calving barn. The exception is when the weather is fully cooperating. To date, about 95 percent of all cows and heifers calve inside, away from the wind and occasional subzero temperatures.
The Price Family (l to r): Conner, Karen, Dylan and John
Technology and Cow Sense Direct Success on Price Ranch
After she calves, the pair will remain in one of the eight stalls inside the unheated calving barn for 12 to 36 hours. Calves are weighed and tagged, then moved with their dams into a much larger outside pen with other pairs.
“Before they leave the barn, we want to make certain that the dam is taking the calf, the calf is sucking, etc.,” Price explained. “We don’t watch our heifers and cows closely and calve in the barn because we anticipate calving problems. We have fewer calving problems with Red Angus than other breeds we’ve had. We simply do things this way as a precautionary measure. This lessens our death losses when unusual presentations occur.
“With 30 calves arriving in a day, it’s an investment in time that we’re willing to make for a greater return.”
Pairs go out to larger pastures in groups based on the age of the calves. The first group of 200 or so calves will be branded the end of March. Before moving into summer pastures, pairs are sorted by sex of the calves. Cows with steer calves go in one pasture and cows with heifer calves in another. Ready-to-breed heifers go into a third pasture.
Price Ranch synchronizes and AIs about 75 of its best and youngest cows to produce high-quality replacement heifers. They also synchronize and AI all their replacements. Bulls immediately go in with all females around April 23.
By extending his breeding season, Price can market bred females that fall outside his calving window rather than sell open cows.
Bulls will remain in with the heifers and cows for 130 days.
“By having the bulls in this long, we end up with bred cows rather than dry cows,” said Price. “We sell the late-calving cows that fall outside our 60-day calving season. There’s typically a better market for bred cows than dry cows.”
Adopt New Management, Technologies
Price Ranch employs a rotational grazing program, a change from days gone by. Price says this change in management has allowed the ranch to run about 100 more cows and have better grass.
Another management switch that started 10 years ago is weighing cows. Price said he thought the ranch’s cows were sneaking up in size but he didn’t have the numbers to know if this was true.
“Sometimes you think you have 1,300- to 1,400-pound cows when you really have cows that are hitting that 1,600-pound mark,” Price elaborated. “I needed to quit guessing and know.”
Sure enough, cow size was more than he wanted. Through culling and paying closer attention to the frame size of bulls, Price Ranch has brought cow size down to what it considers more ideal.
Five years ago, Price Ranch implemented its pregnancy ultrasound program, another management strategy Price calls a smart investment.
Rotational grazing has increased Price's stocking rate by 100 cows.
Always looking for better and more reliable ways of doing things, he was open when his bull sources told him about the Red Navigator program.
“Being a numbers guy, I was hooked,” Price said. “Here’s a program where it’s not only simple to collect a sample at branding time, but the DNA results gives you a wealth of information about that particular animal.
“Before using the Red Navigator tool, we sorted by age and size, keeping the oldest and biggest replacement heifers. That’s where we were probably getting ourselves into trouble when it came to increasing cow size. For the past two years, numbers about each heifer provided by the Red Navigator test influence our decisions.”
To simplify his selection process, Price assigns points to each heifer based on the Red Navigator results. He then combines those points with copious notes he’s taken about the heifer and her dam to make keep-cull decisions.
“Red Navigator is a tool. I don’t throw away all of our lesser-scoring heifers based on their Red Navigator
scores,” he clarified. “I know each heifer’s dam, a heifer’s disposition and her structure. Plus, we don’t keep replacement heifers out of a cow that has a poor udder or an undesirable disposition.
“You have to apply common sense when the numbers tell you one story and visual appraisal tells you another. It’s in my hands to line up everything.”
Price said that, while there’s a definite learning curve to understanding the Red Navigator program and there’s a cost associated with implementing the tool, the results have been worth the investment.
“We have the best and most consistent group of first-calf heifers we’ve ever had,” he said. “We keep about 35 percent of our heifers for replacements, and the Red Navigator program helped us identify some heifers that we might not otherwise have kept. Sometimes keeping a particular heifer and letting go of another is a hard thing to do because we’re talking about the future of our herd.
“But, bottom line, the Red Navigator is helping us go in the right direction.” ■
Red Navigator Serves as Roadmap to Growing a Great Cowherd
by Trinity Lewis for American Red Angus Magazine
For generations, ranchers have dreamed of a better way to predict the productivity of their females other than phenotype alone. With Red Angus’ Red Navigator DNA test that dream has become reality. Now in its third year of implementation, Red Navigator continues to grow in popularity amongst progressive cattlemen.
Is Red Navigator a good fit for your herd?
Red Navigator is a breed-specific DNA test that provides an individual percentile rank comparing tested females to the other commercial heifers in the database for all 14 Red Angus EPDs as well as the HerdBuilder and GridMaster indices. Due to its exclusivity to the Red Angus breed, the test should only be used on commercial females that are at least 75 percent Red Angus.
Because every operation is diverse, the test is used in a variety of ways. Katie Ochsner, Red Angus
Association of America commercial marketing specialist, suggests that Red Navigator is especially useful for replacement heifer selection and sire identification.
“I encourage commercial producers to use Red Navigator to test their replacement heifer candidates, in other words those that would not otherwise be culled for severe phenotypic problems,” said Ochsner. “The Red Navigator results can then be used to keep the genetically superior females, and cull those with less-than-average performance.”
Ochsner said Red Navigator plays another role at breeding time. “Producers can use the Red Navigator results to match each female with the sire that best complements her genetic profile. Sire verification comes with the Red Navigator results if the sires have been DNA profiled. Several producers who have used the test have commented that sire identification was very beneficial information to their operation. The ability to identify the parentage of a female on a ranch that runs multiple-sire pasture groups not only gives insight into that female’s genetic potential, but can also inform ranchers which herd bulls are doing their job out on the range.”
These are just two of the ways the test can be implemented. For operations who are rebuilding or looking to revamp their cowherd, the Red Navigator DNA test is a total game changer. For those simply interested in staying on track, it is a proven reflection of the direction in which the overall herd is moving.
Who is eligible to use Red Navigator?
The RAAA encourages producers whose females are at least 75 percent Red Angus in their genetic makeup to use the program. With the follow-up call, Ochsner helps them
The Red Navigator test is discounted through November, make this fall an optimal time for producers to collect samples and learn valuable information about their cowherd.
to digest the results and answer any questions regarding Red Navigator or other RAAA marketing programs.
With some of the most hands-on producers in the industry, Red Angus operations will have no problem gathering the data. It is as easy as collecting and submitting blood or tissue samples, then ordering the Red Navigator test. In terms of cost, the test is regularly affordable at $25 per head. It is advantageous to order before Nov. 30, 2017, as RAAA is holding a fall promotion discounting the price to $19 per animal.
Red Navigator Serves as Roadmap to Growing a Great Cowherd
Interested producers can contact Fallon Flick, DNA programs coordinator, at 940-387-3502, fallon@redangus.org, to order the test and get started.
After DNA is submitted, producers will receive results in the form of a percentile rank for every Red Angus EPD and index on females tested. This percentile rank is benchmarked against the commercial females tested through the Red Navigator program.
Upon getting results back, producers can expect a phone call from Ochsner who assists in breaking down the data.
What are other producers saying?
Since offering the Red Navigator DNA test three years ago, the RAAA has seen Red Angus operations across the country excited about their results and the role that DNA testing now plays in their programs.
Dudley and Marilyn Mackey are Wyoming Red Angus producers with a phenomenal reputation of being good cattlemen. Their large operation has a long history of being progressive in record keeping and attentive to new ways to improve their genetics. “We have kept records on
Cattlemen appreciate that Red Navigator provides commercial producers with data previously only available to the seedstock sector of the industry.
our commercial Red Angus cows for years,” said Marilyn. “We started using Red Navigator three years ago to gain additional data on our replacement heifers, identify their sires, and have the ability to track their progeny as we AIed them. The information we gain has added to the records we have in place already.”
Bryce Risa runs several hundred head of Red Angus cattle as part of the Northern Lites Ranch in Opheim, Montana.
Red Navigator Serves as Roadmap to Growing a Great Cowherd
Each year Northern Lites sells just shy of 360 commercial heifers and they are some of the most popular females that buyers excitedly watch for each fall. “We started Red Navigator as a selection tool to pick our replacement heifers,” explained Risa. “After two years in the program we have discovered that it is very useful as it gives us insight into how our herd sires are performing during breeding season along with how the calves are performing.”
Risa appreciates that the information Red Navigator provides is now available to commercial cattleman when for so long DNA testing of this capacity was only available to seedstock operations. “We know for certain the sires of every heifer in the herd, which was something that we could only guess before, as we run multiple bulls in each pasture. It is a very good program for producers who are wanting a more in-depth look at their cow herds.”
John McDowell in Greenfield, Missouri, sells custom beef products at his local market. To him carcass data matters, but in his heifers, breed back and mothering
ability are king. “The most beneficial part is learning their genetic makeup, and you can’t tell that by just looking at them,” said McDowell. “Of all the traits that are identified by Red Navigator, I pick out the ones I’m most interested in and evaluate my heifers based on those.”
He is also very impressed with the customer service and follow-up after the results were in. “The RAAA staff was very helpful and the tests came back just about like they said they would.” McDowell used the information gleaned from Red Navigator to cut the bottom half of his replacement heifers. His advice to other cattlemen interested in DNA profiling their commercial females is simply, “It’s worth it!”
Red Angus cattle continue to be red-hot in the current markets. Much of that is due to the reputation of consistent cattle that perform well at each step of the process. Using progressive data programs like Red Navigator will continue to excel the breed and the reputation of those associated with it. ■
DNA Technology Qualifies Herds for Top Dollar Angus, Increases Profit $
by Kenny Stauffer, Top Dollar Angus® General Manager
Technology continues to advance and change the way our industry does business. DNA testing is one example of a scientific advancement and it is a very powerful tool. Unfortunately, most of our nation’s beef producers don’t take advantage of genomic profiling in their operations.
I say “unfortunately” because I believe there is no better way to truly understand your herd’s genetic makeup than through DNA. Every year as beef producers, we make decisions that will directly affect our operation’s success for years to come, and some of these important decisions have no data or science to back them.
Let’s look at replacement heifer selection. Do you know the parentage, heifer pregnancy ranking, docility, longevity or even marbling rank of these females? Or are you picking females strictly on how they look at weaning? I believe you would agree that heifer selection based on phenotype or conformation alone is a risky business decision.
I know what you are thinking right now. “DNA is too expensive for a commercial producer and I can’t afford that.” Let’s break it down and see if you still feel that way at the end of this article.
DNA testing provides you with a wealth of data for your operation, but let’s look at just a small fraction of that information and see how important and profitable it can be.
Scenario 1
Let’s assume you save 50 head of your 100 heifers every year, and you DNA test them with the Red Navigator commercial Red Angus female panel. That will cost you $2,500. DNA results prove the 50 heifers you retained rank in the top 40 percent of all the females in Heifer Pregnancy (HPG), ADG, MARB, REA (Top Dollar Angus certification), BW and Residual Feed Intake (RFI). Plus, you now know their sires if the bulls were DNA profiled.
Scenario 2
On shipping day with all emotions running high, you decide to sort off your replacement heifers. You have about five seconds to make the decision as the heifer is coming toward you in the sorting alley. You take a few seconds to
look at the tag number. You don’t remember anything negative about her dam and you like the way she looks, so you holler “keep.” She goes in the replacement pen. You now get to deal with that decision for years to come. You hope that you made the right decision, but regardless you just saved $2,500 on DNA testing and you feel good about that. Or did you? Let’s take a closer look.
We all know that the best looking heifer doesn’t always make the most productive, fertile or efficient cow. I would like to go over some possible scenarios with you. Let’s assume that in your selection of heifers by phenotype only, you selected 10 heifers that rank in the bottom 80 percent if they were DNA tested.
1.Heifer Pregnancy: Five of those 10 come up open a.Cost of heifer development ($1,400) – salvage value (800 pounds x $1.30) = $360 x 5 = $1,800
2.ADG – The five heifers that did breed as virgin heifers have a calf for the next nine years in your operation. Since they ranking in the bottom 80 percent for ADG, their calf will average half a pound less per day than the others, weaning 100 pounds lighter.
a. 9 calves x 100 pound x $1.40 per pound = $1,260 x 5 head = $6,300
3.Top Dollar Angus Certification – Those 10 heifers dropped your overall percentage enough that your herd is not eligible for Top Dollar Angus certification or premiums:
a. 45 calves x $30 Top Dollar Angus sales premium = $1,350 loss (one year of sales loss)
b. If you decide to not pursue qualification requirements in prior years on this herd = $1,350 x 9 years = $12,150
4.The five females that remain in the herd also scored in the bottom 80 percent in RFI. We can assume their lower efficiency costs 10 percent more annually on average. With an annual cow cost of $700, that’s an additional $70 annually. Over 10 years, that’s an extra $700 per cow.
a. $700 x 5 cows = $3,500
I hope you can see where I’m going with this. Yes, the initial DNA cost can seem expensive, but over the life of those females, it is a very minimal expense that can make huge profitability swings. By selecting the 10 least-productive females in the scenario above, they cost this producer $22,600 ($25,100 production losses - $2,500 initial DNA test savings) over their lifetime.
I hope this will trigger some thinking and challenge producers to take advantage of this very useful tool. There are few different options for testing through various companies depending on your herd’s dominate breed. The Red Navigator test is developed specifically for commercial Red Angus females and the Red Angus Association of America is running a special through November. Red Navigator is normally $25 per head, discounted to $19. Contact Fallon Flick, RAAA DNA programs coordinator, at 940-387-3502, fallon@redangus.org, for complete details.
Once you make the decision to DNA test you heifer calves, contact Top Dollar Angus. We will help you get a return on investment for your DNA expense. Top Dollar Angus will take your DNA results and evaluate your
herd’s carcass and growth genetic ranking. If you are in the top 25 percent, your herd will be Top Dollar Angus certified and we will be your marketing agent to help your get the premiums you deserve.
If your DNA results don’t allow you to qualify, you will have a blue print to show you exactly which traits are weak and what we need to do to get your herd qualified. For herds that don’t qualify, we can help you get your herd eligible in one to two years with a little coaching and advice.
Top Dollar Angus genetically qualifies herds by two methods – six years of documented sire records or by DNA testing. Once your herd carries the Top Dollar Angus certification, you now have a whole new level of marketing assistance and an increased level of buyers looking at your cattle. Contact Top Dollar Angus before you make plans to market your calves this fall. ■
Come see the strongest offering of Red Angus (and Charolais) ever offered by Leachman Cattle of Colorado!
Every Bull Sells With:
• Predictions for feed intake and conversion.
• Leachman’s unique High Altitude PAP EPD!
• Grading for foot structure and disposition.
• An age advantage to breed more cows and hold up better.
• The Leachman, One-Year, Unconditional Guarantee!
Features Include:
Leachman Old Glory A008D, a full sib to the breed leading Leachman Pledge, is one of the most powerful and unique bulls that we have ever encountered. Old Glory stands out among his peers in a way we have not witnessed since Grand Canyon sold as a yearling in 1998! This massive, 1,900+ pound bull moves with power and authority like a Hancock bred quarter horse. He significantly improves on Pledge with impeccable hoof and foot structure – see the unedited picture of his untouched feet pictured at 17 months, with a then current weight of 1,935 lbs!
Two additional, red, full sibs to Leachman Pledge A282Z will be offered. Pledge is the breed’s leading sire for marbling and $Profit! The dominance of Pledge in the sale ring, in the Red Angus database, and in the $Profit analysis is unparalleled. (For more on Pledge, see the spread that follows on the next page). Take advantage of this chance to own a full sib to this unique and rare breed leader!
Leachman Old Glory A008D He and two full brothers sell on November 11th!
Other Sale Features Include:
• Over 20 sons of Brown Real Deal A7701 – see more info on Real Deal in the following spread.
• Over 10 sons of H2R Profitbuilder B403
– all tested for feed intake.
• Five red sons of Spur Franchise 7070, the outcross black/red carrier bull that sired Spur of Garton.
• Four direct sons of Pledge – includes A015D (#3598867), the +161 YW EPD bull tied as the 3rd highest yearling EPD bull in the breed….
Top
Leachman Absolutely Red G108D
A rare opportunity to invest in this black/red carrier son of KCF Bennett Absolute out of Pledge’s dam. At $19,273 $Profit, this outcross bull offers a straight Angus pedigree AND the highest current $Profit of any purebred, red gene carrier in our entire database. His Angus EPDs, enhanced with i50K one step, rank top 3% CED, 15% BW, 10% WW, 10% YW, 3% Dry Matter Intake, 30% Carcass Weight, 15% Marbling, 35% REA, 10% $Weaning, and 4% $Beef!
Herds Use $Profit to Improve Their Red Angus
“We made a large investment to measure feed efficiency; however, we needed a place to genetically evaluate this new mountain of information for our Angus, Red Angus & SimAngus cattle. The $Profit Team is doing an amazing job of providing us with accurate EPDs that are comparable across all of our breeds plus EPDs for new traits like feed efficiency and Profit. I have confidence in the team of geneticists at the University of Guelph, Canadian Dairy Network, and BIO in Ontario Canada who use sound-science with the $Profit provides this accurate, third-party, genetic evaluation.
Getting our data evaluated by the $Profit team is like getting a second opinion on a major business decision or medical procedure. I consider it one of the smartest business decisions we have made to help us identify and multiply genetics that enhance our customer’s profitability and sustainability in the cattle business.”
~ Donnell Brown, R A Brown Ranch, Throckmorton, TX Angus, Red Angus, Simmental & Hybrids
“$Profit is ten times better than any other index for my Red Angus. My high $Profit genetics top our sale”
~ Neil Hueftle
Hueftle Red Angus Cozad, NE Red Angus & Hybrids
“I find $Profit the best index in the industry to describe our cattle for all birth to feedlot traits to assist our customers.”
~ Ryan Ludvigson Ludvigson Stock Farm Billings, MT Red Angus & Hybrids
One of the Breed’s Greatest Outliers
Leachman Pledge A282Z
Pledge burst onto the scene in the Spring of 2016, when his first eleven sons sold at Hueftle’s Spring sale to average $15,200. After the fall 2017 run, Pledge now ranks as the #1 Marbling Red Angus bull in the breed. He even outranks every single Angus bull in the database except for one young sire. To put his +1.94 marbling EPD fully into perspective, his EPD is 5.5 standard deviations above the average. Mating Pledge to an average marbling cow will produce an offspring that ranks well into the top 1% of the breed!
Pledge sires progeny with a beautiful Angus head, super length of body and thickness, and worlds of capacity. His offspring are consistently 6+ on frame score. His sons are masculine and have large scrotal circumference. On 36 ultrasound scans at Leachman’s, Pledge progeny have an average adjusted IMF scan of 4.8% IMF. On matings, Pledge should be protected for hoof structure. He is also not recommended for use in herds that run at high altitude.
Of all sires in the Leachman database with 25 or more progeny, Pledge is the 12th highest $Profit bull overall. Ten composite sons of Pledge sold at the Leachman Spring 2017 sale for an average of $8,975 including the $18,500 Leachman Honor pictured below. HXC Allegiance sold for $53,000 and is now a feature sire at ABS. HXC Delaration solf for $30,000 and is now a featured sire at Genex. A very limited supply of Pledge semen remains – inquire today to reserve a cane for your breeding program.
Reg: 1652360
Leachman Honor X419D The $18,500 Stabilizer composite sired by Pledge.
HXC Allegiance 5502C The $53,000 ABS feature sired by Pledge.
HXC Declaration 5504C The $30,000 Genex feature sired by Pledge.
Two Emerging Breed Legends
Oracle’s first calves are being weaned this fall. Nearly every breeder is reporting that they are among the best calves they will wean this fall. Oracle sires moderate birth weight calves with exceptional thickness and performance. Our early indications are that Oracle will maintain a -4 BW EPD and will increase his weaning EPD which will make him one of the top birth to weaning spread bulls in the breed. In addition, his unique combination of top 1% Marbling and top 1% Ribeye area can move your herd on these antagonistically related traits. With a top 1% rating on Herd Builder, Grid Master, and $Profit – Oracle will move your herd to the top on profitability any way compared. Oracle has now fully recovered from a 2016 breeding season injury and is producing semen – order today to be placed on the backorder list for winter fulfillment.
Brown Real Deal A7701
Real Deal will become known as one of the great curve bending, efficient, cow building bulls in the breed. The RAAA database projected Real Deal to be a +8 ME bull, but as we saw Real Deal mature into a sub five frame bull, we quickly realized that he was going to bend the curve from birth, to weaning / yearling, and then to mature size. Our database now has 134 progeny that have completed yearling evaluation. Real Deal is a proven source of moderate intake and he will moderate mature size. We kept all but one of our Real Deal heifers back as replacements and they will start calving this Spring. Real Deal combines the best of Redemption and Revelation in a calving ease, rapid early growth, and high carcass merit package. Our two leading composite sons of Real Deal sold for $16,750 and $16,000 respectively this Spring.
Weidenbach Ranch Dispersal Sale
Selling all Registered Red Angus Females in the Fall Red Dirt Roundup.
Spring & Fall Calving Cows Elite Donors ▪ Bred Heifers Show Prospects ▪ Pregnant Recip Cows
Packages ▪ Semen
RED DIRT
RAAA Implements Updated Zoetis Genomic Test
The Red Angus Association of America is excited to announce the release of Zoetis’ HD50K/i50K Version 2 genomic test along with the release of the Fall 2017 EPDs. Representing a recalibration of Zoetis’ original genomic test, Version 2 provides Red Angus breeders with a significant improvement in genetic prediction accuracy.
Made possible by Red Angus breeders’ adoption of genomic technology, the Version 2 test was developed using Zoetis’ growing volume of 50K data on Red Angus animals. As a direct result, the population of animals used for the development of the Version 2 test con-
sisted of mostly Red Angus animals along with strategically selected Black Angus animals. This is a distinct improvement from the original “Global Angus” test, which was developed using a higher percentage of Black Angus animals. Thus, the Version 2 test represents a significant improvement in RAAA’s ability to provide accurate EPDs on HD50K/i50K-tested animals.
Another exciting improvement is Zoetis’ Version 2 test provides genomic data for RAAA’s entire suite of EPDs. Therefore, in addition to the genomicenhanced EPDs provided by the previous “Global Angus” test, breeders will
now receive HD50K/i50K-powered genomic enhanced Stayability, Heifer Pregnancy and Maintenance Energy EPDs. Relatedly, HD50K/i50K-tested animals will receive a genomic-enhanced HerdBuilder index.
Animals tested with the original Zoetis genomic test have already been upgraded to the Version 2 test. As a result of the improvement in genetic prediction, EPDs of upgraded animals have the potential to change. Similar to EPD changes and increases in accuracy resulting from the addition of progeny data, the updated EPDs represent an improvement in the prediction of animals’ genetic merit. n
Visit RedAngus.org/genetics to order – or learn more about – Zoetis’ Version 2 HD50K/i50K test.
JRA Update
JRA Board Members Attend Canadian Showdown
by Anna Miller, California, and Madison Adams, North Carolina
The opportunity to participate in an international program through the JRA was truly an incredible experience.
As a junior attending Oklahoma State University studying agricultural communications and animal science, and a freshman attending Sandhills Community College pursuing an associates in science, seeing agriculture on an international scale has always been an interest of ours. It was not a difficult decision to attend the Canadian Junior Angus Association’s Showdown this summer. Our Canadian neighbors were so welcoming to both of us and ensured that we were given an eventful and educational experience. We competed in various design and media competitions about the beef industry, and also had a chance to try our hand in the show ring during a showmanship class.
Wednesday was the start of Showdown, and people were moving into the barn from everywhere. Exhibitors brought in cattle, show boxes, panels and fans from all entrances to the barn. We had the opportunity to tag along with the CJAA board members to meet new people and offer a hand to anyone in need. After exhibitors settling into the barn, the juniors
brought their competition materials to the office to be turned in and judged. All competition materials were placed in a large room on display so everyone could view them. We had the chance to participate in the competitions that consisted of print marketing, sales talk, showmanship, livestock judging, show ring photography, literature, arts and crafts, scrapbook, graphic design and farm sign.
We had the opportunity to participate in a livestock judging contest, as well as witness the champion round of livestock judging where top competitors formed teams and gave oral reasons over a set of heifers. Additional teams were created during the team grooming competition, where teammates groomed and fit an animal for show. At the end of the first day, members of the CJAA participated in an Amazing Race-style of competition, which we helped organize.
The opportunity to meet new people gave us the chance to use someone else’s heifer to take in the ring for the showmanship class. “Show Ring Team Judging” was an interesting Showdown competition that neither of us had seen before. All partici-
Engage with JRA! 2017-2018 Board
Genna VanWye, Missouri jragenna@gmail.com
Royce McPhee-Bayha, California jraroyce1@gmail.com
Savannah Howard, North Carolina jrasavannah@gmail.com
Madison Adams, North Carolina jramadison1@gmail.com
Kaitlyn Templeton, North Carolina jrakaitlyn@gmail.com
Kim Heller, Junior Program Coordinator juniors@redangus.org
pants had to qualify the day before at livestock judging, but two people enter the ring with one acting as the ring hand and the other as a judge. After the competitions were completed for the day, we traveled a few minutes away for a trip to a farm that hosted a cook-off and dinner for the night.
It was really unique to experience a CJAA show, because the association does not separate the Black Angus and Red Angus breeds. This made the conformation classes very interesting to watch, as the two breeds were evaluated equally.
The end of the Showdown brought a banquet and dance, where members and parents enjoyed a great meal and a live DJ. It was the perfect way to end the trip of a lifetime, and we can’t wait to visit Canada again in the future. n
February 15 - College Scholarship Application Deadline March 2-4 - Young Stockman’s Program, Missouri
July 18-22 - Round-Up and Annual Meeting, Arkansas
The LiveWiRED Calves are on the Ground!
This August, 51 ET calves for the LiveWiRED project were born in Missouri where they will be raised on their recipient dams until weaning.
LiveWiRED – EPDs in Action is a project of the Junior Red Angus Association of America. Its purpose is to monitor, track and compare the growth and performance of the calves from birth to harvest in a real-world setting.
All the calves are out of a registered Gelbvieh donor dam, Red Penny, and sired by five different Red Angus bulls. By design, three of the sires rank high in the Red Angus population for growth and carcass value traits. The other two sires rank near the bottom of the bell curve, offering much less growth, less marbling and smaller ribeye sizes.
Because all the calves are out of the same cow, the project should provide a clear picture of the impact of sire EPDs.
A major objective of the project is to collect as much data on the calves as possible, including DNA information. In antici-
pation of the calves being tested with Igenity® Gold, which is effective on both straight bred and crossbred cattle, all of the Red Angus sires and the Gelbvieh dam have now been tested. Their DNA test results were obtained in June and proved highly interesting.
To learn more about the LiveWiRED project, follow the blog at http://epdsinaction.blogspot.com/.
Member News
In Memory
Jim Shirm
Jim Shirm, 79, of Woodward, Oklahoma, lost his battle with dementia on July 28, 2017, surrounded by his family.
Jimmie Duane Shirm was born Aug. 9, 1937, in Harper County, Oklahoma, to William Ernest and Edith Alma (Shuyler) Shirm.
His exceptional work ethic was evident as a youth when he served as class president of Fort Supply High School. He was president of the FFA, and earned the Junior Master Farmer Degree. Jim graduated from Panhandle A&M College in Goodwell, Oklahoma, in 1959 with a degree in Animal Husbandry, while winning numerous national livestock judging competitions. Three years after graduation, he was asked to assume management of the dairy herd at Panhandle A&M College. Within four years his cattle herd achieved statewide and national recognition, a pattern he repeated throughout his career. He managed several ranch operations including Dr. Allen Greers ranch in Tuttle, Oklahoma, and Sonny Oates ranch in Big Sandy, Texas. He took these operations from poor production to national recognition with award-winning cattle breeding programs.
In 2004, Jim was recognized by the Red Angus Association of America as one of the “50 Most Influential” in recognition for his contributions to the success of the RAAA . In 2006, the Red Angus Association recognized Jim as the “Pioneer Breeder of the Year.” Of all his professional achievements, he was most proud of ESS Choctaw Chief 626, the first bull of any breed to qualify for Certified Meat Sire status, and ESS Tuscapride Ladd 809, the first Red Angus to become a Super Certified Meat Sire.
Jim married Betty Jo Wallin in Guymon, Oklahoma, on October 5, 1956. Their two sons were born in the panhandle of Oklahoma. The family moved to Enid when Jim became the farm manager of the Enid State School. He developed a ranch program that provided meat, eggs and milk to 1,000 disabled children, in addition to providing the meat for all the teaching hospitals in the state of Oklahoma.
Jim married Catherine Sebastian on June 13, 1993, in Seminole, Oklahoma. They lived in Texas until his retirement in 2006, when he returned to northwest Oklahoma to be closer to his family.
Jim lived a full life. He loved to dance, loved to hunt and fish, loved to cook and eat. He loved spending time with his family, horse trading and telling stories. He loved his coon dogs, his bird dogs and his cow dogs. He loved fat red cows on tall grass.
Your visit is always welcome... Hope to see you soon!
Where Quality Cattle are the Rule, Not the Exception!
Patsy Krause Fund Raiser
Red Angus Foundation Inc. (406) 599-2852 • cell patsy@redangus.org
Mail contributions to:
18335 E. 103rd Ave., Suite 202 Commerce City, CO 80022
Jim is survived by his wife Catherine; sons, Steve Shirm (Lorna Potaka-Osborne); Kyle Shirm (Lucinda); granddaughter Kylee Painter (Clayton); grandson Austin Shirm (Emily); great-grandson, Axton Painter; four sisters, Lora Garrett; Ernestine Gay; Rose Ella Day; Avis Ortega; step-daughter Merry Decker (Mark), and their children Sarah, John and Hannah; as well as Michael and Tyler Golay. His numerous nieces and nephews will miss his memorable tales.
Larry Harrison
Larry Harrison, 72, of White River, South Dakota, died on Aug. 13, 2017.
Larry Harrison was as much a Red Angus enthusiast as he was of his red tractors. Larry produced high-quality Red Angus calves. He diligently selected superior Red Angus bulls to constantly improve his herd. His females – both bred and open – were sought after in the northern plains.
Larry Veldon Harrison was born in Aberdeen, Washington, on June 17, 1945, to Veldon “Tuff” and Mildred (Trautman) Harrison. He moved to South Dakota at 5 months old with the family to the farm northeast of White River. He attended Prosperity Flats Grade School through 8th grade and graduated from White River High School in 1963.
After high school, Larry attended college at the University of South Dakota and South Dakota State University graduating from the College of Pharmacy in 1969. His professional career took him to Sioux Falls where he worked as a pharmacist until moving back to the farm in 1977. He purchased Ranchland Drug in 1978 and operated the business providing pharmacy and veterinary supplies to residents of the surrounding community.
Larry loved his life on the farm, the livestock and everything related to the business. All one had to do was spend a few minutes with him to feel his passion. Larry was equally passionate about the drugstore and the people he served. He put in many long hours making sure people were taken care of.
Larry is survived by his loving and caring wife, Linda, of White River; beautiful daughter Olivia (Tony) Conrad of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; stepchildren, Spencer Blom of White River, and Kaitlyn Blom of Gillette, Wyoming; four granddaughters, Kenisha Harrison of St. Cloud, Minnesota, Zahra Harrison of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Isabelle Barnes of Sioux Falls, and Leightyn Blom of White River; two sisters, Patti (Wayne) Stromer of White River, and Peggy (Tom) Honn of Ault, Colorado; many nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.
Baby Times Three
Brenda and Richard Windle, Windle Farms, of Owensville, Missouri, had a surprise of a lifetime on July 2, 2017, when their commercial Red AngusSimmental cross cow, Spot #813, delivered triplets.
Spot gave birth to two bull calves and one heifer on her own, cleaned and fed them. Windles supplemented the 45-pound calves with colostrum to ensure they received enough nutrition after birth. All three calves are cared for by the cow, but Windles keep them in a lot close to the barn.
Despite their white faces, the triplets are seven-eighths Red Angus in genetic make-up. Spot’s dam delivered twins three times during the last four
calving seasons, so multiples are strong in the pedigree.
“Our Red Angus cattle are wonderful mothers and produce a lot of milk. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and we are loving every minute of it,” said Brenda. n
ADAMS ANGUS RANCH
NE 68852
sale reports, show reports and calendar of events items to media@redangus.org to be included in the next American Red Angus Magazine.
SERAA
Southeast Red Angus Association www.seraa.org
Officers
Lowell Morgan - President - 912-754-1445 - morganredangus@windstream.net
Registered Red Angus 2699 New Highway 7 Santa Fe, TN 38482 (931) 682-2658 • (931) 682-3436 FAX beattyfm@bellsouth.net Carl Hollinsworth, Herd Manager (615) 758-7437
McLean Red Angus Jim & Alynda McLean 206 Morningside Drive Alma, GA 31510 (912) 632-7985 • (770) 595-3542 mcleanredangus@aol.com -Registered Red Angus since 1970 -
1408 Co. Rd. 35 Horton, AL 35980
Breeding Red Angus since 1965!
Henry, Jane, Jim, Kathy, Tim, James Ray & Natalie (205) 466-7612 • Tim Cell (205) 446-5090 tim@whitleyredangus.com
TYLERTOWN, MS RockingKRedAngus.com Contact Steve at 225.603.8220 or steve@rockingkredangus.com
788 Red Belt Rd. • Chickamauga, GA 30707 Randy Garner 423.421.9884 Christa Garner 423.595.2029 RedBeltRedAngus@yahoo.com
