BECKTON’S 78th Anniversary BULL and HEIFER SALE
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
Selling 300 Red Angus
250 Bulls and 50 Heifers
1:00 pm at our ranch 10 miles west of Sheridan
Delivered free anywhere in the continental U.S. Video of sale animals will be available on our website. Direct line telephone bidding will be available.
Magazine
Official Publication of the Red Angus Association of America
Volume 59, Number 3
18335 E 103rd Avenue, Suite 202 Commerce City, CO 80022
(940) 387-3502 • Fax (888) 829-6069 RedAngus.org
Publisher/Advertising Director Tracey Koester (701) 391-5440 • tracey@redangus.org
Editor Brandi Buzzard Frobose (785) 448-0239 • brandi@redangus.org
Subscriptions and Circulation Halla Pfeiff (940) 387-3502, Ext 10 • email: halla@redangus.org
Affiliated with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Beef Improvement Federation U.S. Beef Breed’s Council National Pedigreed Livestock Council
GENERAL INFORMATION
Published 10 times annually by the Red Angus Association of America at the national headquarters (18335 E. 103rd Ave., 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 Jefferson City, Missouri. 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.
All unused reserved advertising space that is not canceled by the advertising deadline will be billed to the advertiser.
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Breeder Directory
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2 1/8” Deep $445 per
Board of Directors
PRESIDENT
Steve Koester | Steele, North Dakota koesterredangus@gmail.com
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
AREA 4 DIRECTOR - SOUTHWEST
Tony Ballinger | Morgan Mills, Texas anthony.ballinger@adm.com
SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
REGION C DIRECTOR
Jeff Pettit | Sebree, Kentucky jeff@diamondpcattle.com
AREA 2 DIRECTOR - MONTANA
BOARD SECRETARY
Kay Klompien | Manhattan, Montana klmpnra@gmail.com
REGION A DIRECTOR
Chuck Feddes | Manhattan, Montana feddesredangus@gmail.com
REGION B DIRECTOR
Craig Bieber | Leola, South Dakota craig@bieberredangus.com
AREA 1 DIRECTOR - WEST
George Murdock | Pendleton, Oregon murdockcattle@gmail.com
AREA 3 DIRECTOR - ROCKY MOUNTAIN
Aaron Kravig | Karval, Colorado akravig@kravigredangus.com
AREA 5 DIRECTOR - NORTHERN PLAINS
Stephanie Jung | Mina, South Dakota lazyjbarranch@yahoo.com
AREA 6 DIRECTOR - GREAT PLAINS
Jason Anderson | Oberlin, Kansas jasonea9@hotmail.com
AREA 7 DIRECTOR - NORTHEAST
Rob Hess | Hershey, Pennsylvania hessfarm@verizon.net
AREA 8 DIRECTOR - SOUTHEAST
Jim Yance | Columbia, Alabama jim@jyjredangus.com
AREA 9 DIRECTOR - MIDWEST
Stuart Gilbert | Stockport, Iowa redcowrelocators@gmail.com
Board Commentary
Knowing Beef Can Be as Important as Knowing Cattle
by Rob Hess, Area 7 DirectorAn aspect of the beef industry that cattle producers can overlook is knowledge of beef and the multitude of cuts that make beef such a versatile protein. What part of the animal does each cut come from? What is the approximate yield per animal? How can specific cuts be used? Knowledge of these topics has provided an advantage on our operation and will benefit anyone who considers direct marketing beef, or discusses beef with consumers or chefs. Cattle producers have a unique opportunity to be a part of beef promotion, not just beef production.
In our farm store we’re asked which cuts are lean or well-marbled, which are bone-in or bone-out, and what’s the best way to prepare certain cuts. These are questions you need to be prepared to answer, but first you may have to convince the consumer that beef is the right choice. You know your cattle and your ranch, you know the care you put into every animal, but are you comfortable discussing the benefits of consuming beef?
There are more than 36 different cuts designated as lean by the American Heart Association. That information alone may make a difference in whether or not some consumers choose beef. One 3-oz. serving of lean beef provides more than 10 essential nutrients including high-quality protein, iron, zinc and vitamins B12 and B6, all for about 150 calories. Does your customer know that?
When it comes to direct marketing, there’s several areas where increased knowledge of beef cuts can benefit producers. Knowing who your customer is and how you sell your beef will determine how important each variable is to your business. But one thing is for sure, when it comes to direct marketing beef, the burden is on you to market every part of the animal. This sounds obvious, but without the knowledge to properly represent your product, direct marketing an entire carcass is difficult.
Consumers want to eat more beef but are not confident in their preparation skills and fear they’ll ruin an expensive cut of meat, and some beef cuts will be too
Board
Likewise, a large percentage of our business is through food service. When selling to restaurants or institutions, it is essential to accurately estimate the quantity of cuts you can supply and that it fits their expectations. It is also important to be able to suggest different uses for individual cuts or primals to restaurants. If you’re like me, you might be stuck with a bunch of round unless you suggest a braised beef taco!
There are a number of ways to in-
crease your knowledge of beef, but a helpful resource is the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. website (beefitswhatsfordinner.com). This website can not only help you think about how to market certain cuts but can also assist you in understanding cut profiles and give advice to consumers regarding cooking instructions and recipe suggestions.
Commentary: Knowing Beef Can Be as Important as Knowing Cattle expensive for them. With knowledge, you can direct them to less-expensive steak cuts like flat iron or ranch that also provide a great eating experience. Premium steak cuts are easy to sell, but it will be necessary to expand your customers’ knowledge and educate them on lesser known options. Every week we talk people through preparation methods and point them toward additional resources.
Another resource that has increased our knowledge and helped us better market our beef has been our state’s land grant university. Here in Pennsylvania, The Pennsylvania State University offers a beef short course where we’ve learned how to assess steers on the rail, grade and breakdown a carcass, and price our product. This course really helped us better represent beef and increase credibility with our customers.
Lastly, having better knowledge of beef cuts can be the deciding factor in
getting more animals processed. We know it can be difficult to get animals scheduled at a processor. If you do get a space, don’t create more work for your butcher. How you interact with the processor can be the cause of some of the bottlenecks processors have to cope with. One way to set yourself apart would be to submit cutting instructions yourself, if possible.
If your customers purchasing shares have no idea how much of each cut they can get, or even what part of the animal it comes from, it can be very time consuming for your butcher to relay that information. Facilitate this process by making sure your customers are educated and ready to make those decisions before contacting the butcher.
Give your butcher every reason to want to process more beef for you rather than another producer’s whose cattle take up more of their time! //
1A BD: 8-17-21
LOT 31 – KOESTER INSIGHT 192 (#4604655)
HERDSIRE PROSPECT! You won’t sacrifice growth and carcass with your first-calf heifers with this guy. He’s a female maker with high performance and is a true HerdBuilder from a long lineage of ranch-favorite females.
By Design ...
Our fall-calving program is by design. Our cattle are bred, born and raised to excel in conditions opposite of most production seasons. They are tough, resilient and prolific. Sure, calving in August might be easier than March, however maternal and actual performance in the winter are antagonistic to nature and we identify and eliminate those unworthy of staying in our herd.
Conformation, muscle, foot structure, disposition, performance and maternal strengths are backed by breed-leading EPDs for growth and carcass. At the end of the day, our customers need cows that do their job, payweight at weaning and carcass traits that build a reputation with their feeders.
We are raising beef ... by design.
1A
BD: 8-19-21
LOT 50 – KOESTER DRIVER 1105 (#4604355)
HERDSIRE PROSPECT! Retain every daughter from this powerful dark, cherry-red Drive Time son! He ranks in the top 5% for ProS & HB with incredible CW & REA. His maternal line is a ranch favorite with many females in our herd.
BD: 8-11-21
LOT 38 – KOESTER STOCKMARKET 136 (#4604553)
A Stockmarket x Domain heifer-bull deluxe! He boasts top rankings in ProS, HB and GM while ratioing high for both WW and YW. His young dam has a perfect udder and we look forward to her impact on our herd.
BD: 8-15-21
LOT 119 – KOESTER MEGATRON 182 (#4604635)
Thick and deep, with a top 2% ProS and 1% HB ranking, this bull will sire daughters you love and steers that will make you smile on shipping day. His long line of females are the epitome of good disposition and stayability.
Selling 60 age-advantaged bulls in conjunction with
Leland Red Angus
Friday, March 10, 2023
1 p.m. MT • At the Ranch • Sidney, MT
185 Bulls • 50 Heifers
BD: 9-9-21
LOT 41 – KOESTER INSIGHT 1135 (#4604421)
Super-balanced EPDs across the board that excel in every trait category! His beautiful dam has a picture-perfect udder and disposition that he will pass along to his daughters. He catches your eye in the bull pen and impresses visitors.
Progeny sell from ...
Lorenzen Warrant 8273
BD: 8-11-21
LOT 37 – KOESTER WARRANT 115 (#4604451)
This Warrant x Merlin is a powerhouse with expressive muscling, length and dimension. He ranks in the top 4% for GM backed by impressive performance and carcass traits. He’s easily a standout and in the pen and on paper!
• Lorenzen Insight 9917
Bieber CL Stockmarket E119
Leland Full House 7465
• VGW Megatron 403P
• LARR Drive Time 9542
Request a catalog:
Steve & Tracey Koester
Steele, ND
(701) 400-1611 cell
KoesterRedAngus.com
koester@bektel.com
RAAA National Office
18335 E. 103rd Ave., Suite 202
Commerce City, CO 80022
(940) 387-3502 | FAX (888) 829-6069
Email: info@redangus.org
RedAngus.org
RAAA National Staff
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Tom Brink
Ext. 4 | tombrink@redangus.org
DIRECTOR OF BREED IMPROVEMENT
Ryan Boldt
Ext. 12 | ryan@redangus.org
BEEF CATTLE GENETICIST
Lindsay Upperman, Ph.D.
Ext. 29 | lindsay@redangus.org
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
Halla Pfeiff
Ext. 10 | halla@redangus.org
REDSPRO & REGISTRY SPECIALIST
Kaitlyn Fulmer
Ext. 6 | kaitlyn@redangus.org
REDSPRO & REGISTRY SPECIALIST
Stephanie Johnson
Ext. 26 | stephanie@redangus.org
MEMBER SERVICES & DNA SPECIALIST
Ryan Starkey
Ext. 5 | ryanstarkey@redangus.org
DNA DATA PROGRAMS COORDINATOR
Alana Skelton
Ext. 14 | alana@redangus.org
DNA CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST
Kai Miranda
Ext. 24 | kai@redangus.org
DATABASE AND REGISTRATION CONSULTANT
Kenda Ponder Ext. 15 | kenda@redangus.org
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION & JUNIOR PROGRAMS
Kim Heller, Ph.D.
(515) 851-2019 | juniors@redangus.org
PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Tracey Koester
(701) 391-5440 | tracey@redangus.org
EDITOR & DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Brandi Buzzard Frobose
(785) 448-0239 | brandi@redangus.org
COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST
Lisa Bryant
(405) 766-8942 | lisa@redangus.org
SHOW SPECIALIST
Erin Dorsey
(970) 396-5420 | erin@redangus.org
ACCOUNTING DIRECTOR
Janet Russell Ext. 11 | janet@redangus.org
Association Commentary
When Genetics Matter in the Feeder Cattle Market
by Tom Brink, RAAA Chief Executive OfficerWhat will happen when the U.S. feeder cattle market transitions away from hide color and begins to emphasize genetics in the price-discovery process? In other words, how will the beef industry change when groups of feeder cattle and calves are valued according to their genetic merit for downstream performance and carcass traits?
1. The commercial market will become more rational in assigning value. Feeder cattle with verified superior genetics for growth and carcass traits will bring a higher price. Feeder cattle with weaker or non-verified genetics will bring lower prices. Thus, stronger economic signals will be sent to cow-calf producers to eliminate low-end genetics that hold the industry back today. The same impact will be felt in the replacement female market too, as maternal genetic merit receives greater emphasis.
2. Faster improvement.
With stronger economic signals to breed better commercial cattle, the U.S. cattle population will shift more rapidly in the direction of higher quality and greater value. Better genetics make the financial pie bigger for everyone. This change will benefit all segments of the beef supply chain, while continuing to provide consumers with a high-quality product. The beef industry will become more competitive, efficient and sustainable as a result.
3. Cattle feeders, stockers and backgrounders will experience improved predictability in the feeder cattle and calves they purchase. Genetic knowledge will improve performance and breakeven predictions because genetics determine approximately one-third of growth and carcass outcomes.
4. Genetic tools will become more important.
With commercial cow-calf producers being paid for superior genetics like never before, the value and importance of genetic evaluations conducted by breed associations will take on greater importance. More traits will be quantified and data collection and submission by seedstock producers will increase, further strengthening EPD calculations.
Commercial Marketing Team and Value-Added Programs staff is on page 20
Calving Ease Leaders with Much More
ENERGIZE YOUR HERD
■ Go-To bull for dynamic phenotype, structure and EPD profile across the board
■ Blends the growth curve with added CE and exceptional carcass value
■ Maternal strength backed by the Bieber Adelle cow family, his grandam Adelle 297Y is in the Bieber donor pen
■ Loads of body and dimension, you really like how bold sprung and soft made he is, and you will love his feet and overall structure
■ The more progeny he produces, the more famous and sought after this bull gets…EXPECT SUPPLIES TO BE VERY LIMITED!
FINISHED PRODUCT
BUILDING A MATERNAL PRODUCT
■ Total outcross pedigree that combines three legendary Angus sires who were made famous for their ability to make fantastic females with impeccable udders, great femininity and exceptional dispositions
■ His famous great grandam Amy B121 comes from the same cow family that you will find in the impressive female maker FUSION’s pedigree
■ Proven calving ease with exceptional maternal traits and a top 3% Herd Builder Index
■ He is attractive patterned, dark cherry red, big soft bodied and sound as a cat
■ If your in the business to make stylish attractive momma cows, look no further, the maternal ability of this sire runs multiple generations deep
Daughter - 3C Emilee 2087, Tyler ‘TJ’ Brown, MT5. Artificial insemination and genomic testing will grow rapidly.
Utilization of such technologies to make genetic progress in the commercial cattle sector will rise while generating a higher producer ROI for the time and money spent. Businesses that supply these tools to the industry will experience a rapid increase in revenue, profitability and influence.
6. Genetics will become a hot topic of conversation around the industry.
Interest in genetic improvement among commercial producers in all segments will skyrocket. Educational discussions will proliferate as genetic knowledge is sought like never before. Producers will move up the learning curve rapidly because they are incentivized to do so.
7. Investment in genetic research will grow many times over. Increased interest in genetic progress will lead to more industry investment in genetic research of all types. The rate of progress in creating new genetic tools and improving those currently available will accelerate as a result.
8. The beneficial use of crossbreeding will increase. Because cow-calf producers will become better educated on genetics topics, including the positive effects of hybrid vigor, more ranchers will decide to engage in various types
of crossbreeding, benefitting themselves as well as those further down the supply chain.
9. The entire beef industry will become more prosperous. Better genetics will produce more satisfied consumers, resulting in growing beef demand and increased industry revenue. Added profitability will allow producers to re-invest in their businesses at a higher level creating a positive cycle of growing revenue, additional investment, faster improvement and satisfied consumers, followed by better beef demand and still more revenue growth.
When all these benefits are duly considered, it is abundantly clear that genetic merit pricing in the feeder cattle and replacement female market can not get here soon enough. //
dam is a full sibling to the dam of Lot 2. This Red Rock son should leave really good daughters along with his calving ease, maternal and carcass traits. He also has above-average growth.
This medium-framed Reputation son knocks it out of the park on ratios. His dam is an easy-fleshing Blockana that is backed by a long line of donor cows with great feet and udders.
look at 2251. Dam is the MGD to lot 18, 2216.
Create Your Profitable Future with Montana Red Angus Genetics!
2023 Production Sales
March 1.................... Lost Creek Red Angus (Private Treaty), Molt, MT
March 3 Sutherlin Red Angus, Stevensville, MT
March 4.................... Redland Red Angus, Hysham, MT
March 7.................... Sandhill Red Angus, Sidney, MT
March 8.................... Heart River Red Angus, Belfield, ND
March 9.................... Fritz Red Angus, Brady, MT
March 10 Leland Red Angus, Sidney, MT
March 11.................. Lucht Red Angus, Bozeman, MT
March 13 Feddes/C-T Red Angus, Manhattan, MT
March 14.................. Loosli Red Angus, Ashton, ID
March 15 Klompien Red Angus & CK Red Angus, Manhattan, MT
March 17.................. Laubach Red Angus, Big Timber, MT
March 18 Milk Creek Reds, Plevna, MT
March 21.................. Green Mountain Red Angus, Logan, MT
March 22 Westphal Red Angus, Grass Range, MT
March 23.................. Martin Red Angus, Glasgow, MT
March 25 Fischer Red Angus, Harlowton, MT
March 30.................. Gibbs Red Angus, Glasgow, MT
March 30.................. Northern Lites, Glasgow, MT
April 1 Spear J Red Angus, Jordan, MT
April 14 .................... 5L Red Angus, Sheridan, MT
May 11 Koenig Red Angus, Glasgow, MT
Dec. 1 ...................... Angelo Cattle Co. (Private Treaty), Drummond, MT
Dec. 6 Big Sky Elite Female Sale, Logan, MT
Dec. 15 .................... 5L Red Angus, Sheridan, MT
Count your dollars with growth, carcass and maternal leaders
Anchored by the world famous Stony cow family, Collateral has the makings of a next level calving ease sire.
This deep bodied, powerfully constructed sire is dark cherry red, good footed and has a herd sire presence about him.
This exciting son of Collusion takes maternal up a notch by adding the famous prepotent genetics of the Stony cow family, as well as some of the breed’s most powerful matrons, A302, Y11 and 8105.
Red Angus Commercial Marketing Team and Value-Added Programs
DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIAL MARKETING
Harold Bertz (816) 661-2289 | harold@redangus.org
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FIELD SERVICES
Katie Martin Ext. 16 | katieochsner@redangus.org
COMMERCIAL MARKETING SPECIALIST
Nolan Woodruff (805) 861-0996 | nolan@redangus.org
COMMERCIAL MARKETING SPECIALIST
Rachael Oliver (406) 480-1569 | rachael@redangus.org
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF VALUE-ADDED PROGRAMS
Chessie Mitchell
Ext. 20 | chessie@redangus.org
VALUE-ADDED PROGRAMS SPECIALIST
Jeananne Drouhard
Ext. 18 | jeananne@redangus.org
Weekly Email Marketing Service of Feeder and Finished Cattle
The Red Angus show list informs feedyard managers, order buyers and other interested parties of Red Angus-influenced cattle. Producers can market feeder or finished cattle through this free service when selling through a sale barn, video auction or private treaty. The weekly show list is emailed to potential buyers through the Red Angus FeederFax email service. To upload information about cattle or to view cattle available, visit RedAngus.org/showlist.
To receive the weekly FeederFax marketing service that will highlight that week’s show list, please email tags@redangus.org.
Marketing Update
A Protocol for the Industry
by Harold Bertz, Director of Commercial MarketingAt the writing of this article, I am preparing to give a presentation about the importance of heifer development and how a protocol can be beneficial for the entire industry. The Red Choice program, released by Red Angus last year, is a partnership with the University of Missouri and follows the protocol outlined in its highly successful Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program. As we gear up for spring breeding, I encourage producers to study the merits of this groundbreaking program.
Living in Missouri my entire life, I have been able to follow the development, growth and expansion of the Show-Me-Select program over the past 25 years. I have isolated three primary benefits from having a set heifer development protocol and how it changed the cattle industry in Missouri. We at Red Angus feel that producers utilizing the Red Choice program stand to benefit from the program in much the same way.
Better Genetics and Increased Use of Artificial Insemination
More than 90% of heifers enrolled in Show-Me-Select receive at least one AI service. With close to 1,000 ranches enrolled, this is a significant number of cattle resulting from the improved genetics of AI. This not only affects the female population, but the resulting steers. Once a low-valued commodity in Missouri, steers have become popular with feeders and backgrounders commanding prices reflecting their extra genetic merit.
With the addition of Tier II Show-Me-Select, heifers enrolling in the program must have sires that meet minimum EPD accuracies in both Calving Ease Direct and Maternal, Weaning Weight, Carcass Weight and Marbling
The genetic progress possible for producers using these tools is exponential as more than 75% of the heifers enrolled in Missouri are retained within the herds that enroll in the program. Verifying two generations of genetic progress, Tier II heifers continue to gain value.
Focus on the Science of Heifer Development
Producers enrolling in Show-Me-Select commit to a vaccination program that begins no later than weaning. Most producers choose to vaccinate both steers and heifers adding value to the entire calf crop.
Heifers are exposed to a rigorous pre-breeding exam that allows producers to find immature females and potential problems prior to exposing them to the expense of a timed breeding system. Pregnancy exams have increased the use of ultrasound, and many are fetal sexed early in the pregnancy. These tools add value to the calf crop and give producers hands-on experience with the science of heifer development.
Build a Better Business Plan
With a standard protocol and documented value added to these females, producers have two options: develop more heifers with the opportunity to sell or develop no females with the opportunity to buy.
Marketing Update: A Protocol for the Industry
Early on in our cattle enterprise, my wife, Melisa, and I chose to develop extra heifers for the potential of extra cash flow in our operation. This proved to be extremely valuable for us as a profit center.
As we get older and look for ways to reduce labor, not developing heifers, running more cows and buying all of our replacements through a Show-MeSelect heifer sale looks appealing. We are able to choose the breed or breed composition of the females, sires they are bred to, exact calving date and sex of the calf crop. Producers have the opportunity to reevaluate their business plan and streamline it for greater profit.
These benefits provide a compelling template for incorporating the Red Choice program into your ranch operation. The goals of Red Choice are to improve heifer development, increase marketing opportunities
for Red Angus-influenced cattle and create a reliable source of high-quality, high-information heifers. Red Choice gives producers a simple, true heifer development protocol usable for the entire industry.
For more information, guidelines and timeline visit redangus.org/marketing/marketingservices/#red-choice or contact a member of the commercial marketing team. //
Heifer Exposure – A Hidden Piece of Gold
by Kaitlyn Fulmer, REDSPro and Registry SpecialistTotal Herd Reporting allows the RAAA to provide you and your customers with the most unbiased and reliable EPDs in the industry. It also allows for the calculation of reproductive EPDs –Calving Ease Direct, Heifer Pregnancy, Calving Ease Maternal and Stayability.
Fall Heifer Exposure is requested in February each year, and Spring Heifer Exposure is requested in August. The recommended deadline for Fall Heifer Exposure is in April, and for Spring Heifer Exposure it is in November.
You can still submit your heifer exposure after this with no penalty, however, this deadline is important to stay on track with your data submission throughout the year.
What Does This Report Do?
The Heifer Pregnancy EPD is used to predict the differences in the pregnancy rate of a bull’s daughters that are exposed and expected to calve as 2-year-olds. Heifer Pregnancy is as heritable as most growth traits such as Weaning Weight and Yearling Weight. This Heifer Exposure Inventory and following THR inventories provide the RAAA with the information necessary to produce the Heifer Pregnancy EPD which producers can use to increase the fertility in their cow herd.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
Spring No Progeny Requested ............................................
Fall THR – 4th Installment Billed ........................................
Fall Birth and Weaning Data Requested ..............................
Remember:
March 8
March 10
March 15
Transfers after 60 days do incur late transfer fees. Submit your transfers as soon as possible to avoid additional charges.
How Can I Complete This Report?
To complete this report in REDSPro, go to Data Entry > Online. In the Manual Job tab, title your job.
These groups will be titled “Fall Heifer Exposure_20XX” or “Spring Heifer Exposure_20XX.” Select Heifer Exposure Report as the job type and select the proper group for the heifers you are reporting exposure on.
Start the new job to open the spreadsheet. Fill in the exposure dates (“Start Dt” and “End Dt”) for all exposed heifers.
A management group code should be used in the “Cont. Group” column to distinguish breeding or herd management groups. Code should be designated as numerical one or two
digits, no letters. Heifers that are only pasture bred (i.e. no AI) should be designated into different management groups if they are in different breeding pastures. Heifers that are AIed in the same management group, but put into different cleanup bull pastures, do not need to be designated.
Label all exposed females as “Yes” for the “Exposed” column and any not exposed as “No.”
Use the “Disposal” code column to remove any heifers from your inventory that will not be transferred.
Once all of the necessary information is entered, click Submit Data > Proceed to Billing > Final Submit for your data to go into the BOLT EPD evaluation. //
Always Changing
by Lindsay Upperman, Ph.D., Director of Breed ImprovementThere’s a saying by John C. Maxwell that states, “Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.”
However, when the changes aren’t necessarily expected or wanted, the ability to grow can be challenging, at best. There is no exception when genetics come into the picture. Especially around bull sale season, the questions start picking up about EPDs changing and why it occurs.
Why Do EPDs Change?
In last month’s Red Angus Magazine breed improvement article, there was discussion of how genes are passed from parents to offspring and how additional information is then incorporated into the EPDs. Remember, an EPD is an estimate based on information such as an animal’s actual performance, progeny or other relative’s performance, and genomic data.
After genomic data is submitted on the animal, the EPDs are then referred to as GE-EPDs or genomically enhanced EPDs. Essentially, if EPDs are changing, this means that data has been recently submitted from one of the sources discussed above and utilized to calculate the updated EPDs. As data is submitted, the EPDs may increase, decrease or stay the same – this all depends on the data. Additionally, the data will also result in an increase in the EPD accuracy.
What is Accuracy?
Accuracy is a measure of the reliability of the calculated EPD and reflects the amount of information that is utilized in the calculation. Another way of looking at accuracy is the relationship between the calculated EPD and the true genetic merit of the given animal.
Accuracy values range from 0 to 1.0, with a larger value (closer to 1.0) meaning more information has been submitted. Along with accuracy, a measure of the average amount that an EPD could change over time is called Possible Change, which is depicted in Table 1.
From Table 1, with an accuracy of 0.6, the possible change is + 6.5 units for WW EPD. So, for example, with a WW EPD of 64 about two-thirds of individuals are expected to have a true progeny difference between 57.5 and 70.5 (64 + 6.5). Notice that as the accuracy increases, the possible change range decreases. Thus, at 0.9 accuracy, there is only a + 1.6, which is very little change. However, an accuracy this high is only possible for animals with hundreds of progeny records.
An accuracy value tends to go hand in hand with the amount of confidence a producer will associate with their animals’ EPDs. For example, a producer may associate a lack of confidence with a younger animal’s EPDs, as they tend to have fewer progeny records or even less performance data collected – think of traits such as yearling weight, carcass records or even heifer pregnancy.
The opposite may be true for an older animal as it has had the chance to have multiple progeny records be collected, especially an older bull or AI sire with his daughters’ records being collected for traits such as Stayability. However, time is of the essence, so how does a producer have more confidence in a younger bull?
Sires Represented:
Always Changing
In regard to all the available sources of information, genomic testing is the quickest way to increase accuracy and get closer to an animal’s true genetic value as a parent, especially when considering the amount of time involved. For instance, it takes four to six weeks to run a DNA test compared to collecting data on progeny which can take at least two years, depending on the trait.
One way to consider the information or knowledge gained from genomics is to find the equivalent number of progeny records that an animal would need to see a similar increase in accuracy.
In Table 2, a genomic test is equivalent to adding more than 25 calves for calving ease, 15 records for Stayability or even 10 carcass records for Marbling.
Ultimately, change is always occurring in regards to EPDs. These changes are due to information being submitted through the various sources described in Table 2.
Furthermore, accuracy and possible change are values to help account for the amount of information and the reliability of the EPD, as well as a measure of the average change one would expect an EPD might change.
So, if change is inevitable, let’s hope that your animals’ EPDs grow (in the right direction)! //
“Genomic testing is the quickest way to increase accuracy and get closer to an animal’s true genetic value as a parent.”
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Attending Bull Sales Should Be a High Priority for JRA Members
by Cameron Ison, JRA BoardBy attending annual bull sales, JRA members can develop valuable relationships and learn the marketing skills necessary to promote and market their own Red Angus herds.
As cattlemen, our programs will not be financially feasible if we simply collect the genetics produced by other breeders.
Sustainable success in the beef cattle industry requires that we employ good customer service techniques as we develop our customer base, that we know how to feed the cattle so that they are presented appropriately to meet the needs of our customers, and that there is cohesion between the digital and infrastructural components of hosting our own sale.
Instead of reinventing the wheel when it comes time to have their own sale, JRA members can learn from the experiences of established Red Angus breeders.
Engage with JRA!
Many JRA members have benefited from the mentoring of a single Red Angus breeder who was willing to sacrifice time, energy and dollars to help them establish their own herd. Be thankful for that person or group willing to help you learn the necessary skills and gain the critical assets for future success.
However, it will prove most valuable if junior members visit multiple bull sales hosted by different Red Angus breeders.
When attending different bull sales this spring, consider how various breeders interact with their crowd on sale day. If you invest the time and resources needed to attend the sale, pay close attention to the facilities used by different breeders. How were their breeding programs different? Did they emphasize EPDs? How did they park cars and trucks with trailers? How did they handle the mud resulting from winter and spring rains? What did they serve for lunch?
Emma Ahrendsen, Iowa • jraemma@gmail.com
Peri Andras, Illinois • jraperi17@gmail.com
Leah Evans, Iowa • jraleah1@gmail.com
Natalie Evans, Illinois • jranatalie@gmail.com
Cameron Ison, Kentucky • jracameron1@gmail.com
Mitchell VanderWal, South Dakota • jramitchell1@gmail.com
Kim Heller, Junior Program Coordinator • juniors@redangus.org
Enjoy attending the sales, interacting with the crowd and asking questions. The host of the sale will not likely have time on sale day to answer many of your questions.
However, standing around the sale barn will be many cattle breeders just waiting for the sale to start. Those individuals have valuable experiences that you can learn from as well.
Digital auction formats are proving valuable for connecting buyers with purebred cattle sales. Cynthia O’Bryan from DVAuction notes that she has been able to sell cattle to, “Parents attending a soccer game, driving their kids to a birthday party, and farmers sitting on a combine.”
If a JRA member is going to watch an online sale, it is advisable for them to visit with those hosting the sale before sale day and to follow up after the sale is over. Print out the catalog or request a copy by mail and then send in your questions.
Website: redangus.org/jra
Facebook: juniorredangus
Instagram: juniorredangus
Snapchat: juniorredangus
Make a Statement
PRIME PLUS
For current EPDs, progeny photos and more visit Bull Search at absbeef.com or scan the QR code. 1.800.ABS.STUD
BREED CHANGING QUALITY, KING OF MARBLING
■ Raising the bar on the highest Prime Quality Grade
– Highest Marbling Animal in the Red Angus Database
■ PRIME PLUS is such an outlier that he will move breed average into the top 1% of the breed for marbling in one generation
■ Displays the look and physique of a true beef bull
- Big bodied, bold sprung, shows base width and abundant muscle expression
■ Ranks in the top 2% for both of the Leachman $Profit and $Ranch indexes, maker of awesome daughters and profitable feeder cattle
MOVE YOUR HERD FORWARD WITH PROPULSION
■ Standout from both a data and phenotype perspective, attractive cattle that will smash the scales
■ Big time performance with style and length to burn
- You will love the muscle, shape and phenotype he brings to the table
■ Dam is a long sided female with a 108 MPPA
■ One of the top young performance bulls in the breed today, expect his progeny to offer an excellent combination of growth and muscle shape
■ A sire that won’t disappoint from a natural thickness and complete package standpoint, you will notice his calves hit the scale at weaning time
Attending Bull Sales Should Be a High Priority for JRA Members
Watching bull sales online will allow you to learn from cattle operations in different parts of the country, with varying types of cattle, and who are serving the needs of highly diverse bull-buying customers.
Utilize both in-person sales and online digital sales to maximize your learning opportunity.
Three things JRA members should remember when attending a bull sale:
1. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself and talk to other Red Angus breeders attending the sale. Relationships built with other producers will be valuable to your future success.
2. Pay close attention to how the breeders hosting the sale interact with their customers. Do they care about their customers? Do they offer anything for JRA members? Are the cattle presented with integrity?
3. Take your time walking through the pens of cattle and evaluating the information in the sale catalog. There is no rush. You may not be there to buy a bull, but the lessons learned may prove valuable to your future success.
The most important thing about attending a bull sale in person is the opportunity to build relationships with other breeders. I attend a bull sale in Illinois each year. Over the years, I have developed friendships with fellow producers in seven states.
In 2022, I purchased cattle from Danny Osborn and Jed Dixon from Alabama. In the summer of 2023, I will complete an internship with Steven and Jamie Rogers at Show-Me Genetics in Strafford, Missouri. These opportunities were made possible through relationships built by sitting alongside other bidders at that bull sale in Illinois.
Save the Dates:
May 1 –
JRA Board of Director Applications Due
July 11-16 –
Junior Red Angus Round-Up, Florida
Many Red Angus breeders have incorporated educational opportunities into their bull sale offerings and JRA member incentives for purchasing animals in their sale. You may not be ready to purchase a bull. However, by attending bull sales near you or watching sales from across the country online, you will learn important lessons and build valuable relationships that will prove beneficial when selling your own cattle in the future.
Remember this: At almost all cattle sales, there will be a great lunch offered just before the sale. Enjoy an excellent free lunch in the name of research. //
April 8th 2023
3rd Annual Bull and Female Sale
At the Ranch - Hayes, SD
Selling 75 Yearling Bulls
Featuring:
20 sons of COMPLETE 7000E
17 sons of CAPTAIN 057
15 sons of QUARTERBACK 789
Other featured sires include - BIEBER CL STOCKMARKET E119, RED MRLA AMBITION 92H, JEFFRIES ROLLIN ON 43G and EGL GUIDANCE 9117
Check
Ranching Today With the Next 150 Years Top of Mind
by TeresLambert, for the Red Angus Magazine Alec Oliver’s family has been ranching in the same area in eastern Oregon’s Bear Valley since the 1880s. When the ranch’s cattle are branded with “A2” each spring, the brand they wear carries history as well, as the brand was first registered and acknowledged in 1878.
Pride in that history – coupled with a deep desire to keep the ranch moving forward and making it sustainable for generations to come – keeps Oliver motivated, innovative and dedicated.
“Same soil for five generations and hopefully for more generations to come,” Oliver said.
The family ranch, J.C. Oliver Inc., is a mountain valley ranch consisting of everything from meadows to sagebrush range to timberland located near the Strawberry Mountains. Bordered by forest allotments on the Malheur National Forest helps make one big continuous area, cattle can be moved by horseback and side-by-sides – no truck hauling required.
The Oliver’s closest town is the tiny ranching community of Seneca. In addition to having the coldest average temperature in the United States, Seneca holds the record for the coldest day in the state: 54 degrees below zero in 1933. Area ranchers are familiar with temperature extremes. For example, in July 2013, the morning started at 30 degrees Fahrenheit and jumped to a high of 96 degrees Fahrenheit.
While cooler, dry summers are the rule, winters average 59 inches of snow.
Transitions
For years, the J.C. Oliver Inc. ranch was a commercial cowcalf, die-hard Hereford operation. When Oliver’s father shattered his pelvis in 2001 and worried he couldn’t continue to work on the ranch at the same level, the family transitioned.
Oliver’s cattle are on a year-round grazing program. A majority of calves are marketed via Country Natural Beef, a cooperative 100% owned by the rancher-members.
Aligned with the philosophy of Country Natural Beef, Oliver works with Mother Nature to manage every part of the ranch synergistically.Ranching Today With the Next 150 Years Top of Mind
They sold off their Hereford herd and began grazing their pastures with outside cattle part of the year.
The family transitioned again in 2011 when Oliver graduated from the University of Idaho with a degree in animal science and agribusiness and returned to the family ranch. With the family’s blessing, he set out to rebuild their herd.
But this time, the family ranch’s cow-calf operation didn’t go strictly Hereford.
“I wanted us to capture heterosis, so we added Red Angus,” Oliver stated. “I really like the Red Angus-Hereford combination for our environment and management.”
In 2017, fifth-generation rancher Oliver assumed full management of his family’s ranch after his dad passed.
Oliver is quick to point out that he “manages” the ranch and relies on others to carry out the day-to-day operations of the ranch. The “others” include ranch foreman Jake, who he calls “well-rounded,” two additional employees and Oliver’s mother, Tinka. A couple of guys fill in as needed, with some of those “guys” being Oliver’s fiancé Kailee and his sister Kati, who is married to a nearby rancher.
“I’ve learned to delegate,” he explained. “We have a great team.”
When a pickup accident in 2012 left Oliver paralyzed from the sternum down at age 23, he had a saddle modified so he could continue to move cows, rope and take part in ranching activities. A lift installed in the back of his truck maneuvers him on and off a horse.
Delegating traces to both “need to” and “want to” for Oliver, who works as membership director for Country Natural Beef, a cooperative owned by ranchers who sell meat directly to retail stores and food service companies. He is also a paraplegic, which means he needs to hire help for a majority of the physical tasks associated with ranching.
Ranching Today With the Next 150 Years Top of Mind
Red Angus Proved Itself
Red Angus bulls were initially used only on heifers, but that changed when Oliver saw the performance of the resulting offspring.
“Those F1 crosses were always on the top end of quality,” Oliver said. “They just did better. That convinced us to use Red Angus on more than just our heifers.”
Today the cow herd of 700 head is a blend of Red Angus-Hereford, with a bit heavier on the Red Angus. The ranch’s bull battery is about 70 to 30 Red Angus to Hereford.
Year-round grazing is not the norm, needing to supplement feed for five months of the year. The grazing program is basically “take one bite of each grass plant while they’re growing, then bring the cattle back after the plants have matured.”
During the winter, when haying is needed, it is spread throughout the meadows.
“When we are feeding hay, we aren’t just feeding hay to cows,” he elaborated. “Our haying grounds are our most productive hay fields. We try to get our hay spread out across our meadows the best we can. The leftover hay that doesn’t get eaten by the cows – plus the manure and urine
in the
To oversee the ranch efficiently, Oliver has relied on to check females at calving, make certain the cattle have water, look for stragglers and see that gates are shut.
excreted by the cows – provide nutrients back into the soil.”
Oliver likes his cows going into calving season at a body condition score of 5 and 6. Calving season starts mid-March, with 90% of calves arriving within a 45-day window. He credits cow nutrition and the ranch’s mineral program with helping calves being programmed to thrive.
Calves stay at side of their dams until they come off the forest the end of September. At that time, the calves are pre-vaccinated.
The calves then spend a couple more weeks at side of their dams before they are given a second round of vaccinations. The goal is to wean the calves at about 7 months of age.
Saturday, April 15, 2023
Sale Location: JS Ranch • Harris, Missouri
Sale Time: 1 p.m.
Offering includes…
• 45 Red Angus and Percentage Bulls (13-20 months old)
• Registered Open Heifers, Fall Bred Heifers/Cows
• Spring Pairs and Bred Females (registered and commercial)
• 50 Commercial Red Angus heifers ready to breed
A.I. Sires…PIE One Of A Kind 842, RRA One and Only 733, WFL Merlin 018A, H2R Profitbuilder B403, GMRA Tesla 6214, 3SCC Doman 163A, Franchise, Finished Product, Seneca, Brunswick, Profit Maker, Lacy Centrepoint and Aviator 7126.
Rogers Ranch
Nathan Rogers: 660-748-6350
Raymond Rogers: 660-953-1562
JS Ranch
Cody Holt: 660-748-8352
Ranching Today With the Next 150 Years Top of Mind
“We want the calves vaccinated the second time and weaned 45 days before the winter gets bad,” Oliver stated. “We want all the stress over for the calves before winter hits.
“And winter can come early where we live.”
Approximately 80% of the ranch’s heifer calf crop are selected first round as replacements and exposed for 30 days. Of those exposed, about 75% will get bred during that tight window. Those not settling are marketed as beef.
The ranch markets in a couple of different directions. For diversity and cash flow, some steers will be sold via video auction.
“Our video auction offering will be comprised primarily of Red Angus steers, as they typically are best to sell on the open market for what we have,” Oliver explained.
Capturing Value with All-Natural Program
Open heifers and a vast majority of steers are marketed through Country Natural Beef, the cooperative that Oliver works for. The cooperative is 100% owned by the rancher-members, with all profits going directly back to the ranchers. Country Natural Beef, which markets 60,000 head a year, owns the product all the way through, selling beef to retail customers. Per its website, the company “strives to bring urban consumers together with rural ranchers by providing a clean, wholesome beef eating experience for all families that transcend the boundaries of city and country.”
“Country Natural Beef is our most stable market, and we like the fact that we get feedyard performance data and onthe-rail data on our cattle and can even compare our cattle
Spring Red Angus Private Treaty Sale
Ranching Today With the Next 150 Years Top of Mind
to those owned by others in the cooperative,” Oliver stated. “The data on our cattle help us determine our bull selection. With our program the maternal side is important but then so is feedyard gain and carcass performance.”
Oliver points out that another advantage to participating in Country Natural Beef is that “color of an animal doesn’t matter price-wise.”
“We get paid for the full genetic benefit – and not the color – of an animal,” he stated.
To be a part of Country Natural Beef, the Oliver’s cattle must be “all natural” – no antibiotics, no added growth hormones or promotants and be on a 100% vegetarian diet. Cattle must be GAP-certified.
“We believe that going the natural route has made us better managers,” he explained. “Our records show that 95% to 99% of the calves born on the ranch never see an antibiotic during their time on the ranch.”
Cattle from J.C. Oliver Inc. are pooled in the feedyard with other Country Natural Beef cattle from the cooperative’s additional 100-plus ranchers throughout the western states.
Oliver says he and the ranch have gained significantly –monetarily and networking-wise – by being a part of CNB.
“Networking with other ranchers within the cooperative has helped refine practices on our own ranch,” he said. “I learn so much from our rancher-members – animal handling, animal management, grazing plan, etc. I have access to some of the best cowmen and thinkers in the beef business.” //
On December 12th, 2022, the $Profit® System made its largest modification in history.
This unprecedented change was driven by new technology, better data, and changing markets. The primary drivers of the changes were as follows:
Change #1. The system incorporated the Zoetis Cow Fertility EPD into $Ranch® and $Profit®. The Cow Fertility EPD predicts large differences in the calf crop percentage expected from a bull’s daughters!
• The Zoetis Cow Fertility EPD was launched in May of 2021. It included data on over 160,000 dams with over 975,000 calving records. These dams have pedigree links to the entire 1.4 MM animal $Profit database. This includes cowherd data from all of the $Profit Partner herds listed below
• After extensive investigation, we believe that this EPD is the single best predictor of a cow’s lifetime productivity.
• Model analysis demonstrates that the number of calves produced in a cow’s lifetime is DIRECTLY related to that female’s probable annual calf crop percentage weaned.
• Higher Fertility EPD bulls produce daughters that will wean a higher average annual calf crop percentage weaned.
• These calf crop percentage differences drive HUGE differences in profitability
• High Fertility EPD bulls will build cow herds with consistently better breed back, higher calf crop percentage weaned, less culling requirements, and reduced replacement rates.
These modifications have significantly changed the expected $Ranch®, $Feeder®, and $Profit® for animals in the $Profit® System database.
• Selection for $RANCH® will build the most fertile and efficient cows.
• Selection for $FEEDER® will build steers that efficiently gain and reach Prime marbling.
• Selection for $PROFIT® will create the industry’s leading cowherds for fertility, efficiency, marbling, and profitability.
Change #2. The $Feeder® Index was adjusted to place more emphasis on reducing feed costs.
• Feed to Gain is more important than ever in the feedlot. Cattle with inefficient gains cannot efficiently reach higher carcass weights and higher marbling targets.
Change #3. 2022 markets showed a record Choice/Select spread and record Choice/Prime spread that make marbling more valuable than ever!
• In 2022, the difference between the Choice cutout value and the Prime cutout value was just over $55 per cwt. This occurred despite record percentages of cattle grading Prime. On an 850-pound carcass, this is worth a shocking $467 per head.
• Most Prime beef is still sold in the US domestic market. Increasingly, consumers are buying Prime beef in the retail case. The global export market for Prime is relatively un-tapped.
“It’s all working… Our cows bred up 94% and our 2-year-olds bred up 90% – all in a year with 3" less than normal rain. Plus, our calves weaned 30 pounds heavier.
We’ve been using high $Ranch and high Fertility bulls – Our cows are getting better and our calves are improving in the feedlot.”
Shane Cox, Seifert Division Manager IX Ranch, Big Sandy, MTease sire with length, bone and rib expression plus an attractive front end.
Out of the great Rebellas family that produced Major League, Grand Canyon, and LCB Hoss, he is surefire calving ease with huge growth and carcass.
Ringstead Kargo x 6 Mile Full Throttle. He's long-bodied, big-boned, bold-ribbed, deepsided and powerful!
Loaded with growth in a moderate BW package and top
Long and super smooth with outstanding ProS and HB.
New, exciting herd sire at Mid-Continent Farms, KS!
in his first two events of his career at Denver and Houston and has balanced
Proven heifer safe with great bone & look!
The exciting Wildcat Creek & Griswold calving ease herdsire!
The Power Eye x Mulberry son that makes your herd more valuable!
Awesome Doc Holiday son at TC Reds, McMurphy and Webers. Sired high sellers at Ladies in Red Sale!
Exciting RED COCKBURN ASSASSIN son out of Damar Mimi working at Kennedy’s, OK!
A calving-ease stallion with phenotype!
Prolific in design, muscle pattern and overall presence; producer of elite show heifers.
Farm and Ranch Wife Ramblings: Finding Balance in the Busy Seasons of Life
by Macey Mueller for the Red Angus MagazineLike many of our fellow farmers and ranchers, my husband Josh and I often get asked “when do things slow down for you guys?” It’s a question that typically garners a sly chuckle and then a bewildered grimace as we go through our mental to-do list for the approaching season.
For the most part, we are fortunate to set our own schedules, but the truth is, there are very few “slow” times for us.
By trade, I am a freelance writer and Josh is a cattle marketer, but together we are business owners, agricultural producers, animal caretakers, bookkeepers, industry volunteers and most importantly, parents to our four kids. As entrepreneurs, we are admittedly guilty of picking up new ventures without setting anything to the side in our efforts to build upon generations of grind and grit and to continue growing a family business those four kids will (hopefully) aspire to be part of one day.
With a fall-calving commercial cow herd, I’d love to say the winter months pass by with less to do compared to those who have calves hitting the ground after the first of the year, but we somehow stay plenty busy prepping for our weekly cattle auctions and keeping our custom backgrounded cattle fed, watered and healthy. Throw in the holidays, year-end tax preparations and the barrage of ag-related meetings and conventions we both attend from December through March, and it’s easy to see how time moves so quickly, even in the dead of winter.
Farm Living is the Life for Me
Before you think I’m lamenting this arduous life we live, let me tell you how much I love it. I grew up in the cattle business, earned agricultural degrees and even worked for a large agricultural advocacy organization, but there was a time when I was living a big city life in a downtown condo. I couldn’t smell the fresh air, I couldn’t drive the backroads and I couldn’t watch the sun set.
It wasn’t until I started dating my husband – a fourth-generation Kansas farmer and rancher – that I realized how much this lifestyle meant to me. There is absolutely nowhere else I’d choose to put down roots, raise a family and build a business than rural America. It is beautiful and bountiful and in the abbreviated words of Cara Dutton from the television show 1923, “You will be free in a way that most people can barely conceive.”
That quest for freedom, however, requires an unwavering dedication and oftentimes a hefty commitment of time. Thankfully, in our case, it’s time spent doing things we enjoy, and time spent teaching our kids the value of hard work and responsibility.
A major revelation in my tenure as a farm and ranch wife was finally getting a handle on the seasonal activities of our operation – everything from pasture burning, field planting and preg checking to pen cleaning, cattle shipping and bill paying – and understanding where my time and
Finding Balance in the Busy Seasons of Life
energy is best spent. For example, I know when harvest rolls around, we will typically have enough manpower to keep the machines rolling, but not likely without “Macey’s Meals on Wheels, Parts Delivery and Taxi Service” working in the background to keep everyone fed and in the fields. Other times, like at branding or weaning, it’s all hands on deck and I take a more formative role in getting the job done, even if that means strapping our youngest on my back as I administer vaccinations.
When we began having children, it was initially very hard for me to find balance between the daily demands of raising babies and the desperate desire to stay involved in our operation. It was in this season that I took over more of the bookkeeping responsibilities (I’m still not an expert, but I get fewer calls from our accountant each year) and used the opportunity to identify our financial strengths and weaknesses and engage my husband in discussions about the future of our operation. It has been a game-changer in our ability to communicate as we consider potential shifts or improvements and has given me the sense of ownership I need when my day-to-day mom duties keep me from being hands-on outside.
To fully appreciate this personal enlightenment, you have to know that my husband and I have completely different personalities. Josh is a big-picture guy and I am detailed to a fault. I truly believe God brought us together to complement one another’s strong suits and to help fill in the gaps when needed. The contrast in our behaviors and tendencies can be frustrating at times but learning to respect our different approaches has ultimately served us well in many
High Profit, Outcross Herd Sire Prospects by the Trailer Load...
Saturday April 22, 2023
Sale Starts 1:00 PM
Selling:
Finding Balance in the Busy Seasons of Life
endeavors – from major purchasing decisions to parenting our kids to preparing for busy times in our operation.
Stocking Up for Spring
And speaking of the busy times ... the days are starting to get longer and so is the list of warm-weather farm and ranch activities and responsibilities. For my crew, that means eating a lot more meals outdoors and on the run.
The approaching change in seasons is my reminder to start stocking up on the essentials needed to feed a small army in a moment’s notice. Whether it’s preparing field meals during planting and harvest time, feeding a crew of cowboys after processing cattle or just enjoying a nice evening and impromptu dinner on the deck with neighbors, my sanity depends on an ample supply of paper products, aluminum pans (don’t forget the lids!), bottled water, pantry staples and a few easy desserts prepped in the freezer.
This time of year, I’ve made a habit of thawing a couple pounds of ground beef at the beginning of each week in anticipation of such events. At the very least, I can use it for a quick mid-week family dinner, but more times than not, I am grilling up burgers or making meatballs to feed the
Gardening and Grace
As your typical Type A farm and ranch wife, I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself to do it all – raise a family, run businesses, care for God’s creatures, advocate for an industry we love … and then just because I like a good challenge, I attempt to grow a garden.
Finding Balance in the Busy Seasons of Life
Josh will tell you I have great ambitions each spring – designing a layout, researching appropriate varieties for our hardiness zone, sourcing plants and seeds and then working as a family to get everything in the ground. I keep it watered and somewhat weeded, and we enjoy the literal fruits (and vegetables) of our labor through the first part of the sum-
mer. By Independence Day each year, however, it becomes very apparent that I cannot keep up with the demands of a successful garden, despite my love of fresh produce, my ability to can and preserve and my typically very strong will to succeed at these types of tasks.
It is in this heat-of-the-summer moment – when I’m keeping the figurative home fires burning while Josh is leaving the house at 4 a.m. to ship cattle out of the Flint Hills and we’re seeing our largest runs of grass cattle coming through the auction barn – that I remember sometimes a gal just needs a little grace, and the garden is usually where I have to start.
Don’t be afraid to extend yourself the same grace when the busiest of the busy season is upon you, because try as we might, there really is no perfect balance in a lifestyle like ours. It takes planning, teamwork, compromise and the hard realization that sometimes there are just not enough hours in the day, but I know most of us can agree there’s no better way to live. //
“I know most of us can agree there’s no better way to live.”
M ushrush r
Friday, March 17, 2023 at the Ranch near Elmdale, KS
100 - Age-Advantaged Red Angus Bulls
100 - Red Angus & SimAngus Yearlings loaded with Calving Ease & Cow Herd Traits
100 - Fall Bred & Open Spring Yearling
Commercial Red Angus Replacements
10 - “U-Pick-Em” Elite Registered Open Heifers
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Combining Genetics (March 17th) and Management to
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(March 18th)
Commercial Heifers
Reproductive Success Starts with the Bull
Annual breeding soundness exams key to overall herd fertility
by Lisa Bryant, Communications SpecialistBuying health insurance is not a fun task, but it’s a necessity to mitigate your risk in case of a major health event. Increasing your herd’s reproductive performance presents a similar scenario. Testing all your bulls before breeding season is a simple task that can help prevent a major blow to your wallet.
“Passing a breeding soundness exam is insurance for the owner,” said Barry Whitworth, DVM, and senior Extension specialist in the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal and Food Sciences. “All bulls should be tested annually to make sure they’re good.”
An untested, sterile bull can be costly if several open cows turn up, he said. Smaller producers with only one bull are at higher risk, but Whitworth warned that ranchers running five or six bulls in a pasture can also have issues if one bull is sterile. “If he’s the biggest, baddest guy out there, he’s going to keep everybody beat off and you’re still going to have lower pregnancy rates.”
Whitworth said sub-fertile bulls will eventually get cows bred, but not in a desirable timeframe like a bull that passes a BSE.
“You’re going to have more cows that get bred later in the breeding season and calves born later in the calving season,” he said.
“At weaning time, there will be more lightweight calves compared to the cows that bred and calved early in the season. You’re just losing pounds.”
Research shows that bulls that pass a BSE get cows bred earlier in the breeding cycle and they have a higher success rate of settling, Whitworth said. “You don’t tend to see repeat breeders that may breed and conceive, but 30 days later, she’s breeding right back. That means you’re going to have more calves born at the first of the calving season, which should correspond with higher weaning weights at the end of the year.
“A bull should get about 60% of the herd bred in the first 21 days. Within 45 days, 98% of all cows should be bred.” He added that it’s economically important to get all cows bred in the first three breeding cycles.
Age doesn’t matter when it comes to the importance of performing a BSE on bulls, Whitworth said. However, the “why” to test may vary for different ages of bulls.
It’s not unusual for a young bull to fail the exam initially, especially if he’s been over conditioned, he continued.
Barry Whitworth, DVM“A lot of our young bulls, especially if they’ve been fed a lot, will get a deferred rating the first time because they are so fat.”
Too much fat in the scrotum causes an inability for temperature regulation. This leads to motility and morphology abnormalities in the sperm cells.
Whitworth said we can often fix this by letting the bull lose weight or by getting him out in the field where he can travel and increase exercise.
On the flip side, older bulls are more likely to fail because of an infection or injury.
Extreme weather events in regions not accustomed to that type of weather can also temporarily affect a bull’s sperm. Whitworth said frostbite or extreme heat can damage the testicles, and the severity of the damage may influence recovery time.
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Reproductive Success Starts with the Bull
Sperm production takes 61 days, so if there’s an insult or injury to the testicles, the producer may see open cows if he maintains a tight breeding season. If he leaves bulls out with cows longer, he may see an extended calving season.
Whitworth said it’s important to note what a BSE isn’t. “A BSE doesn’t guarantee you that the bull is going to breed cows because we don’t test libido. We also don’t know how aggressive that bull will be about getting cows bred.”
Whitworth said the BSE exam also doesn’t test if a bull can breed the cows, so it’s critical for ranchers to observe the bull breeding cows. The exam also doesn’t test for trichomoniasis or other diseases, which can affect
the bull’s breeding ability or cause issues with fertility.
“Bulls can have infections that may not prevent the bull from breeding, but the cows may not settle,” he said. “For instance, if we’ve got trich, the bull’s going to breed, and those cows will probably settle. However, through the breeding process, we’ve infected her with the organism, and she will slough the calf.”
So many factors play a role in getting a live calf on the ground, so it’s important to minimize risks whenever possible. Since profitability in the cow-calf industry starts with high pregnancy rates, a simple breeding soundness exam is a small investment in the profit picture to help ensure great returns. //
Inside the Breeding Soundness Exam
A breeding soundness exam is a systematic evaluation by a licensed veterinarian to determine a bull’s reproductive potential. An exam will typically cost $50 to $65.
Whitworth said most vets will start with a physical exam to evaluate the bull’s overall condition. The vet will verify that the bull can walk, breath normally and has two good eyes.
“Sight is really important. Bulls mainly rely on sight to watch for cows in standing heat,” he said. “If they have only one good eye, they’re not seeing the whole picture, so the bull could miss some cows that are in heat.”
During a breeding soundness exam, a vet will collect semen to check for motility or abnormalities.
A rectal exam will follow to check for abnormalities and ensure the seminal vesicles are not enlarged, inflamed or infected.
Vets will measure scrotal circumference and verify that the bull meets minimal requirements for his age. Scrotal circumference is important for multiple reasons, Whitworth said. “Through research, we know that bulls with larger testicles have more capacity to breed cows. We also know the female offspring of bulls with larger testicles cycle and get bred earlier, increasing fertility.”
The vet will also palpate the testicles for firmness. “They ought to be a lot like your biceps when flexed.”
They will check the penis for warts, signs of damage and to make sure the bull can extend without deviation. Whitworth said the electro-ejaculator can cause some corkscrew or side-to-side deviation. If a deviation is noted, producers should make sure they observe the bull breeding a cow.
Semen will be collected and evaluated for motility and abnormalities. “Seventy percent of sperm cells should be normal for a bull to pass,” Whitworth said. The vet will also inspect the sperm cells for head defects and make sure there is progressive motility in a common direction in a certain number of cells.
Semen will be collected and evaluated for motility and abnormalities. A bull needs a score of 70% normal sperm cells to pass his BSE exam.
After the exam, the vet will classify the bull as satisfactory, unsatisfactory or deferred. Whitworth said an unsatisfactory rating is rare, since that would show a problem that will never change. He said it’s more common for vets to check the deferred classification, attempt treatment of the issue and retest the bull in 60 days. //
To learn more about Red Choice and how to enroll heifers,visit
Since 1985, Milk Creek Reds has STRIVED to produce functional, productive and profitable Red Angus cattle.
We identify real-world genetics by using large contemporary groups that consist of 15-60 progeny per sire. The large sire and contemporary groups allow us to evaluate the genetic merit within our operation.
Through this genetic selection we are producing economically sustainable females that THRIVE under limited inputs and generate offspring that are economic relevant in the feedlot and the rail.
viewed at Eric Bowman’s feedlot, 1 mile south of Rhame, ND, until three days prior to the sale.
Hacks to Streamline Calving Season
by Brandi Buzzard Frobose, Editor and Director of CommunicationsAll across the country, ranchers are in the midst of calving season and even though weather patterns and challenges vary by region, the overall goal remains the same: live calves and good mamas.
Because of the critical nature of calving, we surveyed cattle country for some of the best advice to make this season bearable and successful. While some of the advice is scientifically based – such as feeding at night to have more calves during daylight hours – a larger segment is somewhat ingenious and may possibly relieve a pressure point or challenge during this hectic and stressful season.
Equipping the Headquarters
Most ranches have a “home base” or headquarters of sorts – whether it
be the garage, a shed or a barn. And while headquarters may vary, the fact remains that equipping and stocking it is of utmost importance. Preparing in advance and making sure the barn has everything needed for warming up calves, and people, can alleviate a lot of headaches. Stocking a cabinet with lots of old sheets, towels, extra socks, heating pads, blankets and other necessities will help speed up the inevitable occurrence of caring for cold, wet calves. From a convenience standpoint, a washing machine and dryer in the barn will help with the laundry and save trips to and from the ranch house.
While stocking up on linens, be sure to load up another cabinet with an electric kettle that can be used for coffee, tea, cups of soup and quick
warm water for mixing colostrum. And on the door of said cabinet, tape a list of the reasons why you love cows, ranching and your ranching partner.
Don’t Neglect the Crew
Speaking of people, it’s hard to take care of a herd if the crew isn’t taken care of – both mentally and physically. Sleep deprivation is a beast and can really hamper someone’s attitude and cognitive ability. Try assigning heifer checks based on functionality – the person who cannot function (or is tremendously unpleasant) after waking every two to three hours could be more useful by checking at 11 p.m. and then again at 5 a.m. Parents of newborns can attest to the effectiveness of teamwork in this situation.
Additionally, communication cannot be underscored enough. Making sure that everyone on the calving crew is updating records in a shared notebook, mobile phone application or spreadsheet can help alleviate miscommunication or duplicative efforts. A brief update a few times per day can bring everyone up to speed on what to watch for and any problems.
Much in the same way calves may need a boost of energy to liven up, ranchers should make sure they are fueling themselves as well. Access the aforementioned cabinet in the calving barn for a quick can of soup, beef jerky snack or employ a crockpot for easy-to-prep meals for everyone. Keep the fridge stocked with beverages of choice for refueling, whether it be a sports drink or an energy drink –sometimes a little boost can make all the difference.
The calving crew works hard in adverse conditions. Keep quick food options available as well as extra gloves and dry chore clothes.
Hacks to Streamline Calving Season
Calf Health and Management
Obviously, calf health is of utmost importance and can be a real challenge to manage, especially if calving in inclement weather. A plethora of ways exist to warm up a cold calf quickly; a plastic tote (or bathtub) with warm water, a calf warming box or old horse blankets and dog heating pads can all help warm up a chilled calf. And if the calf is appearing extra weak, many ranchers suggested administering a dose of corn syrup dissolved in hot water or even a 5-hour Energy drink to liven it up.
It’s also important to have calving supplies collected in a kit for easy movement, especially if calving in multiple places. Some would say that it’s necessary to have multiple kits – one for the barn and one for the farm truck.
Easy access to tools such as obstetrical chains, plastic sleeves, lubrication, syringes, paper towels, iodine and electrolytes is fundamental for acting quickly in the moment.
When the weather is too cold for tagging or calves need to be marked before tagging, dairy cow Velcro leg straps in several colors can be used
for identification. There are endless marking and identification options with four legs and several colors available, and they can be doubled up if necessary. The strips are easy to keep track of and can be wrapped around four-wheeler racks, gear shifts, etc., so they are always nearby and ready to use. Just don’t forget to write down the color combinations and communicate with the rest of the crew!
General Calving Hacks
Other general calving niceties that can make life easier are stocking caps with headlights built in or headlamps for hands-free illumination during late-night or early-morning calving checks.
When it comes to calf movement, a calf sled, child’s snow sled or an old trash can lid can simultaneously get a calf to a warmer and drier location while also moving the cow.
Many ranchers swear by cameras in the calving barn that serve two purposes: 1) avoiding the cold late at night, and 2) avoiding disturbing cows that are actively in labor. A glance at the camera can indicate whether assistance is needed or if all is well.
Regardless of how you approach calving season, from facilities to equipment, make sure you’re doing what is manageable and feasible for your herd and your crew. //
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Technology in Agriculture: Are We Ready to “Meat” the Demand?
by Nate Smith, General Manager, Top Dollar Angus, Inc.After a short trip to the eastern front range at the beginning of this year for producer visits, my brain kept jumping from one topic discussed with producers to another.
One particular subject continued to push its way to the front of my mind. How do we as a nation, that produces roughly 26 billion pounds of beef per year, step up to match the efficiencies and size of the two other leading U.S. commodities: corn and chicken?
Then it hit me: TECHNOLOGY is the answer!
Let’s start with corn. I know it’s hard to compare a grain product to animal protein when it comes to production efficiencies. However, there are a few transferrable kernels that can be gleaned from their success.
Almost everyone knows that corn yields have gone up by two bushels per acre on a yearly average since the late 1980s. Was this done in the old fashion way by just increasing fertilizer and water applications? No. We learned increasing inputs is not always the answer, a thought our industry can be slow to embrace. Instead, we focused on plant health, nutrition and genetics. Corn producers took a gamble on new technologies, like variable rate application and GPS. Boy, did it pay off!
More accurate fertilizer and chemical application alone brought about the no-till system, a technology that saves fuel and improves soil health, reducing two major input expenses. The introduction of these tools was by no means easy.
My father was convinced that my brother and I spent more time on our cellphones than farming. Today, he watches YouTube videos about irrigation technology. Corn genetics were heavily emphasized, as well. We made growing corn safer, more efficient and more profitable. It didn’t take more ground. All it took was trust in new technologies.
Chicken has been the beef industry’s arch nemesis as a preferred protein for decades. While most of us will admit that fried chicken can be delicious, no one prefers chicken’s flavor, but they do like its cost. So, it’s cheaper because it’s inferior in most peoples’ minds, right? Wrong. It’s because the poultry industry doesn’t raise barnyard chickens anymore. They adopted new technologies.
The early years of housing chickens came with challenges. They needed climate-controlled buildings, automated feeders and disease detection and tracking. Genetic improvement has also been pursued aggressively in the broiler chicken business.
Together, these technologies along with food processing improvements – I plan to dive into that in a future article –have made chicken nuggets the “go-to” for hangry toddlers. Their price point is low, they’re consistent and safe – things every family wants.
Where does that leave the beef industry? How do we maintain our position as the preferred protein? A partial answer is to look back at what others did to grow, improve and become more efficient. For corn and chicken, technology gave producers three primary rewards: safety, profit and time. The technology did the little things that took up time and previously limited profits.
They quit chasing chickens and hauling manure. New technologies were critical to making them leaders in their sectors of agriculture.
As modern-day beef producers, we have more technology available to us today than at any time in history. Electronic ID, precision genetic tools, market information and regular consumer feedback.
I would enjoy a discussion on any new technology, so feel free to give me a shout. Technological tools offer the promise of better beef and a better future, let’s embrace them! //
Snowshoe Cattle Bull Sale
WEBR REVIVAL 203 | REG: 4665863
WEBR RED REVIVAL 78H x BIEBER HARD DRIVE Y120
The rst sons of Red Revival 78H will sell, they are one of the most exciting groups of herd bull prospects we have raised to date!
WEBR BRANDO 248 | REG: 4665893
RED SIX MILE BRANDO 666C x PELTON WIDELOAD 78B
The Brando sons have been approved by the most discriminating cowboys; this sire group comes loaded for bear again in 2023!
WEBR REVIVAL 258 | REG: 4665855
WEBR RED REVIVAL 78H x LSF SRR TAKEOVER 5051C
Red Revival saw some of the best cows on the ranch, so you can trust that the maternal power behind each one of his sons is potent.
WEBR COWBOY KIND 236 | REG: 4665775
PIE THE COWBOY KIND 343 x BROWN INCREDABULL Z7277
Long spined, big backed and burly in his kind. He is a full brother to the high selling female from the 2021 Ripple E ect.
WEBR BRANDO 289 | REG: 4665877
RED SIX MILE BRANDO 666C x LSF SRR TAKEOVER 5051C
These dense and dark cherry red Brando sons are the dual purpose kind, they sire feeder cattle that weigh heavy, and stamps his replacement heifers with longevity!
WEBR DOMINION 2124 | REG: 4665737
RED U2 DOMINION x WEBR TC CARD SHARK 1015
The Dominion cattle pound the scales down, you can trust them to add pro t to your cowherd with massive additions of payweight.
WEBR STOCKMARKET 206 | REG: 4665941
BIEBER CL STOCKMARKET E119 x COLLIER BRILLIANCE R500
One of the most impressive calving ease prospects we have raised to date, he comes an EPD package that ranks him among the breeds elite!
WEBR DECLARE 254 | REG: 4665769
WEBR DECLARE 59H x PZC TMAS FIREBOLT 3397A
The freshman class of WEBR Declare 59H sons will impress, they have a great look and are built with extra power!
WEBR WIDE RANGE 273 | REG: 4665937
CALVO WIDE RANGE 155E x PIE THE COWBOY KIND 343
Calving ease stud that accelerated towards weaning and has matured with impressive shape and explosiveness.
Passing the Farm or Ranch to the Next Generation – Part Two
If parents want the ranch to survive and continue for generations to come, transition planning is crucial – to enable the ranch to remain viable –which can be difficult if there are multiple heirs. Fair isn’t always the same as equal. The sibling who stayed home and worked on the ranch doesn’t want to be ousted by the ones who left and now want their piece of it or want the ranch sold and the money divided.
On-Farm Heirs Versus Off-Farm Heirs
“With today’s land values, it’s unrealistic to think that if you have several heirs that the one on the ranch would be able to buy out the other siblings. Generally, land values are much higher than the cash flow of the ranch,” said Dana Springer, CPA and partner at Wipfli LLP in Havre, Montana.
Often, not all the children are interested in carrying on the farm business; there may be some, or one, that stayed, and the others are gone doing other things. This can be difficult when trying to decide how to split the inheritance.
“If parents have assets apart from the farm, such as life insurance, this might help provide for the other children while giving the farm to the one who stayed,” said Grant Snell of Crowley-Fleck Attorneys, Kalispell, Montana.
“Usually the value of a ranch is in the land,” said Springer. “There can
be family tensions when one child inherits the land and the others don’t, yet the only time that child gains any value from that land is when he sells it. He simply inherits hard work!” As the old saying goes, “Ranchers live poor and die rich.”
“There are several options to mitigate hard feelings when transitions are made. One child could inherit the land and the others inherit whatever cash or investments the parents have. If the land has significantly more value than the cash – which it generally does – a person can build things into the will. For instance, if the land were to be sold within a specified time after your death, a certain amount or percent of the proceeds have to be split with the other siblings. This avoids significant discrepancies,” Springer explained.
One thing Snell has done with clients if they have valuable mineral interests, is suggest that those be severed from the property and put in a trust for the non-farming kids. This can help equalize things while leaving the surface land to the kids doing the farming. This may depend on your state. In some western states the government retained mineral rights when the land was homesteaded. Different states may have different rules.
Entity Structure
Using an entity for ownership of the farm, rather than a sole proprietorship, can be beneficial.
“We often use an LLC as an entity that would own the farm, and sometimes we can use multiple entities – one that owns the land and another that runs the operation,” said Snell. “There can be tax benefits to having the operational entity lease the farmland, even though the parents might still be full owners of each entity.”
Besides tax benefits, this can divide management rights from the financial rights. “With an LLC you can have different classes of membership interests, such as non-voting membership interests, that pass to siblings outside the farm, at the parents’ deaths. This would carry with it some economic benefits, but they wouldn’t be able to vote, make decisions and outvote the ones who are running the farm,” he said.
“The operating agreements for the LLC or the trust can have different triggers for buyout. If the kids can agree amongst themselves and the ones on the farm want to buy out their siblings, you can build in some preferential financing obligations. If the kids
Passing the Farm or Ranch to the Next Generation
running the farm don’t want to get bank financing, this provides a way to purchase their siblings’ interests with seller financing options – with payments over time – that won’t impede their cash flow for ability to run the farm,” Snell further explained.
Selling or Leasing It to the Children
Sometimes parents sell part of the ranch to a child with a long-term contract, financing the sale. The balance of the loan can be forgiven if it isn’t completely paid off when the parents die, so the child doesn’t have to pay the other heirs.
“Though the child won’t have to pay off the balance, someone still has to pay the tax. It preserves the step-up in basis for the child, and it can work, but may not have as much tax advantage as some of the other options. This option doesn’t help with long-term care expenses because those will take the loan payments,” Springer said.
Another option is for parents to lease the land to the children and receive rent income to finance their retirement. “Many of our rancher clients
have not saved funds for retirement because all their money goes back into the operation. They need an income to retire on, so rather than selling land
Private Treaty Bu Sales
Passing the Farm or Ranch to the Next Generation
to the kids they could lease it to them. That way they have lease income each year and can make sure their will and estate plan is set up so the land goes to who they want it to, when they pass away,” she explained.
If you want your kids to own the land, it could also be set up so each one owns an equal interest in every acre, or certain kids end up with certain lands. “Equal interest in all of it could put them into a partnership; they have to run the land together or make decisions together, and sometimes this creates problems.”
Sires include:
Se ing Flushes on Donors:
If a person is going to transition by selling the land to someone in the family, it doesn’t have to be priced at market value. “Also there can be a gifting portion, and the gifting exemption is the same as the estate tax exemption,” said Springer.
One Rancher’s Comments
Dan Rorvig, a rancher in North Dakota, said most people wait too long, and maybe don’t educate themselves well enough.
“When talking about passing the ranch to the next generation, some people think it will be a turnkey operation, stocking-stuffer gift, but this isn’t always the case. In our situation, we have a daughter and son-in-law on the ranch. It seems they are interested, and I feel that on down the road they will take over this operation, but it won’t be a gift,” he said.
“The ranch is our nest egg and our life’s work. Often these things have to be long-term purchases. We have a land base and a cow herd to turn over to the next generation, and many dollars’ worth of equipment. We’ve had some good fortune and put properties together but won’t be able to just gift it to the next generation. My wife and I will need the proceeds so we can live and enjoy things with retirement. Right now, we’re trying to help our daughter and her husband gradually get into a better financial position, so
they’d be able to bite off a bigger chunk,” Rorvig said. This is a long-term transfer of the family wealth.
Dan Rorvig“There are tax rules that are helpful, and it’s important that both parties are aware of those and take advantage of them. Most people don’t start planning soon enough, especially if they have a terrible health issue or life-altering event. We need to take time to put a plan in place that can work for everybody and not be forced into something because then everything becomes a knee-jerk reaction. You need a plan laid out so everyone in the family is aware of what needs to happen,” he explained.
“It’s important that the next generation has a true interest. I don’t want them to feel any obligation; this has to be their idea, too,” Rorvig said. If ranching is what they really want to do, it’s better if it can happen without a big tax that no one figured out how to avoid.
Importance of Good Advisors
Transitional planning is different for each operation.
“I had a client who said his neighbor’s mom is putting all her land in an irrevocable trust, and he thought he should do that,” said Springer. “We talked about it and concluded that in his situation he would not want an irrevocable trust for his land. This is why it’s important to have good advisors, to help with your plan, and perhaps an annual meeting. The clients, their attorney and tax advisor can talk about these things.”
If ranchers are not already having annual meetings with their accountant and attorney, this would be a good way to get the ball rolling. “If they can bring the next generation to those meetings, they can start to learn more about the actual business of the ranch;
Passing the Farm or Ranch to the Next Generation
it’s not just knowing how to feed the cows and do the chores,” she said.
“We recommend that people get help, especially with the tax consequences. You don’t want to do something and find out later you have a large tax bill. Also, the more you can have in writing when making any kind of agreement with the next generation, the better, so no one can question it later. I encourage people to communicate about what their plan is, talk with their kids, and make sure everyone is on the same page,” she said.
“We often have several meetings with the client because it can be overwhelming, to hear all the options,” said Snell. “Sometimes we break it into pieces, especially if the client comes in without any kind of planning. We first put a will together, and things that you can always change, then start layering on top of that –whether setting up an entity, or a
revocable trust. These are flexible ways to own property and deal with an estate. Having property in trust avoids it going through probate, which in some states is a lot more cumbersome than in others. There are advantages to a revocable trust,” he said.
It’s also helpful to have the children at these meetings so they can understand what is going on.
“The initial meeting is usually just with the parents, and I tell them it’s their property and their decision, but once they have determined a certain direction, they can bring the children into it to let them know what the plan is,” he explained.
It’s good to know your state laws regarding these things. “Usually the clients’ attorney, CPA and financial advisor can work together to make a plan in the family’s best interests. These professionals need to know all the assets, how they are titled, and what the family’s plans are regarding succession,” said Snell.
“One thing many people overlook is doing power of attorney. This can be just as important as someone’s will and trust – to name someone to make decisions if you become incapacitated. This can avoid a lot of strife and having to go to court or into a guardianship,” he said.
Editor’s note:
This is the second piece in a two-part series. The first part was published in the February issue of the Red Angus Magazine. //
“You need a plan laid out so everyone in the family is aware of what needs to happen.”
National Red Angus Open and Junior Show Results Cattlemen’s Congress – Oklahoma City
2023 Cattlemen’s Congress Red Angus National Open Show
Judge: Craig Sand, Oklahoma
Grand Champion Open Female
MHG Barcelona 107J – Morley Griffith, Shawnee, OK
Reserve Grand Champion Open Female
TC Fancy 09J – Tucker Bayer, Ringle, WI
2023
Grand Champion Open Female
MHG Barcelona 107J – Morley Griffith, Shawnee, OK
Grand Champion Open Bull
Red Diamond El Rey 102 – Jackson Braggs, Salado, TX
Reserve Grand Champion Open Bull
3ACES Ground Work 1502 – Andrew Meier, Clinton, TN
Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor
TC Reds – Ringle, WI
Reserve Grand Champion Open Female
TC Fancy 09J – Tucker Bayer, Ringle, WI
Grand Champion Open Bull Red Diamond El Rey 102 – Jackson Braggs, Salado, TX
Reserve Grand Champion Open Bull
3ACES Ground Work 1502 – Andrew Meier, Clinton, TN
Supreme Champion Open Bull – Red Diamond El Rey 102 – Jackson Braggs, Salado, TX
Cattlemen’s Congress Red Angus Open Show – Judge: Craig Sand, Oklahoma Show Photos by Next LevelNational Red Angus Open and Junior Show Results
2023 Cattlemen’s Congress National Junior Female Show
Junior Show Judge: Alan Miller, Illinois
Grand Champion Junior Female
TC Fancy 09J – Tucker Bayer, Ringle, WI
Reserve Grand Champion Junior Female
H/H Larkaba 1104 – Addison Vowell, Forest, MS
Grand Champion Bred & Owned Female
MHG Barcelona 107J – Morley Griffith, Shawnee OK
Grand Champion Bred & Owned Bull
3ACES Ground Work 1502 – Andrew Meier, Clinton, TN
Reserve Grand Champion Bred &
SFCC Houston 062H – Carly Shuter, Frankton, IL
Pee-Wee Showmanship Winner
Channing Lind
Junior Showmanship Winner Hunter Blakely
Intermediate Showmanship Winner Page Wood
Senior Showmanship Winner
Zachary Griffeth
2023
Red Angus National Pen Show
Pen Show Judge: Alan Miller, Illinois
Grand Champion Pen of Three Bulls
Wallace, Kip – Emerald, WI
Reserve Grand Champion
Pen of Three Bulls
TC Reds – Ringle, WI
Grand Champion
Pen of Three Females
Holton Cattle Co. – Cisco, TX
Reserve Grand Champion
Pen of Three Females
Newt Hutchison – Canton, OK
For questions about Red Angus shows, contact Erin Dorsey, RAAA show coordinator, at erin@redangus.org. //
Red Angus Association
2023 SERAA Grasstime Show, Banquet, Donation Semen Auction & Annual SERAA Meeting
Friday March 31, 2023 beginning at 4:00 p.m.
County Agricultural Trade Center 17465 US Hwy 31, Cullman, Alabama
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Noon Central Time
Co. Rd. 1339, Cullman Stockyard – Cullman, Alabama
Sale Chairman: Jimmy Whitley 205/359-0154
Auctioneer: Kyle Gilchrist -- AL Auctioneer License #1206
Red Angus Well Represented at Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show
by Brandi Buzzard, Director of Communications and EditorLast month, Red Angus staff, breeders and commercial producers were present at the Cattle Industry Convention and Trade Show in New Orleans, Louisiana, to hear updates on trends and issues affecting beef producers, lead educational workshops and discuss ideas and insight with industry leaders.
Cattlemen’s College is a lauded and highly attended feature of the convention and Red Angus was able to feature two staff members to share information in their respective subject areas.
On Tuesday, Jan. 31, Brandi Buzzard Frobose spoke alongside two other cattle producers, Debbie Lyons-Blythe and Carrie Mess, on a panel called “Changing of the [Cattle] Guard,” where they discussed how advocacy has changed over the past 15 years and how cattle producers can better engage with interested consumers.
On Wednesday, Feb. 1, Harold Bertz, director of commercial marketing, alongside Jordan Thomas, Ph.D., assistant professor of animal science at the University of Missouri, shared with attendees that “Profitability isn’t Random.” The session discussed
heifer development programs, such as Red Choice and the Show-Me-Select Heifer Replacement program, their application on farms and ranches, and how they can help producers be more profitable.
In addition to Cattlemen’s College, Red Angus also facilitated two Sustainability Forums on the Cattle Chats stage in the trade show to not only highlight the importance of sustainability in the beef industry, but also to accentuate Red Angus’ commitment to being a leader in the space.
The first panel, “Examining the Intersection of Sustainability and Animal Well-being,” featured Lily Edwards-Callaway, Ph.D., associate professor of animal science focused on livestock behavior and welfare at Colorado State University, and Kim Stackhouse-Lawson, Ph.D., professor of animal science at Colorado State University and director of AgNext. Both panelists drew from their research and industry experience to emphasize the importance of animal well-being to overall beef sustainability. They spoke about how difficult it is to specifically measure both indicators
but the importance of keeping them linked on a ranch and in management plans is of paramount importance.
The second panel featured Steve Wooten, owner of Beatty Canyon Ranch, past president of the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and the 2019 winner of the Environmental Stewardship Award, and Kevin Miller, owner of Croissant Red Angus, past Red Angus board member and vice chair for the NCBA Cattle Health and Wellbeing working group. Their panel focused around on-ranch application of management principles to improve the overall sustainability of ranches from both a cow-calf and a feedyard standpoint. They also offered tangible advice on how producers can implement changes and see results within a short amount of time, specifically with genetics.
All four discussions were very well-attended and received praise from event managers during the week. These opportunities align with the Red Angus Strategic Plan as the breed strives to quantify and communicate the Red Angus advantage in stakeholder profitability and sustainability. //
100 Head of Charolais, Red Angus, & Red SimAngus Yearling Bulls
20 Head of Registered Charolais, Red Angus, & Red Simangus Yearling Heifers
10 Head of Commercial Red Angus Bred Heifers
22 ET
26 ET
JBARW WAR WAGON 2509
JBARW MR CINCH 2510
Auctioneers: Brad Veurink & Dan Clark
Sixth-Generation Cattle Rancher Named 2022 Advocate of the Year
The Masters of Beef Advocacy program recognizes rancher from Texas
by the Beef CheckoffFrom Throckmorton, Texas, Tucker Brown has been selected by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff, as the 2022 Advocate of the Year. The award recognizes Brown for his creative use of storytelling across social media platforms, along with continuing his family’s legacy as a sixth-generation cattle rancher.
Well respected across the industry, Brown is active in his family’s operation, R.A. Brown Ranch and serves on the Leadership Development Committee for Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raiser’s Association. As a “farm gates always open” type of person, Brown said he doesn’t hesitate to answer hard questions about the beef industry and loves showcasing their West Texas multi-generational ranch.
“Our goal is if we can help consumers understand where their food comes from, they will have a deeper sense of trust,” said Brown. “Having people
come to the ranch and ask questions helps us move forward and do better.”
As a modern-day influencer, Brown has a knack for creating intriguing and approachable social media content that bridges the gap between consumers and producers, reaching millions of viewers. With more than 176,000 followers on TikTok and 52,000 followers on Instagram, Brown receives, on average, a combined 5-6 million views per month on his videos and uses his influence to show what it’s like to raise beef.
“I like to use a word I call ‘edutainment’ which means entertaining viewers so much they didn’t realize they learned something until after the video is over,” said Brown. “There’s so many of us that post about the beef industry, so finding ways to keep viewers watching has been the most fun for me as an advocate.”
Brown said along with sharing beef
facts and ranching stories, his passion goes beyond simply reaching consumers. He also strives to get more youth involved in the industry. As a graduate of the Masters of Beef Advocacy program and member of the 2023 class of NCBA Trailblazers, a continuing education and development program for industry advocates, Brown emphasized the importance of development programs like these in identifying and preparing the next generation.
“I think it’s important to tell our story, but I think much of the industry hasn’t been trained on how to do that,” said Brown. “With these recent programs it’s been easier to get more young people involved and teach them how to be an advocate of truth in a way where more people are willing to listen.”
You can follow Tucker Brown on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, or visit his family’s ranch website at www.rabrownranch.com.
Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch Wins Prestigious BQA Award
by the Beef CheckoffThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff, announced the winners of the 2023 Beef Quality Assurance Awards, sponsored by Cargill. The National BQA Awards, funded in part by the Beef Checkoff, annually recognize outstanding beef and dairy producers, marketers and educators.
“The 2023 winners exemplify high-quality animal care and handling principles as part of their day-today operations and are continually improving through BQA,” said Josh White, senior executive director of producer education and sustainability at NCBA. “As good stewards of the cattle industry, they also encourage others to implement BQA principles.”
Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch, near Lakeside, Nebraska, is the winner of the 2023 BQA Cow-Calf award. Located on the western edge of the Nebraska Sandhills since 1888, the family behind the Wilson Flying Diamond Ranch has passed down its forward-thinking mindset for generations.
The ranch is now owned and operated by the family’s fourth and fifth generations, Blaine Wilson and his daughter Jaclyn. The Wilson family has transformed its operation of more than 800 head of Red Angus and composite cattle into a quintessential example of proper conservation and environmental management. The ranch adheres to strict stewardship principles focused
on pasture rotation, facilitated by computer programming and mapping. The ranch also uses year-round grazing management to ensure they are continuing to improve the land in the fragile Sandhills.
Award winners are selected by a committee comprised of BQA certified representatives from universities, state beef councils, sponsors and affiliated groups, who assess nominations based on their demonstrated commitment to BQA practices, their service as leaders in the beef industry and their dedication to promoting the BQA message to grow consumer confidence. For more information about each of the award winners, visit https://www.bqa.org/ about/bqa-awards.
Position your ranch for profitability with Red Angus-sired calves.
BADLANDS RED ANGUS
Bill Ceynar • Arnegard, ND
701/586-3435 • 701/570-4578
badlandsredangus@gmail.com
BARENTHSEN-BULLINGER RED ANGUS
Mark & Kathy Barenthsen
Jeremy & Jessica Bullinger
Powers Lake, ND • bbredangus.com
701/464-5741 • 701/339-1834
701/464-4893 mkbar@nccray.com • jbullinger@nccray.net
BAUMAN RED ANGUS
Dave, Kathy, Wayde & Jake Bauman Linton, ND • bb.ranch@hotmail.com
701/336-7201 • 701/321-1994
BRADEMEYER FARMS
Mike Brademeyer • Verona, ND
701/742-2598 • 701/710-0445 kbrademeyer@drtel.net
BRENNER ANGUS
Sidney & Melva Brenner • Carson, ND
701/522-3335 • 701/471-9135 brennersmb@gmail.com
BROKEN HEART RANCH
Gary & Chad Pederson • Firesteel, SD
605/865-3190 • 605/850-9878
bhrredangus@lakotanetwork.com www.pedersonbhr.com
CAMPBELL RED ANGUS
Robert Campbell • McIntosh, SD
701/422-3721 • 605/845-4812 campbellra@westriv.com www.campbellredangus.com
CARGO STOCK FARM
Seth, Laci, Dylon, Preston, Ritch Cargo Arnegard, ND • cargostockfarm@gmail.com
701/586-3010 • 701/537-3320
DAHL LAND & CATTLE CO.
Jeff Dahl • Gackle, ND • 701/485-3762 jldahl@daktel.com • www.dahlcattle.com
DAHLKE RED ANGUS
Bryantt Bolduc /Arlan Dahkle Bagley, MN • dahlkeredangus.com 218/533-0259 • 218/556-5896
218/694-6727 • 218/533-0259 dahlkerancher@yahoo.com dalhlkeredangus.com
DIAMOND C ND
Chase Furstenau • Cavalier, ND 701/520-0671 • chasefurstenau@gmail.com www.diamondcnorthdakota.com
DK RED ANGUS
Scott Kueffler • Grenora, ND 701/694-3620 • 701/641-0519 redangus@nccray.com
DRY CREEK RANCH
Max and Haley Robison • Amidon, ND 406/461-3462 • 701/523-8285 haley@drycreekranchnd.com www.drycreekranchnd.com
FORSTER RED ANGUS
Kenneth Forster • Richardton, ND 701/974-2450 • 701/290-2450 forsterredangus@yahoo.com www.forsterredangus.com
GRASSY MEADOW RANCH
David & Karissa Daws Michigan, ND • 701/270-1524 grassymeadowranch@gmail.com
HEART RIVER RANCH
Chuck & Annette Steffan • Belfield, ND 701/575-8145 • 290-9745 • 260-4630 heartrivergenetics@yahoo.com
www.heartrivergenetics.com
HUBER EY RED ANGUS
Bryan & Emmy Huber • Jud, ND 701/685-2687 • 701/320-8054 emmy@drtel.net • www.hubereyredangus.com
JACOBSON RED ANGUS
Gary & Val Jacobson • Hitterdal, MN 218/962-3360 • 701/361-3189 gjrangus@feltontel.net www.jacobsonredangus.com
KAL-KOTA RANCH
Ed Kalianoff • Steele, ND 701/475-2694 • 701/471-4006 kalkota@bektel.com
KOESTER RED ANGUS
Steve & Tracey Koester • Steele, ND 701/400-1611 • koester@bektel.com www.koesterredangus.com
KUHN’S RED ANGUS
James & Stephanie Kuhn • Napoleon, ND 701/332-6378 • 701/426-6921 Kuhnsredangus.com
KUHNHENN RANCH
Shawn Kuhnhenn • Towner, ND 701/537-3229 • shawn.kuhnhenn@K12.nd.us
L83 RANCH
Ben Lodoen • Westhope, ND • 701/201-0477 benjamin.lodeon@gmail.com L83Ranch.com
LARSON’S LOST RIVER
LIVESTOCK
David Larson • Clearbrook, MN 218/766-3323 • david.larson.lrl@gmail.com www.lostriverlivestockmn.com
LAZY D RED ANGUS
John & Sara Berg • Cody Berg • Williston, ND 701/826-4211 • 701/826-4231 701/570-9788 • 701/570-0730 lazydredangus@yahoo.com
LAZY J BAR RANCH
John & Stephanie Jung • Mina, SD 605/228-1743 • 605/380-1796 lazyjbarranch@yahoo.com lazyjbarranch.com
LELAND RED ANGUS
Melvin & Luella Leland 701/565-2347 • 406/489-1465
Todd & Carla Leland • Sidney, MT 701/565-2361 • 406/489-1466 lelandra@restel.net • lelandredangus.com
MISSOURI RIVER
RED ANGUS
Blake & Whitney Wold • Watford City, ND 701/770-4105 missouririverredangus@gmail.com missouririverredangus.com
NAMKEN RED ANGUS
Jared Namken • Lake Norden, SD 605/881-3845 jarednamken@hotmail.com www.namkenredangus.com
NORDLUND STOCK FARMS LLC
Mike & Sam Norlund Clearbrook, MN • 701/799-0943 nordlundstockfarm@gvtel.com nordlundstockfarm.com
OHR RED ANGUS
Edward, Jeanne & Carl Olson • Argusville, ND 701/238-3601 • 701/361-0684 olsoncandc@aol.com • olsonredpower.com
PRESSER RED ANGUS
Troy Presser • Turtle Lake, ND 701/447-2855 • 701/220-0189 tpresser@westriv.com
RESSLER LAND & CATTLE
Mark or Bryan Ressler • Binford, ND 701/789-0191 • 701/789-7294 contact@resslerlandandcattle.com www.resslerlandandcattle.com
Watch for more exciting events in North Dakota!
March 1 Broken Heart Ranch, Ranch, Firesteel, SD
March 4 DK Red Angus, Sitting Bull Auction, Williston, ND
March 4 Lewis Red Angus Ranch, Ranch, Edinburg, ND
March 6 Campbell Red Angus, Ranch, McIntosh, SD
March 8 Heart River Ranch, Feedlot, Belfield, ND
March 10 Leland Red Angus & Koester Red Angus, Ranch, Sidney, MT
March 15 Klompien Red Angus, Veltkamp Feedlot, Manhattan, MT
March 16 Jacobson Red Angus, Ranch, Hitterdal, MN
March 18 Milk Creek Reds, Ranch, Plevna, MT
March 26 Dahlke Red Angus, Ranch, Bagley, MT
March 28 L83 Ranch, Kist Livestock, Mandan, ND
April 3 Presser Red Angus, Ranch, Turtle Lake, ND
April 5 Missouri River Red Angus, Sidney Livestock Auction, Sidney, MT
April 28 Kuhn’s Red Angus and Huber EY Red Angus, Napoleon Livestock, Napoleon, ND
May 6 Oland Red Angus, Ranch, Sheldon, ND
ROHRICH’S CUTTING EDGE RANCH
Rick, Amber & Kaden Rohrich • Steele, ND 701/391-1911 • 701/934-4178 cuttingedgeranch@bektel.com
SCHRIEFER RANCH LLC
Marc, Jodi, Riley, Cheyenne & Cassi Schriefer • Golden Valley, ND 701/870-4292 • 701/879-2609 701/983-4292 • 701/870-4292 marcjodi@icloud.com schrieferredangus.com
SEEGER & RUSCH RED ANGUS
Brandon & Dixie Rusch • New Salem, ND 701/843-7191 • 701/226-5479 701/426-9443 ruschvet@gmail.com seeger-ruschredangus.com
SEVERANCE RED ANGUS
Brian & Mary Severance • Palermo, ND 701/862-3681 • 701/898-3681 redcows@restel.net
SPUR M RED ANGUS
Doug & Darcy McGee • Bowman, ND 701/523-3635 • 701/523-6086 ddmcgee@ndsupernet.com spurmredangus.com
TNT SIMMENTAL & RED ANGUS
Kevin & Lynette Thompson • Almont, ND 701/843-8454 • 701/391-1631 www.tntsimmentals.com
TURTLE RIVER CATTLE CO.
Ron & Ryan Clemetson • Grand Forks, ND 701/739-0639 • 701/741-6407 trreds@hotmail.com
TWEDT RED ANGUS
Sam Twedt • McHenry, ND 701/262-4768 • 701/388-4035 twedtredangus@hotmail.com www.twedtredangus.com
VALNES RANCH RED ANGUS
Emit Valnes • Eden, SD 605/698-6596 • 605/228-8857 valnesranch@hotmail.com • valnesranch.com
WASEM RED ANGUS
Chris & Jolyn Wasem • Halliday, ND 701/938-8365 • 701/260-1513 jolyn.wasem@gmail.com wasemredangus.com
ND Red Angus Association
President: Sam Twedt
Vice President: Bryan Ressler
Immediate Past Pres.: Scott Kueffler
Directors: Ryan Clemetson, Ben Lodoen, Rick Rohrich & Chris Wasem
Sec./Treas.: Chuck & Annette Steffan 701/290-9745
ndredangus.com
ndredangusassociation@gmail.com
Sale Reports
Pieper’s Red Angus Fall Run October 22, 2022 Hay Springs, Nebraska
72 18-Month-Old Red Angus Bulls .......... $8,021 11 Registered Heifer Calves $28,932 4 Heifer Pregnancies $24,625 39 Registered Bred Heifers........................ $5,245 32 Registered Red Angus Bred Cows $3,173
Comm. Red Angus Bred Heifers $2,125 1 Pieper Ranch Working Horse .............. $25,000
Pieper Ranch Working Horses $11,083
Pieper Ranch Weanling Colts $5,388
The high-selling Red Angus herd sire was lot 3, PIE Complete 1595, a KJL/CLZB Complete 7000E son. He sold to Loosli Red Angus of Idaho for $33,000.
Lot 4, PIE Complete 1523, a KJL/CLZB Complete 7000E son, sold to Gifford Lue of Nebraska for $20,000.
Lot 5, PIE Hard Drive 1227, a Bieber Hard Drive 120 son, sold Bieber Red Angus of South Dakota for $17,000.
Lot 58, PIE Quarterback 1134, a PIE Quarterback 789 son, sold to Brad Barwicks of South Dakota for $17,000.
The top-selling open heifer was Lot 84, PIE Della 2365, a Connealy Confidence Plus daughter. She sold to HanSine Ranch of South Dakota for $100,000.
Lot 82, PIE Rebella 231, a Brown CRSB Confidence G1410 daughter, sold to Berwald Red Angus of South Dakota for $60,000.
Lot 85, TKP Tilly 2088, a RED MRLA Resource 137E daughter, sold to Vicki Blomme of Iowa for $57,000.
Lot 81, PIE Sereola 213, a Brown CRSB Confidence G1410 daughter, sold to Buffalo Creek Red Angus of Texas for $35,000.
The top-selling bred heifer was lot 98, PIE Ruby 1421, a RED MRLA Resource 137E daughter. She sold to Samuel Nordlund of Minnesota for $15,500.
Lot 114, PIE July Dalles 1557, a Bar M Red Cloud 9091 daughter, sold to Mark Kronebusch of Minnesota for $14,000.
Lot 96, PIE Ruby Tuo 1286, a PIE Quarterback 789 daughter, sold to Lisa Pederson of South Dakota for $13,500.
Lot 97, PIE Abigrace 1130, a KJL/CLZB Complete 7000E daughter, sold to Mark Kronebusch of Minnesota for $11,500.
The top-selling heifer pregnancy was lot 92, sired by PIE Stockman 4051 and due 2/20/2023. It sold to Joe Franks of Texas for $45,000.
Lot 93, a heifer pregnancy sired by Deer Valley Growth Fund and due 1/28/2023, sold to HanSine Ranch of South Dakota for $39,000.
The top-selling ranch horse was lot 1H, Pr Buenos Shiner, a 2014 sorrel gelding sired by Shiner Smart Cat. He sold to Sharp Ranch of South Dakota for $25,000.
4.
5.
Lot 4H, Pr Reys A Smart Guy, a 2018 buckskin gelding sired by Pr Smooth Shiney, sold to Colter Carlson of South Dakota for $20,000.
Lot 2, Pr Playing Easy, a 2015 gray gelding sired by Playguns Little Lena, sold to Travis Ceroll of South Dakota for $15,000.
Lot 5, Jumbo, a 2016 grade buckskin gelding quarter pony, sold to Darby Line of Nebraska for $13,000.
The top-selling colt was Lot 31, Pr Metallic Rey, a 2022 red roan stallion sired by Playin With Metal. He sold to Andrew Schauer of Minnesota for $11,500.
Lot 8, Pr Metallic Cash, a 2022 red roan stallion sired by Playin With Metal, sold to Eugene Rapp of South Dakota for $8,500.
Bullis Creek 23rd Annual “Generations of Predictability” Production Sale
January 23, 2023
Wood Lake, Nebraska
Auctioneer: Tracy Harl
31 Coming 2-year-old Red Angus Bulls $4,660 29 Coming 2-year-old Limousin/LimFlex Bulls .............................................................. $4,000
The top-selling Red Angus bull was BCRR Monumental 130J. He sold to Troy and Michelle Sage of Nebraska for $7,500.
BCRR Wood Lake 110J, a Fritz Monument 618G son, sold to Ravenscroft Red Angus of Nebraksa for $7,000.
BCRR Monument 108J sold to Richard and Laura Cockroft of Kansas for $6,000.
BCRR Monument 161J sold to Gordon Cattle Co. of Montana for $6,000.
Gordon Cattle Co. of Montana was the volume Red Angus buyer, taking home five head.
Troy and Michelle Sage of Nebraska took home four head.
The top-selling Limousin/LimFlex bull was BRAW Flat Top 1208J. He sold to Pine Ranch of Nebraska for $6,500.
BRAW Genius 1252J sold to Lazy Trails Angus of Nebraska for $5,000.
BRAW Monument 1205J sold to Kyle and Austin Schmale of Nebraska for $5,000.
BRAW Eagle 1282J sold to Richard and Laura Cockroft of Kansas for $4,000.
Taylor Farms of Kansas was the volume Limousin buyer, taking home 11 head.
Kyle and Austin Schmale of Nebraska took home three head. //
Welcome to our Newest RAAA Members!
Area 1 –West
Director – George Murdock
LOGAN WILLEMS
4289 LOPEZ DRIVE
ARROYO GRANDE, CA 93420
K BAR RANCH
KYLE KENNINGTON
11161 TABLE ROCK ROAD
CENTRAL POINT, OR 97502
ABIGAIL MITCHELL
34052 GRAND PRAIRIE RD SE
ALBANY, OR 97322
AVA MITCHELL
34052 GRAND PRAIRIE RD SE
ALBANY, OR 97322
MAGIC MOUNTAIN LIVESTOCK PAT ODELL
30688 S. OSWALT RD. COLTON, OR 97017
SITZ FARM
TATUM SITZ
68854 HURTLEY RANCH RD
SISTERS, OR 97759
DAVIS FARM
TYREL DAVIS
20110 S. MYRTLE ST
KENNEWICK, WA 99337
STILLY SELECT LLC
RYAN NEUBAUER
22002 59TH AVE NE
ARLINGTON, WA 98223
Area 2 – Montana
Director – Kay Klompien
DALTON BEYER
24 WICKLOW LN BAKER, MT 59313
JASPER GILLEARD
537 NORTH BURNT FORK ROAD
STEVENSVILLE, MT 59870
Area 3 – Rocky Mountain
Director – Aaron Kravig
RIGGS RANCH
RANDY RIGGS
18435 ROAD G
CORTEZ, CO 81321
ZIMMERMAN FARMS
PAUL ZIMMERMAN
21190 COUNTY ROAD BB
HASWELL CO, CO 81045
WES LUPHER
PO BOX 364
MOUNTAIN VIEW, WY 82939
TRINITY MARTIN
2775 WYNCOTE RD
LINGLE, WY 82223
Area 4 – Southwest
Director – Tony Ballinger
DON BOTHWELL
3200 E CO RD 411 MAY, TX 76857
LYDIA BROWNE
3222 FM 66
WAXAHACHIE, TX 75167
CODY OR LUTHER COPELAND
P.O.BOX 153 MORGAN MILL, TX 76465
CAMERON CROW 9105 BLACKSTONE DRIVE PROVIDENCE, TX 76227
LANDON GALYON 1120 CR 1445
BONHAM, TX 75418
PRESLEY JACKSON
3884 GREATHOUSE RD
WAXAHACHIE, TX 75167
KARIS KING 650 COUNTY ROAD 34
ANGLETON, TX 77515
RED MARTIN CATTLE
LANA PEUGH PO BOX 896 GODLEY, TX 76044
RIDINGER RANCH
JOSH RIDINGER
536 MARCUS DRIVE
LEWISVILLLE, TX 75057
KATELYN ROBINETT 807 NORTH OAK VISTA DR BURNET, TX 78611
W. THIBODEAUX LAND & LIVESTOCK CO
WADE THIBODEAUX 122 RICE LANE
HUNTSVILLE, TX 77320
HADLEY TRAMMELL 481 FM 52
GRAFORD, TX 76449
WEEKS PROPERTY ANDY WEEKS P.O. BOX 84
DODD CITY, TX 75438
WHITEACRE CATTLE CO.
DYLAN WHITEACRE 11006 FM 3326 S
HAWLEY, TX 79525
Area 5 – Northern Plains Director – Stephanie Jung
ISAAC BOOMGAARDEN
1106 5TH AVENUE SW
PIPESTONE, MN 56164
RILEY DIERSEN
224 S 1ST ST
CALEDONIA, MN 55921
KENLEY HOOVER
36294 170TH PLACE
MCGREGOR, MN 55760
AVA LARSON
45684 141ST AVE
CLEARBROOK, MN 56634
ARABELLA KLEIN PO BOX 54
HAZEN, ND 58545
BRAYDEN KLYM
9981 11TH ST SW
DUNN CENTER, ND 58626
DREW NITSCHKE
2252 HWY 46 JUD, ND 58454
OLIVIA NITSCHKE
2252 HWY 46 JUD, ND 58454
TY NITSCHKE
7752 HWY 46 JUD, ND 58454
JETT OURADNIK
6703 141 AVE SW
AMIDON, ND 58620
LONDYN SACKMAN
3908 24TH AVE
STEELE, ND 58482
FORREST SEARS
3985 145TH AVE SE
WHEATLAND, ND 58079
WILL STEFFAN
5389 E RIVER ROAD
AMIDON, ND 58620
GABEL RED ANGUS
KENNETH GABEL
20649 CLAIR RD
HETLAND, SD 57212
L BAR F RANCH LLC
ALAN KAITFORS
11699 SD HWY 79
PRAIRIE CITY, SD 57649
KAITLYN MICHEEL
21256 408TH CAVOUR, SD 57324
PEYTEN WRIGHT
29007 466 AVE
CENTERVILLE, SD 57014
TATUM WRIGHT 29007 466 AVE CENTERVILLE, SD 57014
Area 6 – Great Plains
Director – Jason Anderson
CASHMAN RANCH LLC
JOSHUA CASHMAN PO BOX 122
DOWNS, KS 67437
SCOTT CATTLE
JAMES SCOTT
5787 NE 150TH
CASSODAY, KS 66842
A8 CATTLE CO. SARA ROYLE 1708 N ROAD
CENTRAL CITY, NE 68826
JOHNATHON CULP P.O. BOX 803 LAVERNE, OK 73848
ADDISON DUGAN
56300 E 190 RD. FAIRLAND, OK 74343
BENJAMIN EDWARDS
242588 EAST COUNTY RD. 52 FAIRVIEW, OK 73737
RYAN FREEMAN 27009 CR 1410 CEMENT, OK 73017
MATTHEW HAMIL 102 S FRANK STREET CASHION, OK 73016
REMINGTON HEARD 436111 E. 240 RD. VINITA, OK 74301
LILLIAN MCCOWAN PO BOX 614 CLEVELAND, OK 74020
AUSTIN RAMSEY 19493 HARRISON ROAD SHAWNEE, OK 74801
REINSCHMIEDT GENERAL PARTNERSHIP BEN REINSCHMIEDT 15014 E. LAKE HELLUMS RD. ENID, OK 73701
RKRS FARMS, LLC KORTNI ROBBINS PO BOX 679 ALTUS, OK 73522
KADE ROBERTSON 393171 E. 1185 RD DUSTIN, OK 74839
Area 7 – Northeast Director – Rob Hess
TEAGUE BRUNER 1013 N CYPRESS STREET BOONVILLE, IN 47601
TREY CRAIG
398 ART GALLERY RD. BEDFORD, IN 47421
LITTLE DEER CREEK FARM 2101 JERRYS ROAD STREET, MD 21154
TRIPLE H CATTLE CO. RICHARD HUGHES 509 ELM ST FENNVILLE, MI 49408
SLATE FARMS BRANDON SLATE 1673 MOUNTAIN VIEW RD KING, NC 27021
COLLIN BRODMAN 2116 COUNTY HIGHWAY 96 CAREY, OH 43316
VIOLET VIEW FARMS LLC LOGAN EADES 11756 SR 29 MECHANICSBURG, OH 43044
LANE RIZOR 3788 TWP RD 115 MTGILEAD, OH 43338
ISAAC STIRM 1950 ST. RT. 602 BUCYRUS, OH 44820
HAILEY ENTERLINE 2745 KIMBERLY RD LANCASTER, PA 17603
LIMESTONERUN FARM GEORGIA PFLEEGOR 66 PFLEEGOR ROAD MILTON, PA 17847
Area 8 – Southeast Director – Jim Yance HARLEE SANSON 19 APPALOOSA TRL VILONIA, AR 72173
KBT RANCH BRENT TALLY 555 HEMPSTEAD 40 WEST MCCASKILL, AR 71847
JASON WAGNER 2272 RED BRIDGE RD HORATIO, AR 71842
AUDREY BROWN
43 WATSON MILL RD
COMER, GA 30629
WAGON WHEEL RANCH
BRIAN POER
1901 N WARE CHAPPEL RD
JEFFERSONVILLE, KY 40337
CIRCLE LEE FARMS
STEPHEN LEE
21608 TURKEY CREEK DRIVE
BATON ROUGE, LA 70817
AUSTIN LANDRETH
4930 OLD CALHOUN
FALLS RD
CALHOUN FALLS, SC 29628
RABON’S FARM
THURMON, JR & WANDA
RABON 3813 MARION STREET
MULLINS, SC 29574
KUTLER TININ 2279 SANTA FE PIKE
COLUMBIA, TN 38401
Area 9 – Midwest Director – Stuart Gilbert
KORBIN CLARK 615 N 3RD AVE
LOGAN, IA 51547
BRIAN GABEL 905 HWY 39
DENISON, IA 51442
CALEB KRUSE 3006 245TH ST
DEWITT, IA 52742
RYAN MESCH CATTLE CO. RYAN MESCH
25927 V AVE ELDORA, IA 50627
NELEMAN RED ANGUS
HUNTER NELEMAN 10489 INDIGO AVE
KELLOGG, IA 50135
LEVI REITER 4256 KARPER HARBOR RD FARLEY, IA 52046
Z & J FARMS
ZACH REITER 25379 N CASCADE RD
CASCADE, IA 52033
TREVOR HALE
2010 HAMBURG RD
GALATIA, IL 62935
BRINDLE FARM
JUSTIN LAUMBATTUS 917 NORTH MAIN STREET
MARISSA, IL 62257
MEAH MCCOY 406 S JACKSON ST
ARCHIE, MO 64725
COLIN MCINTYRE P.O. BOX 1073
BOLIVAR, MO 65613
BOUTWELL FARMS
SHAUN BOUTWELL
N5181 WAUPACA RD
OGDENSBURG, WI 54962 //
Glacier Red Angus
Harold,
MTRAA Officers
AREA
AXTELL CATTLE COMPANY
Brian and Jamie Jo Axtell PO Box 21 – Anton, CO 80801 970.383.2332 or 970.554.1132
www.axtellcattlecompany.com
Follow us on Facebook!
Barenthsen RedAngus
701-464-5741
BBRedAngus.com
Jeremy & Jessica Bullinger 701-464-4893
8815 81st St. NW, Powers Lake, ND
BROKEN HEART RANCH
12523 245th Ave
Firesteel, SD 57633
(605) 850-9878 or (605) 865-3190
bhrredangus@lakotanetwork.com
www.pedersonredangus.com
Robert and Kara • Robby 5096 Campbell Rd • McIntosh, SD 57641 701-422-3721
www.campbellredangus.com
Producing Cattle That Perform For The Cattleman
FLATIRON RED ANGUS
1A BULLS & HEIFERS
MAINTENANCE/FEED EFFICIENCY EXPERTS
Cory & Katy Johnson 5822 CR 23 • Veteran, WY 82243 Cory 307-575-0169 • Katy 307-575-2677
KRAVIG RED ANGUS
“Cattle Working for You”
Sound Udders – Great Dispositions
Moderate Frames – Calving Ease – Excellent Growth www.kravigredangus.com h1: 719-446-5355 • h2: 719-446-5391 Karval, Colorado
Dan@RockingRRedAngus.com
High Altitude Registered Red Angus
SHEAMAN RANCH
Kerry and Debbie Sheaman
400 East Douglas Road • Fort Collins, CO 80524 (970) 493-7346 • Kerry.Sheaman@colostate.edu
Maternal, Disposition, Calving Ease & Stayability Traits
Joe, Cindy & Emily Frasier • 44600 Co. Road 118 • Limon, CO Ronny & Kelsey Pope • Ryan & Lindsay Frasier
719-740-1124 • www.solidrockredangus.com
Forster Red Angus
Raising
RED ANGUS
"We Breed Excitement" The Olsons
Edward, Jeanne, Carl, Craig and Caryn 16068 24 St. SE • Argusville, ND 58005 Phone/Fax (701) 484-5779
www.olsonredpower.com
Female Sale First Saturday in December Bull Sale Second Saturday in April Gary, Elaine, Tory & Tyler Sonstegard (320) 269-7290 (320) 226-2340 www.3scc.net
RED ANGUS
Scott & Connie Kueffler
Michala & Kirsti • Bonnie Kueffler Box 187 • Grenora, ND 58845
701-694-3620 (h) • 701-641-0519 (c)
redangus@nccray.com • www.dkredangus.net
Rob & Amy Hess Hershey, PA 717-821-1782 bowcreekbeef.com
Pasture to Plate Performance Tested Embryos, Semen and Cattle
Steven Harris, DVM 4720 Wrights Mill Road Trappe, MD 21673 410-924-3905 spharrisdvm@yahoo.com
Steve & Amy Weinreich 443-465-2959 Emma Kate Foster 443-257-5061 5224 Faraway Dr. Felton, PA 17322 crossroadsca le@gmail.com
• Private treaty cattle, semen and embryos
Dan & Alicia Stickel – (304) 545-7677
Kincheloe Road, Jane Lew, WV 26378
FAYLOR RED ANGUS
SINCE
Mark and Kim Harms
Red Angus - Angus - Charolais
“Your Partner in Progress” Bulls, Females and Embryos by Private Treaty
Phone: (316) 722-6900
Cell: (316) 648-8310 rhodesredangus2@gmail.com
Tim
FLAMING
18 mo.& 2 yr. old Registered Bulls No feed ration, range tested, hard ‘n ready Commercial Bred Heifers in the fall Rick Pflughoeft • Ellsworth, KS 785-472-3734
Calendar of Events
March
1 Final Ad Reservation/Editorial Deadline for April Red Angus Magazine
1 Dille Red Angus, Buhl, ID
1 Lost Creek Red Angus Private Treaty Opening Day, Molt, MT
1 Pederson’s Broken Heart Ranch, Firesteel, SD
1 Rocking R Red Angus Private Treaty Bull Sale, Montrose, CO
2 Bieber Fever Yearling Bull Sale, Leola, SD
1 Shieldknight Land & Cattle, “Build the Shield” Private Treaty, Spearman, TX
3 Sutherlin Farms Red Angus, Stevensville, MT
4 DK Red Angus, Williston, ND
4 Grussing Red Angus, Platte, SD
4 Redland Red Angus, Hysham, MT
4 S Diamond Angus, Henderson, NE
6 Campbell Red
Trusted Buyer, Growing Demand
16 Ludvigson Stock Farms Prime Time Embryo & Semen Sale, DvAuction.com
16 Sandridge Land & Cattle, Perkins, OK
17 Laubach Red Angus, Big Timber, MT
17 Mushrush Ranches, Strong City, KS
17 Schweitzer Red Angus, Pleasant Dale, NE
17-18 A&R Red Angus, Holdingford, MN, Online Sale, DVAuction.com
18 Iron Lorenzen Cattle Co., Madras, OR
18 Milk Creek Reds, Plevna, MT
18 Red HIll Farms More Than a Bull Sale, Lafayette, TN
18 Red Reckoning, Douds, IA
20 Bridle Bit Simmentals, Walsh, CO
20 Castonguay Red Angus, SC Online Sales
20 Jones Red Angus – All Terrain Bull Sale, Walsh, CO
20 Flat Water Red Angus Gang, Broken Bow, NE
20 SSS Red Angus, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
21 Diamond L Genetics, smartauctions.co
21 Green Mountain Red Angus, Logan, MT
22 Diamond H Red Angus, LaCrosse, KS
22 Westphal Red Angus, Grass Range, MT
23 Martin Red Angus, Glasgow, MT
23 Schuler Red Angus, Bridgeport, NE
25 Fischer Red Angus, Harlowton, MT
25 Rogers & Lile Red Angus, Strafford, MO
25 Wakefield Farms Performance Bull Sale, Dunlap, IA
25 West Wind Red Angus Private Treaty Open House & Bidding, Pella, IA
26 Dahlke Red Angus, Bagley, MN
HIlls, Harris, MO
17 Holton Cattle Co., Cisco, TX
19-20 Bieber Fever Online Female Sale, DVAuction.com
21 Grill’s Red Western Sale, Crawford, NE
22 Missouri Red Angus Show-Me Reds Sale, Springfield, MO
22 Right on Red, Seneca Falls, NY
26 Gill Red Angus, Timber Lake, SD
28 Kuhn’s Red Angus & Huber EY Red Angus, Napoleon, ND