MAY 2021
THE TOCKMAN VOL 3 | NO 5
CURRENT ROV SHOW BULL OF THE YEAR!
CURRENT ROV SHOW BULL OF THE YEAR!
WB Pendleton Sire of high sellers & champions!
Seldom Rest Sandman Classen son working great!
Silveiras Forbes ‘21 Cattlemen’s Congress Champion!
Silveiras Haras Primal Primo’s exciting, fancy full sib!
Hill Valley Reckoning Outcross to Style & First Class with extra mass, look & structure!
Musgrave Sky High CED 8 $B 141
Brooking Bank Note CED 5 $B 131
JACS Rare Find CED 9 $B 169
Lazy JB Edge Rope necked Classen x Sandy 3040
Conley No Limit Beautiful balance & HOT sire!
A MUST USE TURNING POINT SON!
S&R Stability Style son with extras!
Laflins Marvel Popular champion at many exhibitions!
SAC Peak Value CED 8 $B 186
SAC CashIn BN46 CED -3 $B 202
Conley South Point 8362 2020 NWSS Champion Bull!
9 Mile One of a Kind CED 17 HB 212
TWG Tango CED 13 HB 185
NJW Hoss CE 11
KJ BJ Landmark 210 CE 2.5 CHB $121
H Montgomery Making champions!
W/C Bankroll CE 14 API 134
SFG The Judge CE 12 API 144
CLRS Guardian CE 20 API 208
W/C Relentless CE 9 API 117
CDI Innovator CE 11 API 155
Longs Pay to Play A stout blaze Pays to Believe son!
OBCC CMFM Deplorabull CE 15 API 125
WLE Copacetic CE 11 API 107
W/C Night Watch CE 18 API 151
W/C Fort Knox Newly Available!
PUREBRED MAINE CALVING EASE!
May We All
Simplify
Sweet Willie
1OAK THF
Knock Knock THF
State of Mind THF
Trust In Me THC
Business Done Right
May 2021
DUEL Icon
2
In God We Trust
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PVF Blacklist Bushs Wingman Ultra-stout ‘must use’ Insight son! NEW outcross/performance/profile sire with CE!
Youngdale Defiance Canada’s finest genetics!
FCF Leverage First progeny sold high at FCF!
SCC SCH 24 Karat NEW & ultra stout out of 2 NWSS champs!
Gateway Follow Me Cool profiled & stout!
Musgrave 316 Exclusive 316’s highest $B son!
Baldridge Alternative Top EPDs in most traits! +200 $B!
Bridges Foretold #1 $W in the breed plus CE!
TLC E-Sig 2019 American Royal Champ!
MK Poker Face Exciting power & profile!
CFCC Notorious ELITE WhoMaker son!
ECR Shameless LONG necked show sire!
Carbon Copy 2019 NAILE Champion Charolais!
Redemption Hot Resource Son!
BOY Outlier Show Bull of the Year!
ACLL Fortune Excellent Hammer son!
TL Ledger Exciting Profit son!
SC Pay the Price 2 time NWSS Champ!
On the Mark First progeny looking great!
VCL LKC Equity Sire of champions!
Onset High Percentage Chi
Quiet Man
DJS The Outsider
MVP Triple Crown Winning Champ Mainetainer!
Second 2 None Making clubby CHAMPS!
No Guts No Glory THF
Chosen 1 HIA ultra-stout son
King Cobra HIA extremely fancy son
Big Shooter THF Fu son
Red Rocky 2 (Red Hot!)
Sparks will Fly with the HOTTEST Sires now available! (573) 641-5270 for a free directory or view online at cattlevisions.com THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
Showtime Fireball Mega-exciting!
Lover boy JBSF Logic Extremely popular calving ease Simmy! Full sisters were Grand & Res at SM JR Nat’l
May 2021
Conley Express 7211 Exciting new sire of champs!
3
! e m o c l We Thanks for joining us! We are a free, premier livestock publication featuring and serving seedstock and commercial beef producers nationwide. Raising cattle is so much more than a hobby; it is our livelihood and our passion. We understand that, and in every issue want you to see not only incredible cattle, but also relatable, entertaining, and informative editorial features for the producer with 5 or 500 head. To us, you are more than reader or advertiser; you are a beef producer. We are committed to doing our best for you, every day. Please feel free to communicate with us, your input is appreciated.
BILL SCHERMER, Owner/Herd Consultant 641.425.2641 | bill@stockmanmag.com
KATIE DELANEY JOHNSON, Managing Editor 507.820.0803 | katie@stockmanmag.com
Bill and his wife, Nancy, have made their living in the cattle industry. He has provided marketing services for purebred and commercial breeders since 1970. Schermer Angus Cattle continues to be active in the NJAA and raises quality cattle near Clarion, IA. As owner of The Stockman, Bill leads by example providing producers with the highest level of customer service.
Katie serves as editor, graphic designer, and manager of the day-to-day operations of The Stockman. She is proud to work with and deliver a quality product to folks in the beef industry. She and husband, Neil, raise their three kids, registered Angus and Hereford cattle, and showpigs in their family operation, Dandy Acres Enterprises, in southwest Minnesota.
MAKAYLA FLOWER, Graphics
MARIA OPHEIM, Social
Media Mgr.
Makayla provides graphic design services to customers with many years of experience in the industry. She and her husband, Jared, along with their four kids raise Herefords and SimAngus seedstock near Morris, MN. Contact Makayla at 605.690.6050 or makayla@stockmanmag.com
A Minnesota girl from a diverse cow/calf operation, Maria has a passion for agriculture and is happy to promote producers through The Stockman’s social media platforms. She and husband, Cade, reside in Mound City, SD on a 5th generation ranch.
HILARY ROSSOW, Editorial
Assistant
Hilary Rossow grew up in eastern SD on a commercial cow/calf ranch. Dubbed by her friends, “The Grammar Hammer”, Hilary loves writing and proofing when her skills are requested. She and husband, Brian, are SDSU alumni and now reside in Lakefield, MN.
Contributing Writers in this Issue
Joslyn Beard Dr. Vince Collison Justin Fruechte B. Lynn Gordon
May 2021
Contact Us
4
Jared Knock Kirk Lynch Kacie McCarthy Travis Mulliniks
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The Stockman (ISSN 2694-1740), Vol. 3, No. 5, is published by Katie Johnson/The Stockman Magazine LLC, 456 41st St., Jasper, MN 56144, monthly, except June and July. Periodicals postage paid at Pipestone, Minnesota and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Stockman, PO Box 115, Pipestone, MN 56164.
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MEET OUR TEAM TY BAYER 715.573.0153 tcreds@gmail.com
BRIGHAM STEWART / MEGAN COLLISON 785.747.8028 megancol@iastate.edu Brigham works alongside his parents at Mid Continent Farms, their large, multi-breed cow/calf operation in Kansas. Megan will graduate from ISU as a DVM in the spring of 2021 and is a big part of her family’s Angus herd and Veterinary Clinic in Iowa.
BRANDON CREAMER 970.596.4965 creamer _ b _ 150@hotmail.com Brandon owns Lazy JB Angus with his parents and sister in Montrose, CO. Raised in the cattle industry, he has a true passion for it and loves marketing quality cattle throughout the US.
CORBIN COWLES 270.991.2534 corbin.cowles@uky.edu
ZAC HALL 701.595.6887 zac@fortelivestock.com
Zac is active in his family’s operation, Hall Stock Farm, near Berthold, ND raising registered Angus, Sim-Angus and commercial cattle. He loves working with livestock and youth and as a Livestock Judging Coach.
TRAVIS HOFER / SAGE HOFER 605.553.2547 hofercattle@goldenwest.net Travis and Sage live near Bridgewater, SD where there run a cattle operation and a diversified crop farm alongside family. They both have a true passion for the livestock industry and enjoy helping other producers.
RON HINRICHSEN 785.770.0222 rlangus@bluevalley.net
ETHAN JOHNSON 859.340.2859 ethanbjohn11@icloud.com
JOHN KUELPER 309.582.6335 johnkuelper47@gmail.com
When not coaching the University of Kentucky Livestock Judging Team, you’ll find Corbin working at his family’s Angus & Simmental operation. He has a deep passion for good people and good cattle, and takes great pride in helping others within the industry.
For the past 30 years, Ron, his wife, Lynne, and their two children have owned and operated Hinrichsen Ranch, a registered Angus ranch in Westmoreland, KS. He has an extensive background in the agricultural industry and is excited to put it to work for each of his customers.
MARK SULLIVAN 816.304.0050 marksullivancattle@gmail.com Mark Sullivan is a familiar face to many having worked for Sullivan Supply for many years. Mark brings many years of experience to The Stockman. Mark and his wife, Linda, and two children, Erin and Leo, live in Woodbine, Iowa and have a small herd of Charolais cattle. THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
Ethan grew up on a cow/ calf Angus operation in central KY, but now resides in Nebraska. His experience managing a seedstock operation and his professionalism ring-side will serve producers well.
John and his wife, Jessica, live in west central Illinois where they raise Simmental and Hereford show cattle. They have 4 children who all show livestock. Helping producers market their livestock successfully and providing professional ring services are his top goals as a consultant.
Providing the
highest
level of customer service.
follow us! @thestockmanmag
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May 2021
Ty works alongside his family in their purebred operations, Country Lane Farm and TC Reds near Ringle, WI. An advocate for youth programs and dedicated cow/calf man, he is excited to help producers merchandise their cattle.
5
In this Issue
12
P rofiles
12 | IMPROVING FOOT SCORES Observation and culling is key.
30 | VALUE OF A VISION
One man’s vision leads to natural beef program.
Extension Education
16 | OPTIMAL BREEDING SEASON LENGTH
16
courtesy University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Leading the Way
24 | MASTER MENTORS
with B. Lynn Gordon, Leader Consulting, LLC
Seeds in Season
24
42 | GRAZING OPPORTUNITIES with Justin Fruechte and Jared Knock, Millborn Seeds
Veterinarian V iew
46 | TIMING TIPS FOR AI
with Dr. Vince Collison, Collison Veterinary Services.
Kitchen Stock
30
50 | FEATURING STYLES ANGUS
in the kitchen with Erica Styles, Brentford, SD
Sale Barn S tudy
54 | SPRING AS SPRUNG
with Kirk Lynch, Humeston Livestock Exchange
42
Stockman S traight Up May 2021
58 | FEATURING BITTERSWEET ACRES
6
Q&A with Greg Wood, Greenville, IA
cover image by Torie Egger Photography Don Johnson Angus, Salina, Kans.
KATIE DELANEY JOHNSON, Managing Editor 507.820.0803 | katie@stockmanmag.com
Editor’s Note
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grandparents. With Mother’s Day and Father’s Day coming up, I felt our May cover an ode to grandparents. To the grandpas who work tirelessly in hopes that one day a grandkid might fall in love with an animal on his farm, or better yet, the farm itself. To the grandmas who invite little fingers to messy her kitchen making cupcakes for the crew in the picture pen. To those who stay home to do chores. To the ones that are always cheering ringside. Without you, we would not know the joys of agriculture. Thank you, and Happy Mother’s Day, Happy Father’s Day to all. Those of us raising our farm kids with help from our parents are so very, very fortunate. We made it - another ten issues down, but ending on a high note for Beef Month! We are due for a bit of break, but we’ll see you back here in August!
Katie materials due
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October 10
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May 2021
publication date
7
Iron Horse ...
has proven himself to be a calving ease sire that stamps his progeny with awesome genomics. His calves have been in very high demand this sale season.
SEMEN: $40.00/STRAW REG. +*19415015
BIGK/WSC
025F
Iron Horse Sire: EXAR STALLION 7986 Dam: EXAR HENRIETTA PRIDE 5702 CED
BW
WW
YW
MILK MARB REA
$W
$M
$B
$C
May 2021
+10 +1.7 +86 +155 +28 +.87 +1.30 +89 +71 +205 +337
8
14603 Highway KK, Lebanon, Missouri 65536 Eddie & Adam Currier, Proprietors Office: (417) 288-4444 Vince Roberts, General Manager (318) 470-0050
Dam: EXAR HENRIETTA PRIDE 5702
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Where do you think the phrase “dropping like flies” came from? Count on Y-TEX ® insecticide ear tags to knock out flies, ticks and lice. Insect pests can wreak havoc on your cattle, from reducing weight gains to carrying costly diseases like pink eye. That’s why it pays to protect your herd with the proven performance of Y-TEX® insecticide ear tags. Y-TEX® tags control a wide range of livestock pests, including horn flies, face flies, stable flies, black flies, Gulf Coast and spinose ear ticks and lice.
Always read and follow label directions. All brands shown are trademarks or registered trademarks of Y-TEX® Corporation. © 2020 Y-TEX® Corporation.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
May 2021
So when it’s time to protect your cattle from flies, ticks and lice, look for the insecticide tags that put a stop to profit-robbing pests: TRI-ZAP ™, MAX 40 ™, XP 820 ®, WARRIOR™,PYthon®, PYthon® Magnum™, and OPtimizer® from Y-TEX®.
9
S r e weet t t i B
Offering sons of S A V Raindance 6848
ACRES
TOP 1/3 OF BULLS - and -
SELECT GROUP OF FEMALES FOR SALE
Offering sons of PVF Insight 0129
Greg Wood (712) 260-5691 Chris Wood (712) 260-5692 2255 390th St. Spencer, IA 51301
SERVICES
Multiple A.I. techs with average 15 YEARS EXPERIENCE!
A.I. SEMEN SALES
● Provide direct semen and supply sales
Charles ‘Ryan’ Ridge (260) 235-1422 Nitty Gritty Arm Service LLC ABS Representative
May 2021
Base d
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● Timed A.I. in medium (30-100 head) to large (>100 head) herds ● Knowledgeable in all sync protocols to fit customers’ needs
● Able to breed mass amounts of cattle in a day through a sync program ● Repro consulting in the club calf, commercial beef, and commercial dairy industry
● ABS representative that has full access to all of ABS Global beef lineup plus a large club calf lineup
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May 2021 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
11
ve YOUR HERD’S ImproFOOT SCORES WITH OBSERVATION AND CULLING
by Harold Bertz, RAAA Directory of Commercial Marketing reprinted with permission, Red Angus Magazine
D iligent observation and subsequent action play a primary role in improving foot and leg structure. While it takes a little self-education and a bit of time, with practice and perseverance, producers can significantly improve the foot scores of their entire herd in a few generations. Six ways to improving feet in your herd: 1) Pay close attention to the feet in your herd; it all starts with observation. 2) Cull every animal with poor feet — make no exceptions. 3) Market no bad-footed animals as breeding stock — their place is the feedlot. 4) Make certain that your herd bull(s) and AI sires meet high standards for foot quality. 5) Scrutinize the feet of your replacement heifer candidates — make it key criteria as to whether a female is kept and bred or not.
May 2021
6) Talk to other Red Angus breeders about which pedigrees and bloodlines produce poor-footed cattle and avoid them.
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Red Angus staff members have diligently approached methods to increase awareness and ways to correct feet issues. One action was to send each RAAA member a
laminated foot and leg scoring reference. These are designed to be placed where you are most likely to see your animals. For example, hang it next to your working chute enabling you to refer to the guide while working cattle. I encourage all of us to be constantly mindful of feet issues in our herds and utilize the scoring guide. Remember, a correct foot in beef cattle includes claw shape, size and angle. The angle of the pastern also plays into the correctness of the foot. Score both on a 1-to-9 scale, where 5 is the ideal score.
Observe claw shape when scoring the front foot. The claws should not touch or cross over. The gap between the claws should be narrow and a straight line, not spaced more at the top of the foot which could lead to the claws touching at the bottom of the foot and crossing over.
After observation, the next step is to cull every animal with poor feet – make no exceptions. Culling animals, especially registered cattle, is an inherently difficult process and can have significant economic impacts on a herd. As a rule, it is more cost effective to cull young animals prior to their entering a breeding cycle than animals after they have entered the herd. This makes the foot evaluation of young animals an especially important part of the keep-cull equation for breeders. The key is to identify animals with suspect feet, or feet that fall in the 1-4 or 6-9 categories
On the back foot, evaluate the depth of the heel. Structure will influence how hooves wear, therefore a poorly structured bull tends to have worse feet. The angle of the hoof’s hairline should be the same as the angle of the base of the hoof.
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Feet and leg soundness are important traits that can increase longevity in the herd. The Beef Improvement Federation has recommended the collection of three feet and leg phenotypes to obtain data on structural soundness. These phenotypes include hoof claw shape, hoof angle and rear hock angle. For all three measurements, scores range from 1-9 with a score of 5 considered ideal. Scores 4 and 6 show slight variation from ideal but are considered acceptable. Scores 3 and 7 show greater variation from ideal but are considered borderline acceptable for a commercial herd. Such scores are not generally acceptable for seedstock operations. Scores 2 and 8 should be looked at as possible cull animals. Scores 1 and 9 are definite cull animals. When scoring feet, the following guidelines should be followed: • Animals should be scored prior to hoof trimming. • For claw shape and hoof angle, score each animal’s worst hoof (front or back). • Animals should be scored on a dry, flat and hard surface. • Age at measurement: a. Score yearling bulls and heifers between 270-500 days of age. b. Score mature females at weaning when collecting mature weight and body condition scores. c. Scoring mature bulls will not likely contribute to genetic evaluation due to limited contemporary information. • Score all animals within a group on the same day. • Variation must exist in submitted scores to determine genetic differences.
On these identified cattle, put extreme pressure on mating decisions that can help to improve or possibly eliminate poor feet through genetic selection. On any of their daughters you might consider keeping in the herd, I suggest their feet must rate a 5 in both categories at weaning, yearling and breeding before THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
making the financial commitment to keep them as a bred heifer in the herd. By disposing of the young heifers with feet problems, you are still able to receive a fair market value and not continue the cycle of poor feet in your herd. Using this method, you will see a notable decline in the number of heifers you have to cull for undesirable foot scores.
Identification, selection and action are all parts of correcting feet in a herd. Doing so in a manner that keeps us at a profitable level of culling is also mandatory. By never letting a low or high foot score female enter the breeding herd, disciplined progress can be made to eliminating poor feet. May 2021
in Foot and Leg Scoring Reference guide.
13
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thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
May 2021 THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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May 2021 16
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
123 Years of Producing Registered Angus Cattle
44th Annual Production Sale
E
SU
YSLOP NN
Monday • 1 pm
June 7, 2021
Lanesboro Sales Commission • Lanesboro, MN Previewing Sunday, June 6 at the farm
SINCE 1898
Selling bulls and heifers by sires with $Values in the top 10% of the breed!!
S S Enforcer E812 19274932
The 2019 top-selling bull at ORIgen!
$M +80 4% $W +95 1% $F +130 1% $G +72 5% $B +202 1% $C +342 1%
• Co-owned by Spruce Mountain Ranch LLC • Judson & Denise Baldridge • Al & Jeanne Conover
S S Enterprise E84 19274918
• Co-owned by Valley View Angus
$M +79 5% $W +86 3% $F +143 1% $G +78 3% $B +222 1% $C +367 1%
The 2019 2nd high-selling bull at ORIgen!
S S Odyssey H71 18944850 The 2018 top-selling bull!
$M $W $F $G $B $C
+81 +91 +126 +68 +193 +331
3% 2% 1% 10% 1% 1%
• Co-owned by Martens Angus Farm
Sale cattle sired by: S S Enforcer E812, S S Enterprise E84, S S Odyssey H71, S S Absolute B66, SydGen Enhance, GB Fireball, S S Hoover Dam H27, Byergo Black Magic, S S Great Northern, G A R Scale House and Thomas Edison.
E 1898
Lanesboro, MN 55949 Philip Abrahamson (507) 467-3701 Keith Ekstrom (507) 676-7763 ssangus@acegroup.cc
Visit: www.ssangus.com and see our strongest lineup yet!
May 2021
S
SINC
Request a sale book: EPDs as of 3/15/21
NYSLO UN
PE
All animals in this sale have had genomic and ultrasound tests with all bulls having a breeding soundness exam.
17
Extension Education
University research you can use.
Joslyn Beard, Livestock Specialist, University of Arizona Kacie McCarthy, UNL Cow-Calf Specialist Travis Mulliniks, UNL Beef Cattle Nutritionist, Range Production Systems beef.unl.edu
SELECTING AN OPTIMUM BREEDING SEASON LENGTH D
May 2021
ecisions in livestock production are never simple, but rather complex. Each decision or change in management results in multiple changes or outcomes downstream of the resulting change. One example of this would be changing breeding season length. The duration of breeding season is often discussed with two production goals in mind, 1) creating a consistent calf crop and 2) increasing
18
pounds of weaned calf. Both of which can be done by having a shorter breeding season and then shortened calving period, which is a positive and beneficial goal and change. However, does a shortened breeding season optimize the entire production system? Maintaining a short breeding season (i.e., 45-day breeding season or less), thus producing a shortened calving season, provides a more
concentrated monitoring period during calving, and ultimately produces more uniform and heavier calves. For instance, a cow calving within the first 21 days of a calving season results in heavier weighing calves at weaning and increases her chance to cycle back prior to the next breeding season. On the other hand, a shortened breeding season has its disadvantages related to reproductive performance and
Each decision or change in management in a livestock production system results in multiple changes or outcomes downstream of the resulting change. Photo credit Troy Walz.
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
potentially selling more open cull cows. Following the traditional weaning time frame of being in the fall, market prices for cull cows are going to be lower when sold in the fall. Therefore, producers may want to take advantage of seasonal market trends and consider holding culls until market prices are higher, which is typically during the spring months. Another option within this model to increase value in cull cows would be rebreeding open cows for a fall calving season. A study done at UNL reported that rebreeding open cows and selling in April rather than open cull cows in November increased profitability of the system (2016 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, pp 11-13). However, instead of retaining and feeding open cull cows months after preg checking to market later, there may be an additional management decision to consider for producers
to make to increase profitability. Shortened breeding and calving periods may be optimum for one side of the production system; however, it may lead to decreased revenue potential in other parts of the system. In contrast to a shorter breeding/calving period, a longer breeding season provides more opportunities for cows to become pregnant. For instance, previous research at UNL (Deutscher et al., 1991) reported pregnancy rates were 84, 89, and 94% for 30-, 45-, and 70-day breeding season lengths, respectively. This does lead to an increased calving period and increased distribution of calf weights at weaning the subsequent year. However, extending the breeding season creates an opportunity to sell cows that would have potentially been sold as open cull cows as pregnant, later calving cows. Selling late bred cows in the
fall may be an option to increase revenue without increasing input expenses while maintaining a tighter calving period the subsequent year. Pregnancy detection can be done as early as 30 days post breeding, but for most herds pregnancy checking is done at weaning which is 3-5 months after the start of the breeding season. By extending the breeding season by another 30 days, cows are given one more estrus cycle to become bred and still be in the window of pregnancy detection at weaning. Additionally, extending the breeding season to rebreeding cull cows for fall markets can offer the additional value without the added feed cost associated with retaining opens for the spring market. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, UNL Beef Interviews with the authors of BeefWatch newsletter articles become available throughout the month of publication and are accessible at https://go.unl.edu/podcast.
STOCKMAN DESIGN SERVICES catalogs. brochures. flyers. postcards. mailers. business cards. you name it!
katie@stockmanmag.com THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
May 2021
Contact us �or a quote!
19
*Connealy Armory *Connealy Blackhawk 6198 #Precious of Conanga 380X
CED
BW
WW
YW
RADG
-1
+3.0
+115
+191
95%
85%
1%
1%
DMI
YH
+.30 +2.75 +1.5 10%
95%
1%
SC
Doc
+1.90
+31
3%
3%
+Rito 707 of Ideal 3407 7075 +*SAV Blackcap May 4549 *SAV Blackcap May 4136
Claw
Angle
HP
CEM
MILK
MW
MH
$EN
+.64
+.44
+10.9
+3
+17
+164
+1.4
-63
CW
Marb
+84
-.10
95%
25%
55%
95%
95%
1%
1%
95%
1%
95%
RE
Fat
$M
+.77 -.013 +50 20%
20%
75%
$W
#*Connealy Arsenal 2174 #Ebba of Conanga 808 #*Connealy Consensus 7229 JMc Precious Layla 8390 3303 #RR Rito 707 Ideal 3407 of 1418 076 #SAV 8180 Traveler 004 #+SAV May 2397
$F
$G
+98 +107 +22 1%
10%
95%
$B
$C
+128 +216 55%
65%
If you are looking for scale-bending growth numbers that will take your program to the next level, look no further! Chain Breaker is a high-numbered individual who ranks in the top 1% of the Angus breed in seven categories. He also had a birth ratio of 84, weaning ratio of 128 and stems from a dam with progeny production record of WR 1@106, UREA 2 @113. Dam is a full sister to the AI sires SAV Resource 1441, SAV Renown 3439, SAV Recharge 3436 and maternal sister to the $750,000 SAV President 6847; $725,000 SAV Pedigree 4834, $460,000 SAV Rainfall 6846, $235,000 SAV Seedstock 4838, $650,000 SAV Sensation 5615, $450,000 SAV Raindance 6848 along with an array of other past top sellers.
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Wayne Fischer 815-266-6260 wfischer@fischerinc.com Joe Fischer
Jeff Riley Chad Morrissey 608-778-7066 www.rileybrothersangus.com
800-664-6175 402-267-1144 info@sirebuyer.com
EPDs as of 1/27/21
May 2021
SAV Blackcap May 4136, the grandam, is the top-income producing cow in the breed with an astonishing $9.5 million in progeny receipts on 191 direct sons and daughters averaging $49,583 in past Schaff Angus Valley sales.
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
RANGE BULLS & FEMALES FOR SALE YEAR ROUND | PRIVATE TREATY
Dave 712.210.6378 | Chance 712.210.6893 | Shayne 712.210.6895 | Trey 712.210.6376 31554 Delta Ave., Manning, Iowa 51455 | wieseandsons.com
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
May 2021
For over a century, we’ve committed ourselves to develop high-quality Hereford genetics for the betterment of the commercial cattle industry. We invite you to the ranch to view first hand our easy doin’ and uniform set of range bulls and replacement heifers. Our goal is your success, so let us help you find the right genetics for your program that’ll surely add profit to your bottom line.
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Leading the Way
How leadership works on the ranch.
contributed article by B. Lynn Gordon Leader Consulting, Sioux Falls, S.D. leaderconsulting.biz
MASTER MENTORS M
y Dad was born during the Great Depression. Money was tight, and there was always a need for extra hands to help with the farm chores. He was only able to attend school until 8th Grade because it was important he help farm the land and raise cattle to keep the family fed and income coming in. He was like many in his generation. As a result, his knowledge had to come from outside the schoolhouse. It would have to be gained from practical hands-on experience and learning from others. With his eagerness to learn, he realized watching and studying what others in agriculture did and asking questions would allow him to gain the knowledge he could apply to reach his goal of being a leading seedstock producer.
May 2021
My Dad had a long list of cattlemen and farmers who were willing mentors. He referred to these individuals as “Master Farmers” or “Master Cattlemen.” He had great admiration for these agriculturalists, aware his success stemmed from these individuals’ willingness to share their time and talents with “a young farm kid”.
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As I interviewed Jerry Talsma, Art Handel, and Jim Birdwell, featured in The Stockman’s recent three-part series, Unsung Heros,
each of them discussed how individuals they respected guided and mentored them along the way, and in turn, they are now filling those shoes and serving as mentors to the next generation of fitters, field men, and auctioneers. Mentors are so valuable. They serve as role models, sounding boards, provide advice and guidance. They can cheer you on or act as a devil’s advocate. They are objective, teach new skills, help you develop confidence, and challenge you to grow and develop in your career or business. Mentor relationships can be informal and unstructured like many of the relationships my Dad had with fellow cattlemen. However, some mentorships can be formal, where actionable and measurable goals are set and defined, similar to mentorship programs developed with young cattlemen’s organizations and senior members of the organization.
FINDING A MENTOR As the saying goes, “Lifelong learning keeps us young.” You’re never too old to have a mentor. You may be 40 years into breeding cattle and can still benefit from seeking advice from other Stockmen.
Where should you begin? Create a list of five to ten people you admire with whom you have a connection. For example, a fellow member of your state cattlemen’s organization or breed association. What do you admire most about their experience and expertise. Do you want to learn about their ability to market bulls to commercial cattlemen or how they incorporated rotational grazing into their program to cut feed costs? Not all your mentors have to represent a specific topic area. For example, my Dad selected masters in different areas such as genetics, nutrition, and fitting and showing cattle. Each of these mentors will help you develop different skill sets to a greater extent. Mentors might be a trusted friend, a colleague, a fellow cattleman, or your banker. Select individuals with not only great abilities and knowledge but also that you know you can communicate with. The connection will be the key. You want to be comfortable talking with and discussing issues. Your goal in selecting a mentor is to learn and benefit from someone else’s expertise on a particular subject or learn about a process or procedure. Mentoring relationships are often
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
(l-r) Gabe Connealy, Connealy Angus, Whitman, Neb., visits with Master Mentors, Dave Nichols, Nichols Genetics, Bridgewater, Iowa and David Buldoc, Cudlobe Angus, Stavely, Alberta at the 2019 National Angus Convention, Reno, Nev.
It might seem logical that one of your mentors is your supervisor, manager, or boss. It’s no doubt you will learn from them but choosing a supervisor as your mentor can make it difficult for them to have an objective view.
BECOMING A MENTOR There are many benefits to being a mentor. The opportunity to expand your viewpoints as you learn from a different generation gaining new ideas and insight as you guide your mentee. Mentors also can strengthen their own skills. They can enhance their leadership and communication skills. The most essential service of a mentor is the
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
reassurance that you are providing value to another individual that allows them to reach their goals and strive to achieve success. Mentoring can bring you great pride. In my Dad’s time, choosing a mentor meant selecting someone he could visit with face-to-face or by making a phone call. Times have changed. My nephew participated in a formalized mentoring program developed by a cattlemen’s association connecting leaders. Due to technology, he selected a mentor who lived 750 miles away and was an expert on the topic of grazing. E-mentoring allows for virtual face-to-face relationships to be developed through regular communication utilizing social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Mentorship relationships now can happen without geographical boundaries. Coaching has become a buzzword and it’s important to understand the difference between
coaching and mentoring. Coaching tends to focus on the here-andnow problems, whereas mentoring focuses on the future, the development of broader skills, knowledge, and experiences, whereas mentoring is a transfer of knowledge through targeted and individualized feedback. The bottom line for mentors and mentees, be aware that the most productive mentoring relationship occurs when it works for both parties involved. Editors Note: The author’s dad was Bob
Gordon, Kinnaber Cattle Co., Souris, Manitoba, Canada.
B. Lynn Gordon, Ph.D., Leader Consulting, LLC. Sioux Falls, S.D. Lynn is an agricultural freelance writer and leadership consultant with an extensive background in the livestock industry. She can be reached at lynn@leaderconsulting.biz or through her blog at www.leaderconsulting.biz
May 2021
long-term. They are not one short conversation. They involve discussing, practicing, evaluating, and re-trying processes or researching information. Be considerate of your mentor’s time by being focused and prepared during discussions.
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e u l va VISION of a
by B. Lynn Gordon photos courtesy Meyer Natural Angus Beef
May 2021
One man’s vision leads to the prosperity of natural beef program.
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thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
N
othing tastes better than a juicy steak on the grill. With May designated as National Beef Month, the summer grilling season kicks off, and families gather to enjoy beef. Many beef companies look forward to the grilling season because of the spike in demand for their products. However, what influences beef demand today is much different than what the industry has witnessed in the past. Companies now closely monitor and measure consumer preferences to continually modify the marketing and supply of their products to satisfy customers.
FROM RANCH TO RETAIL When Robert Meyer decided to return to his agricultural roots, he began with the purchase of a ranch located west of the Continental Divide along Montana’s Big Blackfoot River Valley, near Helmville, Mont. From his first ranch purchase, he continued to piece together land creating the largest working ranch in the valley: Meyer Company Ranch. The ranch was the foundation for the development of Meyer Natural Angus.
Meyer had the vision of providing high-quality, consistent beef, unlike what he had experienced the industry was producing in the 1980s. He knew if consumers were going to continue to eat beef, product quality needed to improve. He made it his mission to find a way to achieve this.
May 2021
One example is Meyer Natural Angus, a progressive branded beef
company whose goal is to provide a high-quality, consistent, natural beef product to meet customer needs.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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He began by stocking the ranch with 100% Red Angus and Red Angus-influenced genetics. The research he conducted confirmed that to achieve a quality and consistent beef product, he could do so from Red Angus cattle, taking advantage of the increased marbling associated with the breed. The cattle raised at Meyer Company Ranch in Montana were the first cattle to enter the branded beef program. The ranch was and continues today to be a test site for the program allowing for hands-on fine-tuning of protocols to enhance the program and the end-product.
HUMANE HANDLING A firm believer in raising quality cattle with stewardship of the land and humane treatment of the cattle at the forefront, Meyer incorporat-
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Meyer Company Ranch Headquarters sits at the base of the Big Blackfoot mountains.
ed these elements into the program from day one. All cattle entering the program must meet Meyer Natural Foods Humanely Handled Program standards, a third-party-verified program developed and endorsed by the esteemed cattle handling specialist, Dr. Temple Grandin of Colorado State University. Grandin worked together
“The focus on humane-handling and all-natural cattle logically fit together.”
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May 2021
Sorting calves that will qualify for Meyer Natural Beef program.
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Iowa, the Dakotas, and Eastern Nebraska were well suited to the program because they typically did not implant or feed Rumensin, explains Angell. Thus, producing cattle to fit the natural focus was adequately aligned with the type and methods typical to these cattle regions.
Meyer Company Ranch, Helmville, Mont., is a test site for the added value natural program.
with Meyer Natural Angus representatives to outline proper handling practices for different tiered level specifications so the company could target numerous niche markets. From the beginning, natural was also a required specification. Only cattle raised without the use of added hormones or antibiot-
ics were eligible. “The focus on humane-handling and all-natural cattle logically fit together,” says Blake Angell, Gove, Kan., a cattle buyer for Meyer Natural Angus, “thus both are an integral part of our program.” “Sourcing cattle originated with the small producer,” says Angell. Farmer feeders in Minnesota,
Over the years, sourcing cattle from the base of smaller feeders has continued. Yet, the larger, more conventional feedyards have now become better equipped to feed out cattle for non-hormone, non-antibiotic programs as well.
GROWING PROGRAMS Growth continued for Meyer Natural Angus when they bought out Coleman Natural Beef in 2008. A pioneer in natural programs, Coleman Natural Beef was started in
May 2021
Blake Angell with Meyer Natural Angus describes the company’s branded beef program from ranch to rail to meat buyers.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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Meyer Natural Angus products are often sold directly to customers at retail outlets.
the 1970s and had already broken ground into this new market, providing a solid base for the Meyer program to access and build upon.
May 2021
“Meyer Natural Angus is our flagship label,” says Angell. Yet, the company continues to be at the forefront of listening to what their customers are saying and not holding back. They continue to develop cutting-edge label programs to fit numerous niche markets. One of those labels is “Local Harvest”.
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Cattle produced for Local Harvest must be raised and fed in the northeastern part of the U.S. This geographic-specific program stipulates an 11-state area from North Carolina to the upper Northeast where the cattle must spend at least
100 days of their life to qualify for the Local Harvest label. “The demand is high for Local Harvest labeled products,” says Angell. “Consumers in the northeastern U.S. are very interested in purchasing local and knowing where their food comes from.” Consumers and customers are also telling the Meyer team they would like to purchase a grass-fed product. Currently, the company is working on the development and launch of a grass-fed label. The majority of the beef products produced through Meyer Natural Angus are sold through retail, but a small percentage is offered to customers dining at foodservice establishments. Prominent retail outlets
across the high-plains carry the Meyer branded product. However, you will not always find the Meyer Natural Angus name on products displayed in the meat case. Grocery store chains often chose to re-label and sell products like Meyer Natural Angus under their house label brand. “Some smaller, regional grocery stores will not change the name, carrying it through to the point of sale,” notes Angell.
VERIFIED BEEF Angell’s role is to work with cattle feeders to source cattle. He writes contracts with feeders who either choose to own and feed out their own cattle that qualify for the Meyer Natural Angus specifi-
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Primary
PROGRAM PIECES NO ANTIBIOTICS OR ADDED HORMONES The Meyer Natural Foods Humanely Handled Program includes the highest levels of integrity. The program complies with both the USDA and the cattle industry’s best practices for humane handling.
VEGETARIAN DIET The cattle are never fed animal by-products.
ANGUS BEEF Red and Black Angus cattle with a validated genetic history ensure the valued eating experience based on marbling and tenderness associated with Angus genetics.
NO ANTIBIOTICS The USDA applies the term “natural” to foods which are minimally processed without artificial ingredients. Meyer Natural Angus consists of beef raised without added hormones or antibiotics on a vegetarian diet of grains and grasses.
May 2021
USDA PRIME & USDA CHOICE Meyer Natural Angus offers the two top grades for beef. USDA Prime and USDA Choice.
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
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Meyer Natural Angus Blackened New York Strip steak.
cations or with feedlots who have purchased or custom-feed natural, hormone-free cattle. The company doesn’t feed out any cattle to harvest weight themselves. Most of the program cattle are custom harvested. The Local Harvest label cattle are processed in Pennsylvania. For additional markets who have further verification standards, specific harvest days are set up at the plant to isolate the cattle and ensure traceability.
May 2021
Meyer Natural Angus affidavits are required throughout the entire process from birth to harvest, in addition to any verification records other marketing companies might require. “We need to have full compliance in our program, despite some of our partner companies having their own third-party verification protocols.”
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“One-hundred percent of our inventory is contracted in advance,”
says Angell. This is because the verification specs must be met throughout the life cycle of the animal. “We don’t come in and purchase anything late in the process because we need to be able to verify each step along the production cycle. Cow/calf producers sign an affidavit confirming the natural from birth claim. Because of the need to contract in advance, Angell noted the company is booked full for cattle to be delivered in 2021 and he is starting to negotiate with producers for 2022 contracts and delivery.
non-hormone supply impacts product’s availability, but so does the grade. Meyer Natural Angus label is only used on Choice and Prime USDA graded carcasses. The company has experienced three straight years averaging 95% or higher Choice and Prime end-product. Despite 2020 being impacted with COVID-19 and sending shockwaves through the food production chain, Meyer Natural
The focus placed on humane handling and
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
Meyer Natural Angus Ribeye steaks.
Because a premium is not paid directly to cow/calf producers, commercial and seedstock producers interested in targeting their
herds for programs such as Meyer Natural Angus can begin by developing superior genetics centered around Angus. Then, by retaining ownership or partnering with a feedyard, they open the door to being rewarded for the added value associated with their cattle. “Owning the cattle from birth to harvest allows producers the opportunity
to capture maximum value,” says Angell.
GROWING VISION Today, what started as one man’s vision remains the only branded beef program owned by one individual. “Meyer Natural Angus has tripled in size regarding to the number of cattle harvested on an annual basis since 2006,” reports Angell. “The program started with one label and continues to add labels to reach the company’s initial goal.” Never losing sight of the vision to produce the highest quality, most consistent, natural beef available along with addressing consumer’s desire to consume additive-free, environmentally friendly, and humanely raised beef continues to drive the program’s growth. learn more meyernaturalangus.com
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May 2021
Angus reported a successful year. “Because retail is a larger customer for us than foodservice, when restaurants closed, we did not see the immediate decline in demand for our product.”
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UPCOMING
SPRING EVENTS
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
Saturday, May 1, 2021 • 3 PM CST
Humeston Livestock Exchange / Humeston, Iowa
Simmental and SimAngus Bulls, cow-calf pairs, open females and select frozen genetics
Alabama/Mississippi State Sale
Saturday, May 15, 2021 • 1 PM CST
Cullman Stockyard / Cullman, Alabama
Simmental and SimAngus Bulls, cow-calf pairs, open females and select frozen genetics
Missouri Simmental Spring Turnout Sale
Saturday, May 22, 2021 • 1 PM CST
Jones Brothers Livestock Auction / Boonville, MO
Simmental and SimAngus Bulls, cow-calf pairs, open females and select frozen genetics
Hook’s Eastwood 30C Selling Spring and Fall Walking Rights, No Semen Interest RCS Spring Turnout Sale
W/C RAPID FIRE 2101C Selling Spring and Fall Walking Rights, No Semen Interest RCS Spring Turnout Sale
FORD`S-WMCC REVOLUTION 60E Selling this Proven Sire RCS Spring Turnout Sale
JNR LEAP FORWARD G01 Two-Year-Old Virgin Bull
HRR BANKROLL H124 Yearling Bull
KSND MAKE BELIEVE Yearling Bull
HRLR/STF CORPORATE D022 Selling this Proven Herd Sire & Daughter
HL Revlon 430H Open Heifer
Selling a Maternal Sister by CDI Innovator with a MR SR 71 Right Now Bull Calf at Side
JNR LILAC INFORCE C04 Cow-Calf Pair with Heifer Calf at Side
JNR SHEZ MY KIND E05 Cow-Calf Pair with Heifer Calf at Side
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
RCS Spring Turnout Sale
Missouri Simmental Spring Turnout Sale
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May 2021
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Seeds in Season
Functional forage and pasture.
contributed article by Justin Fruechte, Forage & Cover Crop Specialist Millborn Seeds, Brookings, S.D. millbornseeds.com
GRAZING OPPORTUNITIES M
illborn Seeds recently hosted a meeting aimed at helping producers find funding opportunities to enhance grazing opportunities. This event was hosted free of charge with support from Millborn Seeds, Dakota Vision Ag, South Dakota Cattlemen’s Association, South Dakota Soil Health Coalition, Ducks Unlimited, and the World Wildlife Fund. A variety of cost-sharing programs and opportunities available to producers ranging from new pasture seedings to fencing and watering systems were discussed throughout the day. Jared Knock of Dakota Vision Ag and Millborn Seeds kicked off the meeting by sharing how he took 35 acres of pasture and 110 acres of farmland and converted them to 60 acres of pasture, 25 acres of hayland and 60 acres of farmland through applying different programs to different areas based on what was best for soil health and conservation practices in those acres.
3: Now is the time to embrace environmental funding opportunities. The day concluded with a panel of program experts from Ducks Unlimited and the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition answering producer questions and discussing the future of cost-share opportunities.
WHERE TO FIND COST-SHARING OPPORTUNITIES The most popular cost-sharing
programs are those created by federal agencies. The USDA has several programs available through the Farm Services Agency (FSA), Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The NRCS offers a wide variety of programs for financial and technical assistance. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
Producers walked away with three key takeaways:
May 2021
1: If you are planting a perennial, somebody will help you cost share it.
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2: If you want to plant cover crops, work it into your crop rotation and make money. Jared Knock and Justin Fruechte, both of Millborn Seeds, present at a recent event highlighted grazing opportunities in South Dakota.
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
sion and improve the management on working lands. Another great example of a wildlife organization promoting these practices is Ducks Unlimited. Ducks Unlimited is active in funding forage systems and will financially assist producers with cover crop plantings as well as native grass restoration. Attendees visit about grazing strategies at a recent event hosted by Millborn Seeds in Brookings, SD.
is a popular funding program that focuses on cost sharing practices like new range or pasture seedings, pasture management, and over-seeding projects. All programs within the NRCS are applied for and ranked on an application basis for funding.
Wildlife organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund, are working towards restoring cropland back to native grassland to support healthy wildlife populations. Because they understand the importance of native grasslands to wildlife and healthy ecosystems, they are developing programs to cost share those practices as well. In 2011 the World Wildlife fund established the Sustainable Ranching Initiative to partner with ranchers in the Northern Great Plains to protect grasslands from conver-
learn more millbornseeds.com Millborn Seeds, Brookings, SD The team of folks at Millborn Seeds have roots that run deep in farming, agriculture, and in the overall respect for the landscape. They opened their doors in 1987 and continue to walk alongside farmers, ranchers, and land owners across thousands of acres throughout the Midwest.
MILLBORNSEEDS.COM BROOKINGS, SD 605-697-6306
RAPID CITY, SD 605-646-4225
May 2021
State agencies have put together programs based on geographical needs. Specifically, in South Dakota, the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks has put together the Second Century Working Lands Habitat Program. Participants agree to establish a grass and wildflower mix on cropland acres for five years, and receive free
seed and a one-time payment of $150/acre at the beginning of the contract. Starting in the second growing season, participants can hay or graze the enrolled lands between August 1 and March 1, with haying limited to half the enrolled acres every year or the entire acreage every other year. The GFP also has cost-share options available for upland restoration, wetland creation and enhancement, and more.
This list of programs only begins to scratch the surface of available cost-share opportunities. It is important to remember that these organizations want to help you establish perennial grass; don’t become overwhelmed trying to fully understand each one. Cattle grazing the land is a positive scenario for agriculture, wildlife, and consumers. As producers, lets showcase this positivity and embrace the opportunities.
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May 2021
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Veterinarian View
Health & Reproduction questions answered and explained.
contributed article by Dr. Vince Collison, Collison Embryo | Collison Veterinary Services, Rockwell City, Iowa collisonembryo.com
TIMING FOR BEST RESULTS WITH ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION I
get asked a lot of questions related to when is the best time to perform artificial insemination (AI). My most common response is, “You breed your cows too late and your heifers too early.” That’s a generic statement, but many problems related to timing boil down to just that. Here are some details to consider when deciding the best time for AI: 1) Before semen can fertilize an ovulated oocyte, it will need time to capacitate. It takes about eight to ten hours for capacitation to occur. This process starts once sperm enters the uterus of the cow or heifer.
4) Once frozen semen is thawed and deposited in the cow’s uterus, it has about 24 hours of life span. So, timing has to be done with that in mind and allow adequate time to reach full capacitation. 5) When timing your AI, it should be based on when the cow starts standing for other cows to mount. Many times, people base it on when they first see a cow in heat. If heat-detecting twice a day, there can be many cows standing for 3-8 hours before they are observed in heat. Usually, people try to follow the AM / PM rule, but we feel they can hurt themselves on the cow side if they follow this
too strictly. We used to use the Heat Watch system, and there was always a fair amount of estrus activity at midnight. For example, if a cow started standing at 10 PM but isn’t observed in heat for the first time until 8 AM the next morning - and is then AI’d at 8 PM that night, she is already 22 hours into the estrus. If that cow ovulates at 27 hours or less, we haven’t given the semen enough time to capacitate. When using the Heat Watch system on the cows, we felt the best conception occurred when AI was performed 8-16 hours from the start of standing heat, with peak conception at 12-13 hours from the start of estrus. On the virgin heifers, we felt the best conception was 12-20 hours from the start of standing estrus, with a peak conception at about 16 hours. 6) So, for cows, consider performing AI a little earlier than later if in doubt as to when she started estrus. If checking heats first thing in the morning and cows look like they’ve been riding for a while, consider moving the AI up earlier in the day. We feel many of these cows should be bred around noon to 2 PM for the best results. If cows come in during late morning, they
May 2021
2) Once an oocyte is ovulated, it needs to be fertilized by capacitated sperm within one to two hours for the best chance of fertilization. After this amount of time, the oocyte can start to degenerate and lose the ability to fertilize very quickly.
3) Ovulation in cows occurs about 27 hours on average after the start of standing estrus (heat). Ovulation in heifers is usually delayed and can occur 30 hours or more after the start of standing heat.
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thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
may be more fertile to breed that night rather than waiting until the next morning. As a rule, we feel a cow has good fertility during the last half of her standing heat, so don’t be afraid to AI a cow that’s still standing. It may be more fertile than waiting until she goes out of heat.
8) Sexed semen is timed later for both cows and heifers. Sexed semen is capacitated from the sexing process and will not need the 8-10 hours that conventional semen needs to capacitate. Also, the sexing process will injure the semen enough that it won’t have as long a lifespan after thawing as conventional semen. Therefore, it is important to delay AI with sexed semen to compensate for these
factors and maintain reasonable fertility. We usually wait 16-22 hours to use sexed semen. These are a few key points to consider when timing your AI. We have based these guidelines on large numbers of beef cows and heifers, but like anything in biology, there are always outliers. There is always that one old cow that only settles when you wait 24 hours! So, use your best judgment when making your breeding decisions. learn more collisionembryo.com Dr. Vince Collison is co-owner of Collison Embryo | Collison Veterinary Services PAC in Rockwell City, Iowa.
May 2021
7) On virgin heifers, we prefer to wait longer for best results on AI. We have found that heifers bred at less than 12 hours from the start of standing heat will not be nearly as fertile as those given a bit more time. Once heifers have gone out of heat, they will stay fertile longer than cows. When heat-detecting virgin heifers, we feel ones that
start mid-morning and later will conceive better if they are bred the next morning rather than that night. As a rule, we will not perform AI on a virgin heifer unless she has been standing for a minimum of 12 hours.
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Annual Bull & Female Sale Last Friday each September
J.L Jeffries
419526 E. 1070 Rd • Checotah, OK 74426 Home: 918.473.6723 • Cell: 918.638.3317 Fax: 918.610.0016 Email: jeffriescattleco@windstream.net
GRAHAM ANGUS Groups of
at the farm!
George (641) 236-3833 Randy (641) 990-9911 nokotagenetics@aol.com 343 – 310th Ave. Gilman, IA 50106
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
May 2021
44 POINT AFTER
49
Where did you learn to cook?
“
My grandma taught me how to bake and I picked up some cooking from my dad, but he didn’t like a crowded kitchen. So, I basically taught myself with what I could pick up here and there when I left home after high school.
”
Favorite tips and tricks?
“
For how my brain works and how I cook, it is important to follow a recipe so it turns out exactly the same every time. Another trick I use that I actually just taught my daughter (I’m sure many cooks do the same) is to use kitchen scissors when you can. I use them to cut scallions, dough, bacon, etc.
”
What is your most requested dish?
“
I would say it probably is my lasagna, which blows my mind because it’s a very basic recipe and so easy to make!
”
What is your least favorite job in the kitchen?
In the kitchen with
Erica Styles
“
I am usually always in a hurry, so chopping, dicing, peeling - that kind of food prep is my least favorite job.
”
Styles Angus - Brentford, SD
n e ch Kit
STOCK
“
We are a four-generation family operation that consists of my father-in-law, Bob, my husband, Chris, and our two daughters Madison and Sawyer. Madison attends college at SDSU in Brookings, SD, and is close to getting her Pharmacy degree. Sawyer is 17 and a junior in High School, involved in everything and keeps us very busy. We run around 200 Angus cows in our
cow/calf operation and raise corn and soybeans in northeast South Dakota. We show Angus cattle all over the United States, and Chris also judges all over the United States. We are both active in the American Angus Association and American Angus Auxiliary.
May 2021
Cowboy approved recipes used by our favorite country cooks.
Tell us about yourself.
50
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
SIMPLE LASAGNA Erica Styles
1 1/2 lb ground beef 24 oz container Spaghetti sauce 1 egg, beaten 1 1/2 cup water 4 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese – divided 12 lasagna noodles, uncooked 15 oz container Ricotta cheese 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (you can used dried or emit it as well and it still tastes great) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown ground beef in a large skillet. Meanwhile, mix egg, 2 cups of the mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and the parsley until well blended then set mixture aside. Drain ground beef and return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Add water to empty spaghetti sauce container. Cover with lid and shake well. Add to meat mixture and stir until well blended. Spread 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish. Top with layer of uncooked lasagna noodles, 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture and 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining 3 noodles and remaining meat sauce.
NO PEEK SWISS STEA K Erica Styles
2 lb round steak, cu t into serving size pie (do not brown) ces 2 cans cream of mush room soup 1/2 packet Lipton dr y onion soup mix 3/4 cup milk Preheat oven to 325
degrees. Place round steak in 13x9 baking pan. Sprin kle dr y soup mix over meat. Mix cream of mushro om soup with milk an d pour over meat. Cover with foil and ba
ke for 3 hours NO PE
EK ING!
It makes it’s own gra vy, potatoes if you choose so ser ve with noodles or mashed !
Sprinkle with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Cover with greased foil. Bake 45 min. Remove foil, bake an additional 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting to serve. Makes 12 servings.
CL ASSIC STEAK BUTTER We just wrapped up our 43rd Production Sale on March 1st, 2021. We host our sale the first Monday of each March. Our 44th Production Sale is slated for March 7th, 2022.
”
1/2 lb unsalted butter, soften ed 1 teaspoon freshly ground bla ck pepper 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon roasted garlic
1 teaspooon finely chopped sha llots 1 teaspoon finely chopped par sley 1 teaspoon finely chopped sag e 1 teaspoon finely chopped ros emary
Cream butter in small bowl usin g a fork or electric mixer. Gradua lly blend in other ingredients. Place 2 to 3 teaspoons onto eac h hot, grilled or broiled steak. But ter will melt to form a sauce.
May 2021
learn more stylesangus.com
Erica Styles
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Matthews Coach’s Corral
Power Plus Genetics!
Edsel & Becky Matthews Steve & Cheryl Kepes
3721 E. State Hwy KK Fair Grove, MO 65648 417-838-4088 Email: matthewscoachscorral@gmail.com
Walridge established in 1910
W
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Farms
Erle Driscoll Family 2558 N Ave Williamsburg, Iowa 319-430-0820
605.925.7473 | 605sires.com Cory & Melissa Schrag, Owners 27666 443rd Ave I Marion, SD 57043 info@605sires.com
“The Cow Book” 904 North Mulford Lindenwood, Illinois, 61049 815-751-6314 www.cjbrownstudios.com cowpainter@t6b.com
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May 2021
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53
Sale Barn Study
A review of the current cattle market.
contributed article by Kirk Lynch Lynch Livestock Inc. and Humeston Livestock Exchange, Humeston, Iowa humestonlivestockexchange.com
SPRING HAS SPRUNG S
pring has sprung, and along with it, people seem to have positive attitudes and more optimism, with good reason. We have endured a year like none of us have ever seen in our lifetime includes some of the most volatile markets. The outlook for the rest of 2021 looks to be extremely promising, and I hope we can keep the momentum we have going in the cattle market through to the summer and fall.
May 2021
Even with corn continuing to rise in price, feeder cattle continue to bring excellent prices. The lighter-weight steers have been on fire as people are looking to put these things on grass. Grass calves are always hot in the spring, but it appears more people are trying to find ways to cheapen the cost of gain, thus putting light calves in even higher demand. We look for this to continue for the foreseeable future. The heavier calves have been
54
hanging in there, mostly due to the fat cattle market catching some fire. It is a lot easier giving a little more for 700-800 pounder even with the higher COG when you look at the futures, and they say we will be getting $1.25-1.30 for them as fats. Feeders should continue to be a hot commodity through the spring and summer going into fall. Fat cattle have sure taken off. The high price corn has caused people to pull the trigger on moving fats rather quickly; thus, we see carcass weights coming down. This will continue to happen if feed prices stay high. I would look for an increase in the Choice/Select spread as people pull the trigger more quickly; there will be fewer Choice and Prime cattle out there. The fat cattle coming through the sale barn have been considerably higher than cash cattle in the country as there is a shortage of cattle. This will change somewhat as we
Kirk Lynch, Lynch Livestock Inc., Waucoma, IA Kirk is the Beef Division manager for Lynch Livestock Inc. and oversees all aspects of their backgrounding and cattle feeding operations throughout Iowa and Kansas. He is also deeply involved in the newly re-opened Humeston Livestock Exchange in Humeston, Iowa. In addition, Kirk and his wife Mary own and operate Heartland Simmentals in Northeast Iowa, which is a seed stock operation that consists of 500 registered Simmental and Angus cows. They have four children: Gabrielle (7), Brayden (6), Vivian (4), and Bianca (1).
go into the summer. The slaughter cow and bull markets have been solid and have gone up with the price of fat cattle. This will follow the fat cattle market, and I would expect a shortage of fed fat cows and bulls moving forward as again, it does not make a lot of sense to feed $5.00 plus corn to these things. And the breeding stock has been hot. Seeing first calf heifer pairs bringing $2,000-2,500 and some replacement type open heifers bringing anywhere from $1,200 up to $1,750 per head. Bull sales have just been excellent all spring as well. Hope everyone has a great spring; we have a couple of months off, so hopefully, I can come back with a great report next time you hear from me in August!
H U M E S TO N
L I V E S TO C K E X C H A N G E Humeston, Iowa 641-877-6092
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THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
May 2021
Chisum Peterson
55
Thank you to our Advertisers! 44 Behlen Manufacturing 53 605 sires + Donors 10, 49 BitterSweet Acres 49 Blue Lake Plastics 2-3, 57 Cattle Visions 53 CJ Brown Studios 49 Collison Angus 53 Crawford, Scott 48 Dandy Acres Enterprises 14 Decorah Sales Commission 53 Gilchrist, Kyle 49 Graham Angus 53 Humeston Livestock Exchange 53 HydraBed 55 James Wilhite Bale Wagons 15 JCL Land & Cattle 49 Jeffries Red Angus Land & Cattle 38 Kansas Beef Council 39 Linz Heritage Angus 55 Lowry, Matt 53 Matthews Coaches Corral 55 Millborn Seeds 10 Nitty Gritty Arm Service 16 Paint Brush Farms
22 Paramount Genetics 38 Parker Farms Cattle & Equipment 55 Parker Frederich Sale Mgmt 55 Peterson Land & Auction 23 Rawhide Portable Corral 41 Ruble Cattle Services 45 Slate Group 55 Standing Heat 20 Stone Creek Angus 17 Sunnyslope Angus 40 Valley Creek Ranch 26-29 Voss Angus 8 Wall Street Cattle Co 53 Walridge Farms 11 Westway Feed Products 21 Wiese & Sons 9 Y-Tex Corporation 60 ZWT Ranch
May 2021
Index
56
The Stockman hereby expressly limits its liability resulting from any and all misprints, errors and/or inaccuracies whatsoever in the advertisement and editorial content published by The Stockman and its said liability is here by limited to the refund of the customer for its payment for said advertisement, or the running of the corrected advertisement, or editorial notice. Notification by the customer of any error must be made within 30 days of the distribution of the magazine. Advertising copy received after the deadline may not be returned for proofing. Changes to advertising copy made after the deadline date will be allowed only if time permits, and will incur the appropriate charges according to time and materials involved in the changes. The opinions or views expressed in the editorials are those of the persons interviewed in the article and not The Stockman magazine. The Stockman does however reserve the right to edit or refuse all material which might be objectionable in content. No material or part thereof may be reproduced or used out of context, without prior specific approval of a proper credit to The Stockman.
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SUPERSTARS (573) 641-5270 or view online at cattlevisions.com
CHESTNUT REDEMPTION Redemption stamps his calves with incredible design & performance and is one to use to creat valuable, outcross, excellent patterned cattle. High Ridge Farms, NC, purchased Redemption as the high seller in Chestnut’s 2019 sale. CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 8 .8 88 168 .48 .72 174 255 35% 1% 1% 5% 10% 10%
KR SYNERGY
Redemption had progeny in the 2021 Cattlemen’s Congress Champion Pen of Bulls and Res Champion Heifer Pen!
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2021 BHSS $19,500 High Seller for Chestnut Angus
2021 Chestnut Angus Cattlemen’s Congress Res. Champ Pen - member by Synergy
KR Synergy at K bar D, OR
Synergy has become an extremely popular calving ease sire who improves look and build! Thanks to those who’ve stated their Synergy daughters are some of the best replacement females they kept back last season!
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 14 -2 62 110 .34 .26 113 210 2% 2% 35% 35%
2021 Krebs Ranch Bull Sale feature by Synergy
KCF BENNETT SUMMATION
SITZ PROFILE
STYLES AMENDMENT
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 14 -.1 99 178 .92 1.05 194 305 4% 25% 1% 1% 15% 3% 1% 2%
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 10 .4 72 127 .69 .62 138 256 20% 30% 10% 15% 35% 4% 35% 35%
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 6 2.2 87 145 .36 1.05 139 238 1% 2% 4% 35%
BUSHS CRUISE CONTROL
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2021 BUSH HIGH SELLER
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2020 NWSS SALE FEATURE
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 11 0 79 139 .36 .66 133 244 15% 25% 4% 4% 35% 30%
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 1 3.1 75 131 1.09 0.65 183 282 10% 10% 10% 2% 10%
W/C PINNACLE
W/C DOUBLE DOWN
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ESSENTIAL BUSINESS
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 2 2.1 84 148 .49 .63 148 233 2% 2% 25%
MUSGRAVE REDEMPTION
2021 RAML HIGH SELLER
2020 MUSGRAVE HIGH SELLER
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 13 -.6 82 142 .47 .90 153 258 10% 15% 2% 3% 10% 20% 20%
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 11 -.8 72 121 .73 .77 147 251 15% 15% 10% 20% 30% 20% 25% 25%
CHURCHILL MAJESTIC
RAMSEY SHOWTIME COMPASS
FSF PERFECTION
BLUE COLLAR BOY
Double Down x Summer Res. Champ Cattlemen’s Congress!
DO WHATS RIGHT
May 2021
SWEET WILLIE
Ultra CE producing champs w/ first crop!
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 2 2.1 84 148 0.73 .85 176 305 2% 2% 25% 15% 5% 2%
RAML OPTICS
CED BW WW YW MB RE $B $C 4 2. 3 93 168 .51 .79 171 290 1% 1% 20% 10% 4%
Bankroll’s full brother!
KR STORM
Calving Ease PB Maine
Exciting Gronc son - PB Maine
THF, PHAF, DSF
Hottest Shorthorn Sire!
Blue Roan from Kastel’s
57
STOCKMAN
traight Most used tool on your farm and how old is it?
Which animal (any species) has left the greatest impact on you?
Your favorite non-farm activity to do in your free time?
Cell phones, and it seems like they only last a couple years - if they don’t meet their demise before then.”
We have enjoyed many cattle and horses over the years. But, our Blue Heelers and Corgis have shown the most heartfelt moments of true love and devotion to us.”
Free Time? Ha! Lola and I try to at least go once or twice a year up to an out-ofthe-way fishing spot in Canada.”
Your go-to sorting apparatus?
feed.”
Just a good 5 ft. sorting stick and a 5 gallon bucket of
What is your least favorite job on the farm?
All of the data and genetics available to select and better your program, if used right and understood.”
ships.”
Building relationships from acquaintances into friend-
Describe your best/worst day. Best day at BitterSweet is checking pairs out on lush, green pastures with the sun shining and just enjoying looking at cattle (the fruits of your labor).”
May 2021
That’s easy - HAULING MANURE.”
What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most?
The most important lesson you’ve learned in this business?
58
thestockmanmag.com | THE STOCKMAN
A conversation with everyday Stockmen,
Greg Wood BitterSweet Acres - Greenville, IA
About the Stockman. BitterSweet Acres is my wife, Lola, and I, and our son, Chris, and his wife, Beth. We have lived in various locations from the East Coast to as far West as Montana, showing cattle for or managing prominent Angus operations.
Angus cows along with our haying endeavor. All the tillable ground we have is in hay production - that which we don’t use generally goes to the horse market. Emphasis is put into being stewards of the land; we want to leave it better!
Twenty-five years ago, the decision was made for all to move home to northwest Iowa. Lola and I returned from Montana and Chris from New York. Northwest Iowa being ‘Gods Country,’ isn’t really cattle country per se; it’s row crop corn & soybean ground. But it is here we run our operation of Registered Purebred
We market our bulls private treaty and also sell a select group of replacement heifers. We believe in quality over quantity.
Greg and Lola Wood
Chris and Beth Wood
THE STOCKMAN | thestockmanmag.com
May 2021
We are often asked why the name ‘BitterSweet Acres’ - we’ve been through the Bitter and been through the Sweet.
59
Laflins Marvel 1801
Introducing
CE +8 BW +1.2 WW +53 YW +98 Doc +24 Milk +19 Marb +.21 RE +1.22
AAA 19091613 A powerful son of Insight that checks all of the boxes for performance and eye appeal. Freys Django 0147
CE +11 BW +.2 WW +64 YW +116 Doc +22 Milk +23 Marb +.16 RE +.39
AAA 19824762 A calving ease specialist sired by Freys Cowboy Logic. His paternal brother was the talk of Oklahoma City.
THREE NEW HERD SIRES at ZWT RANCH! Inquire...
about semen on these exciting young sires at ZWT Ranch.
Visit us...
on our website to learn more about the ZWT Program.
www.ZWTRanch.com
SAV Engage 0859
CE I-1 BW I+4.0 WW I+72 YW I+122 Doc +26 Milk I+26 Marb +.32 RE +.39
AAA 19853780 A powerhouse prospect referred to at Schaff’s sale as “The Stout One.” His dam has a nursing ratio of 8@108 at SAV.
Wil Mayes ..................(304) 619-9327 Dallas Woltemath ..... (308) 390-6400 zwtranch2020@gmail.com