The Stockman | May/June 2023

PROGENY RATIOS:

BIRTH WEIGHT 85@99

WEANING RATIO 85@103

The first 24 sons to sell this spring commanded an average of OVER $15,000 at Spring Cove Ranch and Musgrave Angus. Without question, one of the best sires to be produced at the historic Sitz Angus Ranch!

This is the bull we’ve been searching for! He has superior thickness and foot quality combined with great EPDs, a no holes pedigree – not to mention his excellent disposition. Proven to add bone and stoutness to his progeny, his calves come light at birth with great vigor. He was used successfully on virgin heifers in our spring 2023 calving season.

SCAN CODE FOR PEDIGREE & CURRENT EPDS!

#19677962

Welcome!

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.

641.425.2641

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.

CHERYL KEPES, Assistant Editor

417.766.0990

cheryl@stockmanmag.com

Working for The Stockman is the perfect combination of two of Cheryl’s favorite things: writing and cattle. Cheryl has decades of experience as a professional writer. She finds great joy in sharing stories about people in the agricultural industry. Cheryl’s family raises registered Angus, Red Angus, and Simmental cattle in Fair Grove, MO.

Contributing Writers in this Issue

Cheryl Kepes

Sarah Hill

Justin Fruechte

Dr. Vince Collison

Kirk Lynch

KIM BANKS, Graphics

507.530.0914

kkbanks@frontiernet.net

Makayla serves as editor, graphic designer, and manager of The Stockman. Her focus and passion continues to provide high quality service and original promotional materials to cattlemen. She and her husband, Jared, raise their four kids, and together they run their family operation, JMF Herefords and SimAngus, near Morris in west central MN.

SARAH HILL, Editorial Writer

307.274.0419

sarahhill1007@yahoo.com

Kim is a graphic designer with many years of design experience. Producing creative marketing materials to help others look their best is what she loves doing the most. She and her husband, Kevin, along with their son, raise grain and have a small commercial cow/calf and feeder operation on the family farm near Lynd, MN.

Sarah lives on a small hobby farm near Arlington, SD, with her husband, Braeton, and their three daughters: Harper, 8, Vayentha, 5, and Aurora, 1. She grew up on a Missouri dairy farm and has an Agricultural Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. Sarah enjoys baking, reading, and gardening.

TY BAYER

715.573.0153

tcreds@gmail.com

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.

MILES EDDY

507.841.1787

auctioneer2013@gmail.com

Miles grew up in southwest MN raising and showing cattle, and is currently residing in MO. When Miles isn’t working cattle he loves to use his auctioneer skills. He looks forward to working and meeting other producers and helping with all their advertising and marketing needs.

RON HINRICHSEN

785.770.0222

rlangus@bluevalley.net

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.

CORBIN COWLES

270.991.2534

corbin.cowles32@gmail.com

Corbin is an apprentice auctioneer and real estate professional for Schrader Real Estate and Auction company. He also helps run his family’s Angus and Simmental seedstock operation, Pleasant Hill Farms. Judging shows across the country and traveling are a couple hobbies of his as well!

JAN FORD

800.693.8048

jford.17879@aol.com

With her passion for agriculture, Jan brings over 35+ years of advertising sales experience in the beef industry. She and her late husband Norm had a commercial Angus cow herd and grain operation near Tipton, IA, which her sons still manage today.

LORA HUTCHINS

615.293.3695

loralea1172@gmail.com

Lora owns and operates Destiny Angus Farm with husband Brian and daughter Morgan in Charleston, IL. They have raised and shown cattle successfully on the national level for several years. They also have owned a production herd with as many as 200 registered cows.

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.

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.

BRIGHAM STEWART / MEGAN COLLISON

785.747.8028

megancollisondvm@gmail.com

Brigham works alongside his parents at Mid Continent Farms, their large, multi-breed cow/calf operation in Kansas. Megan graduated 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.

Stories

12 | GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE, SOLD ON ANGUS!

Chas Wheeler lives a life beautifully balanced between his two childhood loves - auctioneering and Angus.

32 | CONSISTENCY COUNTS

Burns Farms produces rugged, low maintenance cattle that work in different climates.

Extension Education

24 | PREVENTING GRASS TETANY IN THE LACTATING BEEF COW courtesy University of NE - Lincoln

Seeds in Season

42 | MUD SEASON with Justin Fruechte of Millborn Seeds

Veterinarian View

54 | CURRENT ISSUES FOR SPRING 2023 with Dr. Vince Collison, Collison Veterinary Services

Kitchen Stock

60 | FEATURING MUSTANG SALLY BBQ in the kitchen with Brian & Kathy Brandt, Marshall, Minn.

64 | RECORDS BEING SET EVERYWHERE with Kirk Lynch, Humeston Livestock Exchange Sale Barn Study

Q&A with Turner Armitage, Claremore, Okla. Stockman Straight Up

74 | FEATURING A BAR RANCH

48 | THIN COWS & LIMITED HAY RESOURCES courtesy University of NE - Lincoln Bonus! 2023 Junior National Schedule on page 71!

cover image by McFarland Productions Chad Turner of Turner Performance Horses, East Helena, Mont.

being positive.

Now that our days are being filled with some spring weather, it’s much easier to think about the positive direction that we are headed. We are truly moving into a great season. Things are exciting - we get to watch a new calf crop grow, green grass is just around the corner, and the cattle market is bumping record highs! It is a great time to be in the cattle industry.

In this issue, you’ll find lots of information pertaining to the season. Millborn Seeds shares some insight with us on page 42 about strategies to avoid muddy pastures, and the University of NE - Lincoln has provided an article on preventing grass tetany this spring on page 24. Don’t forget that it’s time to fire up the grills, and Mustang Sally BBQ has shared some new recipes on page 60 for you to try this summer.

We’re off to fix pasture fences and get cows ready for grass, but don’t worry, we’ll be back in August! Wishing you a bright and productive start to summer!

full page $800

half page $450

third page $350

reference card $80

double card $300

Going Once, Going Twice...

Chas Wheeler lives a life beautifully balanced between his two childhood loves - auctioneering and Angus.

has Wheeler was just shy of being a teenager when he worked his first auction. While many people spend decades or longer searching for their ideal career path, Chas locked in his dream job during childhood. “I actually started selling with Bodine Auction Company when I was just 12 years old, and I have been doing it ever since,” Chas Wheeler explained. He received formal training at the ripe old age of 13, by attending auction school at the Worldwide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa.

By Cheryl Kepes photos courtesy Chas Wheeler

ANGUS AND AUCTION ROOTS

Chas owns Wheeler Auctions and Real Estate as well as Wheeler Angus both located in Paris, Mo. Similar to his early developed passion for auctioneering, Chas grew up with a love for Angus cattle. His grandparents, Charles and Ladonna Vitt, operated a purebred, registered Angus herd for decades. “My grandmother (Ladonna Vitt) will be 98 years old in August and she still is the head of the farm here, which is pretty amazing,” Chas said. “And she would tell you for an anniversary, Christmas, or birthday she might get a cow,” Chas added with a chuckle.

The Vitts started their Angus herd in the 1950s in Paris, Mo., managing as many as 600 momma cows at the height of their operation. “I used to go to purebred cattle sales with my grandfather, Charles, and I always had a love for the cattle and the auction business both and was always fascinated by the process,” Chas recalled.

Throughout his teenage years Chas forged ahead in the auctioneering business. At the age of 18, he bought half of a sale barn opera-

tion. In the decades to come Chas’s auction business flourished through hard work, supportive business partners, and helpful mentors. During those years with his focus so keenly on the development of the auction business, coupled with other factors, the family’s Angus cattle herd started to shrink in size. “We always had some cattle around, but they were kind of an afterthought than more of a forethought, I guess you might say,” Chas explained.

BUILDING BACK

But then 10 years ago Chas’s wife, Misty, and sons, Rance and Ross, showed an interest in rebuilding the herd and adding a string of competitive show cattle. Thus, igniting a resurgence of a registered Angus herd, reminiscent of Chas’s grandparents’ operation.

Currently, the Wheeler family manages 300 registered Angus momma cows on 2,000 acres of owned and rented property in Paris, Mo., and the surrounding area. “We are primarily going for a performance-based herd, my wife loves the show business quite a bit, and we

do have some really exciting show donor dams that we have a gentleman managing for us,” Chas said. The family has already achieved much show ring success, including winning grand champion Angus female at numerous national shows.

above, left Chas and Misty Wheeler above, right Rance and Ross Wheeler below Rance Wheeler showing UDE Queen Ruth 0204.

The Wheeler family keeps the performance cattle at their family farm in Paris, Mo. The Wheelers started to rebuild their cattle operation with the acquisition of several smaller herds of registered Angus cattle. Most recently, the Wheelers purchased a group of registered Angus females from Jud Baldridge, owner of Baldridge Performance Angus. “We like the way that operation (Baldridge Performance Angus) mirrors what my grandfather used to have here –they are real world cattle. We have been very impressed with the purchase that we made there,” Chas said.

Additionally, the Wheelers are working to improve the genetics of the cattle they already own. The Wheelers are selecting matings to advance their animals’ pedigrees and dollar indexes, while simultaneously evaluating their animals based on phenotype. Wheeler Angus has also infused genetics from SITZ Angus, SydGen, and Connealy just to name a few.

The Wheelers appreciate “big-footed, good-looking cattle” with a solid number profile. “We are just trying to make cattle better here every day for what our customer base is,” Chas stated. “Our customers kind of demand cattle still have some longevity and the look and aren’t so terminal.”

BREEDING PROGRAM

The operation runs with spring and fall calving seasons. All females are AIed one time. “We AI everything on a timed protocol; we don’t have enough staff to heat detect every day, so it is what we have to do, and it has worked well for us,” Chas said. “And then we come back with as good of bulls as we can afford to buy.”

The breeding program also consists of embryo transfer work. Wheeler Angus utilizes conventional and IVF flushing. Currently, there are a dozen donor females in their donor program. The Wheelers’

goal for this year is to implant 80 to 100 embryos in recip cows. Their recip cows are purebred females from their program that miss the mark when it comes to dollar indexes, or they are cows purchased from other operations.

above 2021 NAILE ROV Grand Champion Angus Heifer, UDE Queen Ruth 0204.

above Chas Wheeler’s grandmother, Ladonna Vitt.

LAY OF THE LAND

When the Wheelers started to grow their Angus herd back to the numbers of generations past, they incurred a temporary roadblock. To expand the herd, the Wheelers needed more pastureland. And in their neck of the woods, pastureland was in short supply.

Undeterred, the Wheeler family took an unconventional approach to acquiring fields for grazing livestock. “We took two or three farms that were row crop or CRP farms and we put them back into grass. That’s a little odd, it would have made more money to leave them the way they were,” Chas lightheartedly explained.

The predominant forage throughout Wheeler Angus’s acreage is fescue. The operation produces most of its own hay, but purchases higher-quality hay to mix with what they grow to ensure their cattle receive a nutritious product.

In addition, the Wheelers grow, chop, and store corn silage. From time to time, they produce wet hay and chop triticale, rye, or wheat. During the winter, the cattle are fed primarily a corn silage with a ration of soybean hulls, corn gluten, and other add-ins to make a balanced ration.

MARKETING STRATEGY

Wheeler Angus hosts an annual production sale the second Saturday of December at the Wheeler Angus Sale Facility in Paris, Mo. As one would probably surmise, Chas’s devotion to the auction business compels him to market his cattle through the auction process. “We get approached about selling bulls privately, but I believe in the auction business so much and price discovery that, that’s the way we are going to do a strong 90 percent of our cattle sales,” Chas added.

Wheeler Angus’s production sale showcases 65 to 70 registered females, plus commercial females, and 30 or more bulls. Their bulls are sold at 18 to 24 months of age after being managed at their bull development facility. Occasionally, Wheeler Angus offers up genetic packages at specialty consignment sales.

- Chas Wheeler

“We get approached about selling bulls privately, but I believe in the auction business so much and price discovery that, that’s the way we are going to do a strong 90 percent of our cattle sales.”

above Grayham Fireball T811

AUCTION BUSINESS

Chas’s childhood experiences attending cattle sales with his grandfather sparked a fire for auctioneering that burns brightly to this day. After working for auction companies, building partnerships, and securing representatives, Chas has operated his own auction business, Wheeler Auctions and Real Estate, for more than 20 years.

The company serves as a real estate, land, machinery, and equipment auction house. Chas and his team hold auctions near company headquarters in Paris, Mo., as well as in other parts of the Midwest.

Wheeler Auctions and Real Estate hosts two major farm machinery sales each year. “We think the machinery sales are the largest oneday auctions in the United States. The last sale we had here had 3,400 lots,” Chas stated. Wheeler Auctions ran five sale rings that day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. The company estimates there were 5,000 to 6,000 people on site and more than 2,500 online for the oneday sale. “They have become really highly, stressful events,” Chas joked.

FUTURE PLANS

Each day brings new challenges and successes for Chas in both his Angus and auctioneering endeavors. Looking ahead, Chas plans to continue on a path of improving the quality of the family’s cow herd and developing the auction business. And no doubt, he’ll be moving forward every step of the way with the wisdom he gleaned from his grandparents as his guide.

learn more wheelerauctions.com

ANNUAL

PRODUCTION

SALE:

Second Saturday in December at the Wheeler Angus sale facility, Paris, Mo.

For better fly control, get with the program.

Improved fly control starts with the Y-TEX® Insecticide Tag Rotation Program.

Insecticide resistance is a growing threat to cattle producers everywhere. What worked last year may be totally ineffective this year, which is why it makes sense to adopt the Y-TEX® Insecticide Tag Rotation Program.

Only Y-TEX® offers fly tags in three different chemical classes, allowing you to rotate from one class to another to protect your cattle as well as the long-term viability of current active ingredients. In fact, university research shows that rotating tags is one of the best ways to forestall resistance in horn flies, face flies and other damaging pests.

To discover how the Y-TEX® Insecticide Tag Rotation Program can help you stop resistance dead in its tracks, see your livestock products supplier or come visit us at www.y-tex.com today.

Annual Female Event

12 noon CDT

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88 HEAD SELL AS 56 HEREFORD LOTS

Herd Bull Prospects • Elite Fall Show Heifer and Donor Prospects • Fall Bred Heifers Fall Bred Cows with Heifer and Bull Calf Splits • Spring Cow/Calf Pairs

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BF STRENGTH 122K ET

10/12/22 • P44427637 • Homozygous Polled

SIRE: 77 Potency 8F 63G

DAM: NJW 1A 173D Rita 157F (Endure 173D)

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UDDR +1.4 / TEAT +1.5 / REA +.95 / MARB +.15 / CHB +163

BF 157F RITA 223K ET

11/7/22 • P44435155 • Polled

SIRE: RST Final Print 0016

DAM: NJW 1A 173D Rita 157F (Endure 173D)

CED +3.6 / BW +2.4 / WW +87 / YW +144 / MILK +35 /

UDDR +1.2 / TEAT +1.2 / REA +.88 / MARB +.11 / CHB +171

BF VICTORIA 222K ET

11/10/22 • P44435154 • Homozygous Polled

SIRE: Loewen Grady B42 G15 ET

DAM: BF Girl Power 646 ET (Winchester Powerball)

CED +10.1 / BW +2.1 / WW +69 / YW +115 / MILK +33 /

UDDR +1.3 / TEAT +1.3 / REA +.78 / MARB +.23 / CHB +161

BF NOVEL 200K ET

9/25/22 • 44435090 • Horned

SIRE: KJ BJ 58Z Contender D56 ET

DAM: BF Novel 5502 ET (Outcross 18U)

CED +0.2 / BW +4.1 / WW +61 / YW +91 / MILK +32 /

UDDR +1.4 / TEAT +1.4 / REA +.87 / MARB +.21 / CHB +147

BF NOVEL 204K ET

9/28/22 • P44435099 • Polled

SIRE: Boyd 31Z Blueprint 6153

DAM: BF Novel 5502 ET (Outcross 18U)

CED +0.1 / BW +3.4 / WW +72 / YW +112 / MILK +37 /

+1.4 / TEAT +1.4 / REA +.70 / MARB +.08 / CHB +148 View

DAVID BURNS (615) 477-5668

E-mail: burnsda2@gmail.com

Zach Day, Herdsman (859) 588- 6271 Pikeville, Tennessee burnsfarms.com

You Dream. We Deliver.

BF 42F LADYSPORT 224K ET

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SIRE: Green JCS Makers Mark 229G ET

DAM: NJW 206C 358C Ladysport 42F (Pioneer 358C)

CED +7.1 / BW +0.8 / WW +54 / YW +97 / MILK +32 / UDDR +1.4 / TEAT +1.4 / REA +.53 / MARB +.23 / CHB +138

TAL #6690

TFL #5818

Dustin N. Layton • (405) 464-2455 laytond@yahoo.com

Chisolm Kinder • (405) 747-4683 laytonauction.com

University research you can use.

Karla H. Wilke, UNL Cow/Calf Systems and Stocker Management Mary Drewnoski, Nebraska Extension Beef Systems Specialist University of NE - Lincoln, UNL Beef beef.unl.edu

PREVENTING GRASS TETANY IN THE LACTATING BEEF COW THIS SPRING

As spring nears and grass begins to turn green, producers are anxious to get cows out to grass. However, cool season predominate areas tend to have lush spring growth which can lead to grass tetany in cows. While there are treatments for cows caught quick enough, prevention is always the best policy.

WHY ARE COWS AT RISK OF GRASS TETANY IN THE SPRING?

Grass tetany occurs when circulating Magnesium (Mg) is low in the beef animal. Symptoms include staggering, convulsions, excitability, twitching, and can result in death. While it can affect growing cattle, it generally affects older lactating cows. The Mg requirement in the pregnant cow is 0.12% of the diet on a dry matter basis and jumps to 0.20% with lactation. Moreover, the Mg in colostrum is 3 times what it is in the milk the rest of the lactation. Thus, risk is highest early in lactation.

Additionally, unlike some other minerals, Mg is not stored and mobilized in the tissues for times when

it is deficient in the diet. Magnesium is absorbed across the rumen wall and how much Mg is circulating in the blood is highly dependent upon how much was consumed.

In addition to the fact that the Mg requirement increases with lactation, feed that is high in potassium (K) or nitrogen (N) like lush rapid-

ly growing cool season forages can decrease Mg absorption. So, more magnesium needs to be consumed when cows are grazing lush cool season pastures to get the same amount of magnesium into the blood. Furthermore, cool, cloudy days associated with wet springs often times increase the risk of grass tetany.

USING FREE CHOICE MINERALS TO PREVENT GRASS TETANY

To help prevent issues with grass tetany, producers should start providing a high Mg mineral to cows about a month before turning out on lush pasture to get them used to consuming it, and continue to provide high Mg supplement until grass starts to elongate and mature and the risk of grass tetany is low.

Mineral mixes are typically formulated for 2 oz or 4 oz intake. At 2 oz intake, 100 cows should consume 87.5 lbs of mineral mix per week and 175 lbs/week for a 4 oz mineral mix. If they are eating more, then adding more salt will often decrease intake. However, the salt will dilute the mix so overall intake (salt plus mineral mix) should be greater than

the initial target. Keep track of the actual mineral mix intake to ensure target intakes are reached. When using a free choice mineral mix to provide magnesium, do not provide separate salt as providing separate salt will reduce intake of the mineral mix.

To prevent grass tetany, a good target for a 4 oz target intake free choice mineral is 10 to 13% Mg. If adding magnesium to an existing mineral, then 9 lbs of magnesium oxide per 50 lbs of mineral mix would be needed. However, magnesium oxide is bitter and may reduce intake. If intake is low, then adding 1 lb of dried distillers or soybean meal may help increase intake.

USING A HAND FED SUPPLEMENT TO PREVENT GRASS TETANY

If using a hand-fed energy or protein supplement, then 5 lb of Magnesium oxide per 100 cows would need to be added. Sodium deficiency can increase the risk of magnesium deficiency, so if using a mineral fortified supplement that is provided daily, such as a cake (and not a freechoice mineral) make sure that free choice salt is provided.

While providing high Mg mineral helps reduce the incidence of grass tetany, producers should talk to their local veterinarian and have a treatment plan in place for cows who do succumb to grass tetany, as treatment must take place quickly in those cows.

Courtesy University of NE - Lincoln, UNL Beef

Interviews with the authors of BeefWatch newsletter articles become available throughout the month of publication and are accessible at: www.go.unl.edu/podcast.

1. The system uses a numerical score of 1 to 6.

2. Animals with scores of less than 4 are not producing the three marker proteins we are measuring at physiologically effective levels.

3. Animals scoring between 4 to 4.5 are producing the three marker proteins at levels that are physiologically average

4. Animals scoring between 4.5 to 5 are in the top 25% of the populations we have tested. This includes both beef and dairy cattle.

5. Animals scoring over 5 are in the top 5%.

6. Animals scoring 6 are in the top 1%. We believe that these individuals are extraordinary.

PROMOGEN SCORING

Immunologically superior animals are proven to return higher significant gains across all traits: overall wellness, fertility, and feed efficiency.

Profits on overall wellness are realized through in increased response to vaccines and antiparasitic treatments, drastically reducing the incidence of morbidity and antibiotic use.

Fertility is reflected in higher conception rates, reduced risk in early embryonic death, weaning calves at higher weight ratios, and overall retention and longevity in replacement females.

Feed efficiency is directly affected by the body’s ability to ward off inflammation due to environmental stress factors.

Cattle on feed who possess this natural ability have higher conversion rates than their counterparts who are immunologically inferior – all without commanding additional medicine costs and higher overall expenses.

Immunologically superior animals who possess specific Defensen predictive biomarkers are proven to be more profitable, and aide in economic gains through these highly heritable traits for generations to follow.

Choose immunologically superior animals through Promogen Genetic Evaluation. Choose genetic gold.

DR. JEFF GOWER - 417.839.1200 • DR. BILL JULIEN - 402.677.2083 KOURTNEY JUDGE - 480.322.1583 • JOEL JUDGE - 805.234.7191

Counts ency C onsist

Burns Farms is the largest Hereford breeder in the Southeast and produces rugged, low maintenance cattle that work in different climates.

By Sarah Hill

photos courtesy Burns Farms

ucked in the Sequatchie Valley of eastern Tennessee, near Pikeville, you’ll find Burns Farms, a Hereford herd that is the largest registered Hereford breeder in the Southeast. This humble family has built a legacy to be proud of, and it all started with a 4-H project in 1952.

BUILDING A LEGACY

Under the guidance of his father, Randel, who was an extension agent, Phillip Burns bought two Hereford heifers in the Duck River Hereford Association sale. With that purchase, a love for Hereford cattle was born. A little more than two decades later, Phillip married his wife, Gayanne. Gayanne’s parents thought she was marrying a farmer,

having no idea that Phillip was actually a doctor, because most of the couple’s conversations were about cattle.

“My dad had a passion for both cattle and medicine,” David Burns, son of Phillip and Gayanne, said. “He was Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine in Chattanooga.”

Phillip and Gayanne built up the Hereford herd, growing the operation from 800 acres to 3,500 acres and 600 cows. Phillip encouraged David’s love for cattle, leading to David winning the coveted junior national show in 1997, taking champion heifer and senior showmanship

honors. David continued showing while pursuing a degree in Animal Science at Middle Tennessee State University and obtained his Master’s degree in Reproductive Physiology from Michigan State University in 2004.

David’s sister, Sarah Burns Bernard, focuses on the business details for the cattle operation and manages freezer beef sales. She and her husband, Dr. Matt Bernard, visit the farm often with their children, Nolan, Lily, and Caroline.

In addition to beef sales, David also provides consulting services to other cattle breeders who want to make their cattle operation management more successful.

below Burns Farms was built by Phillip Burns, and his son, David, manages the herd today.

CUTTING EDGE EPDs

Today, David carries on the legacy of Burns Farms and has taken the operation to another level. He supervised the construction of a sale barn after becoming farm manager in 2009. In 2014, he expanded the embryo transfer and artificial insemination programs to push the genetic boundaries even further. The herd is still predominantly Hereford, but 150 of the cows are Angus.

“Every time I make a mating, I think, ‘Can I sell this as a bull?’” David said. “We’re looking for balanced numbers and sound, functional cattle that are stout and ruggedly made.” Burns Farms provides genetically enhanced EPDs on all their bulls, and they seek to be on the cutting edge when it comes to EPDs, while keeping an eye on phenotype and balance.

“The bull buying public is still looking for birth to growth spread, and most of our customers sell their cattle around weaning,” David said. “As responsible registered Hereford breeders, we focus on all the traits, including carcass traits that are important further down the supply chain.”

Burns Farm purchased Potency, the high selling bull at the American Hereford Association’s annual Big League Genetics Sale in 2020 from Double Seven Ranch in Oklahoma. Many of their matings use Potency, which David said is a good bull for calving ease. “He produc-

above The herd at Burns Farms includes 600 registered Hereford and Angus momma cows on 3,500 acres.

es stout cattle with good structure that are really functional,” David said. “We also sell a lot of Potency semen.”

Inception is another bull that Burns Farms uses in their breeding program that is a bull with big growth and good marbling. Inception was the lead bull in the pen of 5 bulls that took Champion Pen of 5 at Cattlemen’s Congress.

“Inception is a big-boned, heavily muscled kind of bull,” David added. “He complements Potency quite well in matings. He’s interesting because he has some show bloodlines but expresses them in a functional, progressive way and has good EPDs. Inception has the look that we’re looking for.”

Burns Farms utilizes embryo transfer extensively as part of their breeding program. Registered Hereford cows have to meet a high standard, or they become recipient cows. “ET helps us push our genetic envelope faster,” David said. “We’re increasing the use of our donor cows as much as we can.”

PASTURE FED & LOW MAINTENANCE

Despite feed costs going up across the beef industry, Burns Farms has focused on feeding an entirely silage-based diet for their bulls and females. During the winter, cows receive supplements in addition to hay. “Our cattle are fed on pastures and made to exercise,” David said. “We don’t put them in a feedlot. They get a silage total mixed ration (TMR).”

Burns Farms predominantly fall calves their herd, and momma cows are expected to calve on their own, without intervention. David said he wants to raise low maintenance cattle.

HERDS ACROSS THE U.S.

Until 2009, all sales for Burns Farms were through private treaty. That all changed with the construction of a sale barn. Today, the operation hosts three sales throughout the year: a female sale held in May, a customer appreciation sale hosted in September, and the annual bull sale in November.

“During our customer appreciation sale, we like to support the people who support us, and it’s nice to give smaller breeders a marketing option,” David said. “The bull sale sells 100 to 120 bulls, both Hereford and Angus.”

“Our cattle end up in herds from Montana to Florida,” added David’s wife, Katie. “It’s a big deal to be able to have that kind of reach and for the ability of our cows to work in different climates. David raises the cattle to be that natural, out on the land, do-it-yourself type of cattle.”

Burns Farms has also enjoyed considerable showring success over the decades at all levels. That consistent success has now translated into selling show heifers for junior customers. Many of those juniors have gone on to win their classes or place in the top spots.

The future looks bright for Burns Farms. David said they are satisfied with cow numbers, their direction, marketing plan and strategy, so they’re going to continue improving their bull base to produce solid, rugged bulls that will go out and work for breeders.

“The consistency of quality that David provides is always on target with a focus on functional cattle,” Katie added. “It’s hard to find consistency—some herds are up and down with their quality, but ours is always consistent.”

“That consistency is important to us,” David said. “We’ve been selling bulls for more than 70 years, so we have a very consistent client base, and our reputation means a lot to us.”

13 TH ANNUAL FEMALE EVENT: Saturday, May 13, 2023 12:00 noon near Pikeville, Tenn.

above Pictured are David Burns and his wife, Katie. In addition to selling seedstock, Burns sells freezer beef and provides consulting services to other cattle breeders.

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Seeds in Season

Functional forage and pasture.

MUD SEASON

Strategies to prevent muddy pastures next year.

hen we picture healthy cattle, we envision them grazing on lush, green grass spread out along the landscape. That scene feels far off from the muddy spring we’re in, but what pieces of that picture can we emulate before summer pastures are flourishing? First off, we want calves to stay clean, and secondly, we want them spread out. Let’s work through some scenarios to set up that system.

CREATE CALVING PASTURE

Designing and planning for a calving pasture will require sacrifice of production. You can’t expect full grazing value from the grass in that pasture after it’s been stomped and overgrazed as it tries to grow early in the spring. Because of this, you should dedicate a pasture for calving or turning pairs onto for early spring before your summer pasture is fit to graze. This pasture will be grazed for a couple months early, but then left until the following year.

CHOOSE FORAGE BASE

Whether you’re creating the calving pasture from scratch or simply sprucing it up, there are species that can live up to this type of use. Aggressive rhizomatous grasses such as Smooth Brome or Forage Kentucky Bluegrass work well as a base. Though they are invasive and not excellent for yield, they’ll create a sod and stand up to the abusive close grazing.

Then, think about including a warm season perennial such as switchgrass or Big Bluestem. They won’t add any grazing yield, but they’ll provide some protection and surface cover. The neat thing about this crop combination is they don’t break dormancy until you pull the pairs off, which works perfectly to avoid harming their growth habits.

contributed article by Justin Fruechte, Product Expert - Ag Millborn Seeds, Brookings, S.D. millbornseeds.com

UTILIZE CROP GROUND

Utilizing crop ground to make an annual calving area is also an option. One of the best benefits in this scenario is interrupting the disease cycle by rotating the crop land that you graze. Without question, the best annual crop to plant on cropground-turned-calving-pasture is cereal rye. It’s a winter annual that needs to be planted in the fall.

My favorite rotation for this is to drill cereal rye at 2 to 3 bu/ acre as soon as your silage is chopped. The rye will break dormancy as the ground thaws from winter, providing a fast-growing, thick mat of grass ideal for new baby calves. Working this annual into your acres and then rotating these fields provides a nice opportunity for a fresh, clean environment every spring for pairs.

Knowing you have a plan will save time and energy when it’s gotime, but keep in mind that these systems can always be tweaked due to weather changes. As you push through

mud season and watch the bedding reserves deplete, take this opportunity to plan for a better way.

Millborn Seeds,

Photos courtesy Millborn Seeds learn more millbornseeds.com

Brookings, S.D. 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 landowners across thousands of acres throughout the Midwest.

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Extension Education

THIN COWS AND LIMITED HAY RESOURCES: WHAT

ARE MY OPTIONS?

Drought conditions this last growing season, limited hay supply, and a wet winter have been very challenging to beef producers. This created a situation where many cows at this point were thinner than normal years. In addition, we couple that with limited hay and lower-quality hay with the potential of having a late green up or delayed turn out to grass. With that in mind, we have to think about how to increase energy in the diet to meet the lactational requirements while gaining BCS and doing that past our traditional turn out to grass.

Body condition scoring (BCS) is an effective management tool to estimate the energy reserves of a cow. If monitored multiple times across the production year, BCS is a good indicator of direction of body weight change. Body condition score of beef cows at the time of calving has an impact on subsequent rebreeding performance; however, direction of body weight gain can be just as important (Table 1). Traditional recommendations suggest cows need to be nutritionally managed at a BCS 5 or greater at breeding for optimal reproductive performance. However, the response is not absolute; some cows

are capable of rebreeding at BCS less than 5.

Although calving BCS can influence rebreeding and performance of cows, it doesn’t mean thin cows will always result in decreased reproductive performance. A large impact on reproduction is direction and magnitude of body weight change after calving and through breeding. Houghton et al. (1990) showed that thin cows gaining condition increased the probability of cows becoming pregnant; however, fleshy (fat) cows losing body condition improved pregnancy rate (Table 1). The effects of poor body condition (less than 4) can be overcome by improved nutrition. The goal is to shorten the period of weight loss by increased nutrient supply so that positive gain can be initiated, and the cows can start cycling.

Because of the nutritional demands of lactation, it can be difficult to get cows to gain body weight economically after calving. This is really due to nutrient requirements being the greatest up to approximately day 60 after calving, which also coincides with the start of breeding. A lactating cow at peak lactation has an energy demand of 15 – 16 lb of TDN per day depending on milk production level.

So, what do we do if we have thin cows? Additional energy will be required to restore their body condition to a moderate level. The problem with this management scheme is that nutrient demands at this time are high and the additional nutrition supplied may be used to increase milk production rather than body weight gain.

Josie Crouch, MS Animal Science student; Kacie McCarthy, UNL Cow-Calf Specialist Travis Mulliniks, UNL Beef Cattle Nutritionist, Range Production Systems University of NE - Lincoln, UNL Beef beef.unl.edu

Table 1. Effect of body condition score change on pregnancy rate

What

CONTROLLING HAY WASTE

Controlling or minimizing feed waste is essential to stretching hay resources. With any feed or feeding method, we always have waste associated with it. Understanding how much waste is occurring is essential for meeting nutrient needs of livestock. Method and amount of hay being fed can have feed waste greater than 25%. Some studies have shown up to 39% hay waste by method of feeding hay. Hay waste is highly influenced by hay feeder design that is used to feed ad libitum amount to beef cows. Ring feeders with sheeted bottoms and basket feeders with sheeted bottoms generally have lower waste percentages of 5 to 10%.

If you are feeding hay through a processor or rolling bales out, it is important to only feed enough so that cows can eat all that they need for one day and not overfeeding. Overfeeding can lead to increased waste due to cows urinating and defecating on the excess hay. One method to control waste is to control access to hay feeders. Segregating feeding area and only allowing cattle to access hay for 3 to 12 hours a day. Limit feeding or restricting access to hay can reduce intake and waste by ~20%. However, it is important to know hay quality and having adequate feeders/ bales available so that cows have equal access to hay during the feeding times.

In situations where hay is being limit fed to stretch forage resources, grazing behavior and overall grazing intake may decrease due to cows waiting for hay to be delivered. If cows are already thin, this may cause an overall decrease in energy intake. Feeding the same quality of hay but done infrequently can help decrease the chance of cows waiting at the gate for hay to arrive.

SUPPLEMENTAL OPTIONS

Utilization of an ionophore for grazing livestock and livestock consuming hay can increase energy value of the overall diet and reduce the need for hay. Research has shown that hay intake can be reduced by approximately 10% with the addition of rumensin in the diet. In addition, studies have shown that rumensin improves body weight gain and BCS.

Feeding a starch-based supplement (i.e., corn) can substitute for hay intake. For instance, 3 lb of corn can decrease hay intake by 3 lbs. Starch-based energy supplements would have to be fed every day, and to minimize waste, it should be fed in a bunk. If corn or corn-based supplements are utilized, then protein supplementation would be needed to meet protein requirements. The impact of feeding corn on forage intake and digestibility has been shown to be dependent on the level of protein in the diet. In digestion studies, increasing energy in diets containing low levels of protein has decreased intake and digestibility of low-quality roughage; however, with greater levels of supplemental protein, increasing energy typically has little effect on intake or digestibility of low-quality roughage.

OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS

If possible, sort and manage cows by BCS groups (i.e., thin versus fleshy). This will allow you to be more strategic on providing high-quality feedstuffs to thin cows, while not over conditioning any fleshy cows.

Use reproductive technologies. Even if artificial insemination is not utilized, estrus synchronization can help increase the number of thin cows to cycle earlier in the breeding season. Refer to a past BeefWatch article to learn more about how to move cows up in the breeding season: https://beef.unl.edu/ beefwatch/2021/managing-postpartum-anestrus-beef-cows-successful-breeding-season.

Courtesy University of NE - Lincoln, UNL Beef

Interviews with the authors of BeefWatch newsletter articles become available throughout the month of publication and are accessible at: www.go.unl.edu/podcast.

Controlling or minimizing feed waste is essential to stretching hay resources. Photo credit Troy Walz.

options do we have to stretch forage or hay supply?

HILL

Reckoning is becoming the outcross pedigree sensation among breeders looking to improve “show-ring” presence, foot & structure quality, muscle mass, and body dimension!

Optics is becoming an extremely popular heifer bull who’s leading progeny are topping Hoover’s, Panther Creek, & RAML’s herds! Added frame and performance for a heifer bull with outcross pedigree to most popular sires! Make sure you research him.

Veterinarian View

Health & Reproduction questions answered and explained.

contributed

article by Dr.

Vince Collison Collison Embryo and Veterinary Services, Rockwell City, Iowa collisonembryoservices.com

CURRENT ISSUES FOR SPRING 2023

ne of the bigger issues for this spring has been the shortage of FSH for stimulation of donor cows. For conventional flushing, it is an essential hormone for the process. Without stimulation there will only be one oocyte ovulated, resulting in a single embryo collection. Fortunately, aspirations can be done for IVF without FSH. When aspirating cows for IVF there are two schools of thought. IVF production with stimulated versus non-stimulated donors.

At the time we started IVF we were strictly aspirating all donors as non-stimulated. Over time we have started to collect more of the IVF donors with stimulation. I

think the decision to stimulate or not to stimulate an IVF donor needs to be on a case-by-case basis. For many of the cows the non-stimulation has worked very well. Yet for some cows it seems that to get the best results, they need stimulation with FSH.

NON-STIMULATION

Advantages of the non-stimulation is the labor savings due to no trips through the chute other than to do the collection. Also, there is less expense from not using FSH. Many producers also like the idea of not giving exogenous hormones to their donor cows.

When we aspirate follicles, we are collecting a group of follicles that would normally be present anyway. So, the disadvantage of non-stimulations is that collections are done at a random point in time during a follicular wave. Therefore, you really don’t know if the collection occurs during the early part of the follicular wave when the follicles are growing or if it’s during the later part of the wave when the follicles are regressing.

When a follicle is in a regressive phase, the oocyte is probably not going to be competent for fertilization. There are typically 2 to 3 waves of follicles that occur during a cow’s 21-day cycle. When a follicle is growing, the oocyte inside the follicle starts to undergo changes that prepare it to be fertilized resulting in a competent oocyte. Once the follicle reaches the end of the follicular wave development it will start to regress and the oocyte will start to lose its competence to become fertilized. So, if a non-stimulated cow is collected during the regressive part of a follicular wave there is a good chance these oocytes will not fertilize very well. I feel this is often what

is happening when a non-stimulated cow has a nice collection of 20 or more oocytes and then comes back with a very low embryo development rate or often just a total bust resulting in no embryos.

STIMULATION

We feel this is the big advantage of stimulating IVF donor cows. The FSH puts the follicles in a growth phase and increases the chance of collecting a competent oocyte. The other advantage is you may see slightly higher numbers of oocytes recovered on stimmed cows. While the actual number of follicles available to collect does not change, you may cause a few extra follicles to enlarge slightly and make them easier to collect.

With the current shortage of FSH this winter and spring, it has been necessary to do as many IVF collections without stimming as possible. One thing that can be done to a nonstimmed donor as well as stimmed donors to increase their chances of inducing oocyte competence is to give an injection of GNRH five days prior to the oocyte collection date. This will help to reset a new follicular wave and hopefully have a new cohort of growing follicles in the ovary at the time of her collection. This is a very inexpensive way to reset the follicular wave and potentially can get similar benefits without the cost of FSH.

CALF HEALTH

Even more important has been the challenges with calf health seen this spring. The weather conditions this winter have been harsh on both cows and calves. We feel that some of the diets fed to cows have been

short on some of the key micronutrients needed for calf health. Vitamin A deficiency has continued to be an important issue for many this spring. With a combination of drought causing poor vitamin A content in harvested forages and the fact that many producers are moving to more of a silage, distillers, and corn stover type of diet for their cows. This type of diet is usually going to be low on vitamin A.

It has been very common to see low vitamin A in liver samples we have submitted on calves to the diagnostic lab. A couple of things could be going on. The main source of vitamin A for new calves is from the colostrum they get nursing shortly after birth. So, if you see low vitamin A levels in a calf that is only a few days of age it could be that they did not get enough colostrum at birth. This would also mean there is probably a failure of passive transfer which results in the calf being much more prone to illness.

The other issue can be that the cow is low on vitamin A and just doesn’t have it to put into the colostrum. Also, the weather has put a lot of extra stress on these cows this winter and may adversely be affecting colostrum.

As a final note, continue to make colostrum intake at birth a priority to give the calf high immunity from the start. Use calving pens in the first 24 hours, if possible, to improve the pair bonding and nursing of the new calf in the first 24 hours of life. Use vitamin A premix in situations where you’re feeding diets to cows that have the potential to be very low in vitamin A. Also keep a good trace mineral product in the ration or out in front of the cows and calves at all times.

learn more collisonembryoservices.com

Dr. Vince Collison is co-owner of Collison Embryo and Veterinary Services PAC in Rockwell City, Iowa.

We are Brian and Kathy Brandt of Mustang Sally BBQ. We are a bit different from the great farm and ranch cooks usually featured in Kitchen Stock, but our roots run deep in farming and agriculture. Brian grew up near Truman, Minnesota, on a crop and sheep farm, raising and showing four breeds of purebred sheep. He has an animal science degree from North Dakota State University and retired from a 35-year career in agricultural lending. Kathy was raised on a crop and beef farm near Clearbrook, Minnesota. Her brother, Kelly Nordlund, and nephews, Mike and Sam, operate Nordlund Stock Farm, raising Red and Black Angus. She has a home economics education degree and Master of Education degree from the University of Minnesota. Prior to her retirement, Kathy managed the Schwan Food Company test kitchen and finished a 25-year career with the University of Minnesota Extension

How

did you get started in the BBQ business?

Our BBQ journey began in 2007. Brian helped organize a Kansas City BBQ Society (KCBS) contest at the local university and we were hooked! We cooked in over 60 contests in the upper Midwest before retiring from competition in 2021. Being both lucky and skilled enough to win multiple grand and reserve grand championships we were invited to the American Royal World Series of BBQ contest in Kansas City, Missouri. This is the largest contest in the world with nearly 600 teams competing where we finished 12th in the world in the pork category. KCBS contests consist of cooking chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder, and beef brisket; all smoked and presented within a specified 90-minute window of time to certified BBQ judges.

STOCK Kitchen

Giving back to our community has always been important. We have donated numerous BBQ dinner parties to Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) arts, music, and athletics programs and have helped raise over $75,000 in college scholarships for students.

We have since started our own registered Minnesota Cottage Food business called, of course, Mustang Sally BBQ. We sell a line of BBQ seasonings as well as savory and sweet treats like smoked nuts and truffles. We enjoy coming up with new ideas to test out and share with others.

What’s your most requested dish?

Kathy’s family recipe for Swedish meatballs is a family favorite especially at Christmas and Brian’s smoked meatloaf and brisket are always on the request list. Because meatballs, smoked meatloaf and brisket are favorites to eat, they’re also favorites to make!

Cowboy approved recipes used by our favorite country cooks.

In the kitchen with Brian and Kathy Brandt

Mustang Sally BBQ - Marshall, Minn.

SMOKED MEATLOAF

Brian and Kathy Brandt

1 lb. ground beef

½ lb. ground pork

1 c. dry bread crumbs or cubes

1 ¼ c. milk

1 egg, beaten

¼ c. onion, minced

1 ¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. each pepper, celery salt, garlic salt, dry mustard, and sage

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Preheat pellet grill or smoker to 225 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine ingredients in large bowl and mix thoroughly. Form into approximately 8x4 inch loaf shape on plate or foil. Place directly on grill grate for approximately 1 hour or until internal temperature is 150 degrees Fahrenheit. At this point, increase the grill temperature to 375 degrees, continuing to cook meatloaf until internal temperature of 175 degrees is reached. The increased temperature provides for rich mahogany color and pleasing texture.

Notes: Feel free to use your own favorite meatloaf recipe. I double or triple the recipe to have leftovers to freeze for a second meal. To glaze meatloaf, do so when you increase the grill temperature.

for printable recipes: stockmanmag.com

Where did you learn to cook?

We both had mothers who were great cooks. Growing up on farms, there were always meals to make and goodies to bake. Starting at a very young age, Kathy worked alongside her mom daily and this allowed for lots of practice. She’s an experienced, excellent cook and baker. Growing up Brian was more involved with chores and farming, so he didn’t spend much time with food prep. Over his adult years he’s developed into an excellent pitmaster, cook, and baker.

What is your least favorite job in the kitchen?

In the kitchen or at a BBQ contest…it’s always cleanup!

What is your favorite cooking tip/trick?

Everyone has favorite recipes but don’t be afraid to experiment a little. Have fun and try different things! Take notes when trying something new so that the tweaks you make are written down for the next time. And… have a reliable thermometer!”

We hope you have fun with our recipes during grilling season!

learn more mustangsallytailgating.com

BLOOMING BEEF BOLOGNA

Brian

and Kathy Brandt

Ingredients and supplies:

4-inch chub of beef bologna, approximately 1.25 to 1.5 lbs.

Yellow mustard

BBQ rub or seasoning of choice

BBQ sauce of choice

Aluminum foil

Preheat pellet grill or smoker to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Make 5 evenly spaced cuts across the chub to about ¼ to 3 /8 inches from the bottom. Turn the chub and make 5 per - pendicular cuts to the same depth resulting in small squares. Slather mustard all over the bologna making sure to coat surfaces and crevices. Use your favorite BBQ rub or sea- soning (we use Mustang Sally BBQ GT Rub) and liberally coat surfaces and crevices of the bologna.

Place the chub on a small ball of aluminum foil directly onto the grill grate. This will allow the bologna to “bloom” as it heats. Smoke for about an hour or until you get your desired color and doneness.

Serve with your favorite BBQ or dipping sauce. Spicy mus- tard sauce is yummy.

Note: If you use a charcoal or gas grill, use the indirect heat method.

GRILLED BANANA BREAD ICE CREAM SANDWICHES

Brian and Kathy Brandt

Banana bread ingredients:

1 c. sugar

½ c. cooking oil

2 eggs, beaten

3 T. sour cream

1 tsp. baking soda

dissolved in 1 T. warm water

½ tsp. salt

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 c. flour

Ingredients to complete and serve grilled sandwiches:

1.5 quart premium vanilla ice cream

Salted caramel sauce (purchased or your recipe)

Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pans with cooking spray; set aside. Combine banana bread ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until ingredients are blended. Pour into prepared baking pans. Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly and remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

For the grilled sandwiches preheat your pellet grill or smoker to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cut the loaf into ½ inch thick slices. Place the slices on the grill grate until dark grill marks form, approximately 3 minutes or until desired color is reached. Flip slices and repeat the process. Let cool.

While grilled banana bread is cooling, let ice cream thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Once the ice cream is spreadable, place about 1 inch thick- ness on a slice of grilled bread. Top with another slice and press gently together forming a sandwich. Assemble all sandwiches and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least an hour before eating. Thaw for several minutes before serving. Serve with warm salted caramel sauce for drizzling or dipping.

Notes: These keep well for 2 weeks in the freezer. Use your favorite banana bread recipe rather than one provided.

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Sale Barn Study

COLD WEATHER BUT HOT CATTLE

this fat cattle deal to continue an upward trend going into the new year and into spring. How high we can go, that is the million-dollar question!

RECORDS BEING SET EVERYWHERE!

s I wrote this article, we have received our first snowstorm of the winter and my four little ones could not wait to throw on their snow pants and go play in the white stuff! Me on the other hand, not so excited about leaving the warmth and comfort of my office. It is because they are looking forward to joy and fun and I am dreading frozen waters and/or sick cattle. Either way, it is safe to say that winter is upon us!

pring has most definitely sprung in Iowa; there is a lot of dirt turn ing and the pastures are becoming green. My wife is getting the itch to get cows bred and kicked out to their pastures and it is much easier to get the kids outside to work with their bottle calves and show heifers. Always a fun and exciting time of year!!

Now let’s look at what we have been seeing going on in the barns. As I write this article, the last cou ple of days we have been seeing some record high temperatures and we have also been seeing some re cord prices going on in the barns as well. This past week we have seen cash cattle in the country bringing in the mid $1.70’s and seen some tops in the barn in the low to mid $1.80’s. And we have not even really gotten to the point where there is an extreme shortage of fat cattle yet.

Now to look at some of the market reports that we have been seeing in the barns. The fat cattle market has been on a hot streak for several weeks, until this past week, when we experienced a slight dip in the market. We have seen some highs in the mid to high forties, but these have been some extremes. Most cash cattle in the country have been trading at forty level or slightly higher the past couple of weeks. I expect there to be a few bumps in the road, but I expect

The higher fat cattle market is driving a higher price for the feeder cattle market as well, even with the higher feedstuff inputs. We have seen some front end big strings of 800 pounds bringing well into the sixties and some 600-pound cattle bringing into the seventies and eighties. Once again these are some extreme tops. We have been trying to fill up our own lots as fast as possible, as I am not sure the feeder cattle are going to get any cheaper. We have been able to find cattle at cheaper prices than that and so when we do projects they are in the black.

The cull cow and bull market has lagged the fat market, as from all reports there have been around six

percent more last year, making supply of cows. down, which be into next year, cow and bull with the same market.

The breeding been up and cently, I heard commercial pairs $2,000 and then can buy all the I want for $1,200 are looking to now is the time reasonably priced with increased are going to be ply over the next Wishing everyone Christmas and

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 reopened 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 (8), Brayden (7), Vivian (5), and Bianca (1).

Has this market come on too strong and fast? In my opinion, probably yes, so I don’t expect to continue to see the $3-5 jumps that we have seen the last couple of weeks. But, I made a bet with a good friend of mine yesterday that

Humeston, Iowa 641-877-6092

In the News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE EXPANDED HEREFORD FEEDOUT PROGRAM

Yards. The numbers encompass the Hereford Feedout Program* and the National Junior Hereford Association (NJHA) Fed Steer Shootout.**

“Every year, we see increased interest in these programs from our members and their customers because of the value they find in benchmarking feedlot and carcass performance in their programs and then tracking subsequent performance relative to their benchmark,” Befort says.

For more information, visit https:// hereford.org/genetics/breed-improvement/feedout-program/

*Hereford Feedout Program — participants enroll a minimum five head of same-sex (steer or heifer) cattle for feeding within a designated delivery period; participants can enroll whole-pen groups outside of designated delivery period.

**NJHA Fed Steer Shootout — participants enroll individual steers or pens of three steers.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. –The American Hereford Association (AHA) is expanding its popular Hereford Feedout Program to provide Hereford breeders and commercial users of Hereford genetics more opportunities to discover the feedlot and carcass performance of their genetics.

“Growing interest led us to expand from one feedout each year to two, beginning with the first fall program in 2023,” explains Trey Befort, AHA director of commercial programs. “The added feeding period enables us to accommodate producers’ whose calving and weaning seasons prevented them from participating as much as they wanted with a single feeding period.”

The Hereford Feedout Program offers producers an opportunity to send a few head or entire pens to HRC Feed Yards in Scott City, Kan., where the cattle are fed. Participants receive ongoing updates about how their cattle are performing while on feed and then receive a collective summary of all cattle enrolled in the program to see how their cattle performed relative to the entire group.

Currently, 94 participants from 22 states are feeding more than 1,400 head of Hereford and Hereford-influenced feeder cattle at HRC Feed

“These programs provide value to those who have never fed their cattle before and those who do so on a routine basis,” explains Bill Goehring, Libertyville, Iowa, AHA president — a Hereford breeder, commercial cow calf producer and sale barn owner and manager. “These programs are a convenient, cost-effective way for Hereford seedstock producers and their commercial customers to identify how their genetics perform in the feedlot and in the packinghouse. The data also adds increasing accuracy to the breed’s genetic evaluation.”

Cattle from the Hereford Feedout Program are harvested by National Beef Packing Company, which is the licensed beef processor for Certified Hereford Beef® (CHB). Cattle in the program are candidates for CHB and are marketed on the U.S. Premium Beef® Grid, ultimately providing producers access to industry-leading marketing options.

“Everyone involved in the beef industry has a role in feeding the world,” says Lee Mayo, HRC Feed Yards general manager. “If we can teach breeders and have them take ownership and responsibility for the end product, I am really excited to see the progress of the Hereford breed over the next 50 years.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HOW GRAZING MANAGEMENT CAN PROPEL YOUR PROFIT

Latest Angus University webinar discusses key grazing management strategies.

Grass — vital to producers’ cattle and their profit. With factors like stocking rates, input costs and soil vigor all play a part in pasture management, how do cattlemen decide where to place their focus?

“We’re not going out there trying to change what you’ve already got,” said Hugh Aljoe, director of producer relations with the Noble Research Institute. “We first need to make good use of what exists, and then, and only then, cost effectively fill forage gaps of quantity and quality.”

During the Angus University webinar, Gear up for Grazing, held March 28, Aljoe explained how to make better use of existing ranch resources and improve overall grazing practices.

Two factors in grazing management are stocking rate and carrying capacity and they regularly get confused. Stocking rate measures forage demand or the number of animals grazing, while carrying capacity is the amount of forage supply being grown, Aljoe said. What’s needed is a balance between the two.

“The number one rule of grazing management is to actively manage the stocking rate at or below carrying capacity,” Aljoe said. “What this does is maintain a measure of flexibility within our operation.”

Aljoe explained that for every year a pasture sits overstocked, typically due to fluctuating rainfall, it takes about two years to recover. He proposes the solution of setting a stocking rate for approximately 80% of average rainfall — leading to a more manageable overstocking of about one in six years.

“If you’re doing a really good job with your breeding program, a good job with your nutrition program, and you like the livestock you have, you can carry your own calf crop later into the season to find a better economic marketing opportunity,” Aljoe said.

While the simple solution to a depleting forage supply may be to supplement with hay, this turns into an expensive practice. Aljoe recommends providing intentional grazing allocations to prolong the grazing season.

“We can be a lot more effective if we give them allocations for a day, several days a week at a time,” Aljoe said. “Then we’re more efficient, not only with our land resources, but also managing those allocations further into the year.”

To dive deeper into Aljoe’s presentation, visit bit.ly/40KiyHl. To learn more about Angus University webinars and other educational resources, visit www.angus.org/ university.

Jerry Delaney of Lake Benton, Minn. was recently inducted into the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association Hall of Fame, where recognition was given at the Association’s annual meeting on March 9, 2023 in St. Paul, Minn. Portraits of Jerry and the other inductees will be hung in Haecker Hall on the University of Minnesota-St. Paul campus. Pictured is Jerry with his award and also with his wife, Shelly.

Photo courtesy Delaney Herefords.

JUNIORS! Calling all

2023 JUNIOR NATIONAL SCHEDULE BY BREED

ABERDEEN

June 27-July 1, 2023

McCook, Neb.

www.americanaberdeen.com/ shows-events/junior-nationals/

ANGUS

July 1-8, 2023

Grand Island, Neb.

www.njas.info

CHAROLAIS

July 2-7, 2023

St. Paul, Minn.

www.charolaisusa.com/jr-national.php

CHIANINA

June 19-24, 2023

Grand Island, Neb.

www.www.chicattle.org/index.php/ 2023-junior-national-show-information/

GELBVIEH

July 2-7, 2023

Huron, S.D.

www.gelbvieh.org/juniors/agjaevents/junior-classic

HEREFORD

July 8-14, 2023

Madison, Wis.

www.hereford.org/youth/jnhe

LIMOUSIN

July 7-13, 2023

Rapid City, S.D.

www.nalf.org/juniors/shows/

MAINE-ANJOU

June 19-24, 2023

Grand Island, Neb.

www.maine-anjou.org/junior/ juniornational.php

MINIATURE HEREFORD

June 18-24, 2023

Salina, Kan.

www.mhjn.org

RED ANGUS

June 24-July 1, 2023

Brookings, S.D.

www.najrae.com

SALERS

June 25-30, 2023

Lewistown, Mont.

https://www.salersusa.org/events/ junior-national

SHORTHORN

June 17-24, 2023

Des Moines, Iowa

www.juniorshorthorn.org/show/ junior-national/

SIMMENTAL

July 7-13, 2023

Des Moines, Iowa

www.juniorsimmental.org

In our third year of participation, The Stockman is thrilled to announce the following Livestock Publications Council 2022 Awards Contest:

Category 18 - Technical Article

‘Self-Care for You and Others’ by B. Lynn Gordon

March 2021

FIRST PLACE

Category 26 - In-depth reporting (single) Seedstock Marketing - 2020 and Beyond, 1 and 2, by B. Lynn Gordon

January and February 2021

FIRST PLACE

Category 28 - Miscellaneous Writing

‘Unsung Heroes of the Seedstock Industry,’ by B. Lynn Gordon

February, March, April 2021

FIRST PLACE

Category 34 - Two page ad design

Ad for Wall Street Cattle Co., by Makayla Flower

October 2021

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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

STOCKMAN traight

About the Stockman.

We ranch in northeast Oklahoma where we operate a commercial cow/calf operation, American quarter horse program, and market commercial replacement cattle. I work alongside my older brother, Merrit, managing the ranch for our family. We take pride in our traditional approach with a modern outlook on opportunities for ranchers to sustain to the next generation. A Bar Ranch was started by my parents, Mike and Martha Armitage, and our family has been ranching in northeast Oklahoma since 1985.”

The most important lesson you’ve learned in this business?

Patience sometimes learned the hard way, whether it’s a drought or a monsoon, this trait I’m constantly learning.”

Which animal (any species) has left the greatest impact on you?

My father’s favorite mare, Merry Go Mavis. Her lineage lives on in our current remuda. Generations of consistently good-minded and athletic horses.”

above The Armitage Family (l-r): Turner, Sarah, Martha, Michelle holding Maysa, and Merrit holding Myles.

Turner Armitage

A Bar Ranch of Claremore, Okla.

What is your least favorite job on the farm?

Washing stock trailers with a power washer.”

Your favorite non-farm activity to do in your free time?

Spending time with my wife.”

Your go-to sorting apparatus?

“Somethin” aka my go-to horse.”

What about the beef cattle industry excites you the most?

The opportunity to tell our story as producers to a consumer base who is hungry to learn more.”

UPCOMING SPRING SALE: Saturday, May 13, 2023 Held at A Bar Ranch | Claremore, Okla. Selling pairs, bred cows, and bred heifers

Describe your best day.

Best day on the ranch has been this spring - foaling out a highly anticipated colt we have high hopes for.”

What is the most used tool on your farm? How old is it?

Our Easley stock trailers. Our heaviest used one is 1 year older than me.”

Arguably the heaviest muscled bull in the 2023 Schaff’s Angus Valley sale offering. His dam is a phenotypic standout, and his 13 year old grandam is the #1 CED and #4 Milk EPD cow at Schaff’s Angus Valley.

TWO NEW JR HERD SIRES AT ZWT RANCH

Both bulls will be available on a first come first serve basis $30/straw and $40/cert. WIL MAYES 304-619-9327 | DALLAS WOLTEMATH 308-390-6400 | ZWTRANCH.COM

This full brother to S A V Downpour 8794 has unlimited potential. His Pathfinder dam combined stellar phenotype with a production WW record of 7/104.

REG# 20478145

REG# 20480732

FulL

• Built from the ground up on an impeccable foot and heel, big statured, wide based bull

• For a bull with his neck extension, pattern and silhouette you will be even more appreciative of his big square hip and extra pin width from behind

• Impressive First Class dam backed by the Barbara M84 cow, she is an absolute beast from every angle and is one that is never forgotten by those who have laid eyes on her

• Use on multiple breeds to make high quality cattle with form and function.

• Phenotype and Genotype at its finest

• A must use sire for 2023

featuring 16 + progeny of this great matriarch donor!

150 Head!

Proven Herd Bulls Sell!

Including Rubys Outer Limits, RVR Waylon and RVR Rogue PLUS several herd bull prospects!

FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE & WEBSITE TO VIEW FULL OFFERING AND VIDEOS!