Brought to you by American Simbrah Breeders Rich history ... · Brought to you by American Simbrah Breeders Ellen Campbell T om and her hus-band, Charles began what is ... through

PAGE 1B FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2014

SOUTHERN LIVESTOCK STANDARD

Brought to you by American Simbrah Breeders

Ellen Campbell Tom and her hus-band, Charles began what is

known as Tom Brothers Ranch in1857 near the town ofCampbellton, Texas.

Lytle Tom, Jr. , Philip’s dad and Ellen’s grandfather, was instrumental inbringing many new practices to the ranch, including the use of artificialinsemination, estrous synchronization, performance measurements andintroduced Angus and continental genetics to the cowherd.

By Merridee WellsThere’s a TV commer-

cial currently running fea-turing the distinctive, deepvoice of Sam Elliot talkingabout some of Texas’“firsts”….the first U.S. bat-tleship aptly named TheTexas; the nation’s firstdomed stadium was locat-ed in the Lone Star State ;and the first word spokenon the moon was“Houston”….so with ourbigger is better attitude andpride in our state, it’s notsurprising that one ofTexas’s oldest ranchingentities is also home to sev-eral “firsts” of their own.

Tom Brothers Ranch, aformidable south Texas

operation located in Camp-bellton, can trace its rootsto 1857, and is proud toclaim Ellen Campbell Tomas family matriarch andattributes the ranch’sgrowth and success to thewidow of Charles Tom, theranch’s founder. Ellen Tomcontinued to operate thethriving ranch after herhusband’s untimely death.

The mother of five was asavvy businesswoman. Notonly did their cattle opera-tion thrive but she wouldcontinue to purchase landand grow the Tom Ranchholdings until her death,making her not only one ofthe state’s first female

ranch managers, butundoubtedly one of themost successful as well.

Time brought manyhardships and changes tothis operation. Severalmore generations of Tomswould fight tick fever,drought, and the GreatDepression, but alwayseach generation broughtchange with it.

John “Lytle” Tom Jr.,great-grandson of C.T.Tom, Ellen’s son, returnedto the ranch after collegewith the idea to turn theoperation, which was pri-marily a Hereford-basedcrossbred herd, into a regis-tered Angus operation.

One of the first beef herdsin the U.S. to utilize A.I.,Lytle Tom Jr. introducedthis concept to the ranch in1963 in his quest to “breeda better steak”. He was alsoone of the first in the stateto serve on the BeefImprovement Federation’sSire Evaluation Commit-tee, which helped developEPDs (Expected ProgenyDifferences) for the beefindustry.

Lytle Tom’s interest inimproving his beef herdthrough data collection andresearch prompted theranch to host many gaintests, experiments, andresearch trials, with specialconcentration on estrussynchronization. Embryotransfer was experimental-ly used in 1981 as a meansto propagate superiorgenetics.

With the introduction ofAngus cattle in 1961, theranch concentrated theirefforts on raising the breedhowever true to the Tom’s“experimental” nature.

They also introduced afew continental breeds,crossing them with Angusin an effort to find the nextbest beef animal.

Fast forward fourdecades to 2000, when the600 head Angus herd thatcontained 37 years of con-tinuous A.I. breeding was

dispersed. The remainingcowherd that was left wasSimAngus, Simbrah, andAngus born from the re-tained recipients. Becauseof continued drought and

Ellen Tom is the sixth generationof the Tom family and she wasnamed after ranch’s first matri-arch, who along with her husband,Charles Tom started the ranch in1857.

Philip Tom represents the fifthgeneration of his family to raisecattle in South Texas.

This steer calf was sired by a Tom Brothers bred Simbrah bull. He belongs to L3 Cattle Co., Kenedy, Texas, which is owned by Bob and YvonneAlexander. They purchased a Simbrah bull from the Toms to use on their Brangus x Hereford females.

TBR Right Time Z057 represents the type of Simbrah bulls the Tomprogram is raising. This one has EPDs ranking of top 1% in breed forcalving ease, marbling and all purpose index and a top 5% for terminalindex. He is also homozygous polled, homozygous black and had a 78 lb.birth weight.

This heifer, owned by L3 Cattle Co. was sired by a Tom Brothers Ranch bred Simbrah bull.

(Continued on page 8)

Rich history, strong futureat Tom Brothers Ranch



Simbrah sired steerfeed out planned

The Simbrah steer feedout will begin with a flextime entry in mid Octoberand will be held at GrahamFeeders.

The committee wouldlike to have Spring bornsteers, branding preferred,tattooed and ear tagged.The cattle health workshould follow the TexasA&M Vac 45 program.Texas A&M will be con-sulted during this test.

Breeders will own theirindividual cattle while inthe feedlot and retain indi-vidual risk of death andsickness. Health insuranceshould be obtainablealthough seldom utilizeddue to high success ratio.

The intention is to feedto a large weight withoutadditives to maximize car-cass quality. The cattle willbe fed to approximately1400 lbs. Steers shouldweigh 550 lbs. or more atshipment.

Upon harvest, eachbreeder will receive all data

identified by tattoo num-bers and each breeder willbe paid based on the resultof the individual carcass.

Freight to feedlot willbe paid by each breeder.Group shipments and load-ing points will be studied tominimize shipping costs.

There are no schedulingor handling costs associat-ed with this feed out and allrisk is maintained by eachbreeder without recourse.

The goal is to expressthe carcass quality of theSimbrah breed. For addi-tional information contactBill Travis at [email protected] or 214/850-6308.

Consignorinformation forall breed events

Fort WorthCommercialFemale Sale

Entry forms for nomi-nations will be availablemid September. ContactRobert Schacher, (817/219-0102) to be placed on the

mailing list. Nominationforms are due December 1,2014. However, if you wantto be considered as a con-signor, you must advise himof your intent to participateat the sale and inform himon the number of heifersthat will be entered.Heifers will be screened forthe sale around mid to lateOctober.

San Antonio AllBreed Bull Saleand All Breed

Heifer SaleEntry forms for nomi-

nations are available fromOctober 1st to October15th for the sale at the SanAntonio Livestock Show inFebruary. Evaluation com-mittee will view all possiblecandidates prior to accept-ance into the sale. Previousconsignors have first choiceto participate in sale.

Contact Jim Banner orMichael Sturgess (210/524-9697) for all the specificsand nomination forms.

Houston LivestockShow All Breed

Bull Sale andCommercial Sale

Persons interested inconsigning to the HoustonLivestock Show and Ro-

deo, need to contact GulfTex Livestock at 979/482-2018 or [email protected].

La Muneca to host27th Annual Jr.

Round Up“On Saturday, October

4th, starting at 9:00 a.m., LaMuneca Cattle Co (LMC).will proudly be hosting our27th Annual Jr. Round Up& LMC Futurity. This is afun-filled, educational, fa-mily oriented event thatanyone interested in isinvited to attend. Therewill be speakers on many

topics related to the beefindustry, showing cattle,leadership and motiva-tion,” states LMC owner,Carlos X. Guerra.

Adults and three agegroups of juniors will havethe opportunity to judgefour classes of Simbrah,Brahman and Simbraviehcattle, two classes of hayplus a weight-guessing con-test. Seventy-five juniorswill win $750 in premiumssponsored by the DarrylRaub Family, plus be in thedrawing for over 100 doorprizes donated by manylocal businesses, including

Martin’s Farm & Ranch,Farm & Ranch in SanIsidro-Kito Saenz, HidalgoCounty Farm Bureau,Mueller Inc.-Frank Trevi-no, Chorizo de San Ma-nuel, Creative Awards, SanIsidro FFA-Raul Hinojosa,Rio Grande City FFA-Randy Lee Lara, Tandy’s,La Muneca and the fami-lies of Dr. Oscar Alvarez,Benny Cano, BenjaminHill and Doug Lightfoot.The average attendancethrough the years has beenover 300 kids, parents andleaders. The LMC SpecialAwards of Volunteer,

La Muneca Cattle Co. will host it’s 27th Annual Roundup on October 4th. The event is geared for familiesand includes a show for juniors. Past participants are pictured here.



Booster and Educators ofthe Year will be awarded atthe Round Up.

The Annual La MunecaFuturity will conclude theday’s events with over$9,000 in prize money andbuckles. Half of this moneywill be awarded in show-manship. The RGV Brah-man & F-1 Association willalso be sponsoring a regis-tered Brahman steer showat this event.

Food and refreshmentswill be served all day by theEdinburg FFA BoosterClub. The ninth annualLMC Customer Apprecia-tion Dinner will be held atthe conclusion of the LMCFuturity. La Muneca islocated three miles south ofLinn on the west side ofHighway 281. For moreinformation, please callCarlos or Sister Guerra at956-383-7566 or 802-1641or email them at [email protected] or callBrad Cowan, HidalgoCounty Agent at 956-383-1026 or [email protected].

HOTSSA Fall FestSale changes

formatThe Heart of Texas

Simmental/Simbrah Asso-

ciation will host their annu-al sale on September 18-20th, it will be an onlinesale. It will be carried onDVAuction.com. The salewill run from 8:00 a.m. onSeptember 18th until 3:00p.m. on September 20th.

Cattle will be availablefor viewing at JHC Ranch’sBuckholts, Texas locationon September 20th. Thelocation for the sale view-ing is 5276 FM 485,Buckholts, Texas 76518.For additional informationcontact Jim Carter, presi-dent at 254/697-1078 [email protected] orJim Ethridge at 979/255-2882.

ASA starts newtradition

Come to Bozeman, Sep-tember 8-11th to helpAmerican Simmental As-sociation (ASA) BoardChairman Jim Butcherkick off a new tradition forthe Fall ASA TrusteeMeeting/Educational Se-minar. Join in the OpenCommittee Meetings,Board Meeting, GuestSpeakers, barbeque at theASA Office, and good con-versation with fellow Sim-mental enthusiasts.

The host hotel will beHoliday Inn Bozeman 5East Baxter Lane, Boze-

man, Montana. Call 406/587-4561 and reference"ASA" or "AmericanSimmental" for the special$85 rate. There is no fee forthe seminar, but to helpwith planning for meals,you must register.

Visit simmental.org toregister on-line or simplycall the ASA office andsomeone will help you.

Synergy VII set forOctober 24-26thSimbrah Synergy VII

will be held October 24-26at Smith Genetics, Gid-dings, Texas. The weekendevent includes an educa-tional skill-a-thon and salestalk competition for jun-iors, sale and the $15,000Synergy Showcase juniorshow.

The sale will be in theevening on Saturday, Octo-ber 25th and includes over100 lots of cattle. The lotsare predominately Sim-brah. Bulls, embryos, do-nors, pairs, breds and somefancy show prospects sell.

The skill-a-thon, salestalk and showmanshipcompetition will be heldSaturday afternoon. TheSynergy Showcase willaward $15,000 to juniorexhibitors of cattle pur-chased from the Synergy

News...


At McCrary Farms we have built our Simmental and Simbrah herds on proven, predictable genetics.We have added daughters of some of the top cow families and utilize sires that add strong genetics, per-formance, EPDs and marketing power too!

One of the cow families we have added is the great Smith Priceless, who is recognized as one of thetop females in the breed and her earning power has been proven over and over! Look at her two daugh-ters we have in the herd now!

Smith Priceless Wish—A

purebred Simbrah daughter of

the great Priceless, who’s proge-

ny have dominated sale rings.

Wish is a daughter of Smith Nu

Approach, a top three-quarter

blood sire. She has solid EPDs

and is now in our donor pro-

gram.

Smith McCrary Hi Price—A per-

centage Simbrah and daughter of

Smith Priceless and the great

Simmental sire, CNS Dream On.

She ranks in the top 1% of the

breed for API and 3% for TI and we

have her in our donor lineup. She

has a Satisfies sired bull calf that

we think is destined for greatness

and you will be hearing more about

him in the near future!

We will be participating in SynergyOctober 25th.

We are located in NortheastTexas and would love to visit with

you about our program!

Mark and Martha McCrary903/667-5135 • 903/278-6819 •

[email protected] North Runnels • DeKalb, Texas 75559

We accept calf scramble certificates.

We’ve Got MoreWe’ve Got More

Just Like Here!Just Like Her!

Billy Hallak • 1167 Oval Drive • Athens, Texas 75751Cell: 903/203-8524 • Home/Fax: 903/292-1428 • [email protected]

HALLAK RANCH

If this is your kind of Simbrah female, then we are your source.We will be offering a nice set of females, including this one at the

Simbrah Synergy Sale and we have cattle for sale at private treaty!This heifer is sired by our senior herd sire, Mr. Strack 254Y. We

have semen for sale on him at $25 per straw. Call for details.

October 25thGiddings, Texas

RED AND BLACKSimAngus™ • SimAngus™HT

Simmental • Simbrah

SimGeneticBulls For Sale By

Private Treaty

Sally Buxkemper325/656-3008

wwww.rxsimbrah.com

For more photos, details and videos of the bulls, visit our websites.

The Brush Country Bulls Group producesSimGenetic composite cattle to make it easy tomaintain a significant level of heterosis, heat toler-ance and uniform quality in both carcass and con-venience traits. Our combination of breeds, pro-vides choices to producers to optimize calves fromdifferent herd bases. Adaptability, fertility andgrowth are keys to profit.

Bull development takes place at Tom BrothersRanch Bull Development, near Campbellton, Texasin lots large enough to allow adequate space for thebulls to exercise. The bulls are continuously evalu-ated for performance and disposition. Rations aredesigned to achieve gain without sacrificing rumenhealth and foot soundness. All bulls have passed abreeding soundness exam and are ready to work.

RX Simbrah and Filegonia Cattle Co are the cur-rent members of Brush Country Group and we areoffering our 2013 Spring Bulls now, along withbred and open replacement heifers. Our 2013 FallBorn bulls will be available Spring 2015.

RX Shiraz A904-3/4 x 1/4 Simbrah BullPolled. He has some great carcass EPDs, andranks in top 20% of breed for API and TI.

ZZ Mr. Fire A491-3/4 SM, 1/8Br, 1/8 MXA polled, percentage Simbrah with a touch ofRed Angus. A great calving ease bull as heranks in top 1% of breed for birth weight and2% for calving ease.

Beth and Joe Mercer956/802-6995 • www.filegoniacattle.com



Preparing your ranch for the next droughtBy Larry A. Redmon and

Mark McFarland, state forage specialist andstate soil fertility specialist

They say hindsight is 20-20. The question is: Whatlessons can we learn inhindsight to minimize thenegative effects of the nextdrought? Because therecertainly will be a nextdrought. Below are severalkey factors to help preparefor, and survive, the nextdrought.

Adjust stocking rateEven when the produc-

tion system is irrigated,drought will be part of therisk associated with forageproduction, and by exten-sion, livestock production.One immediate and dra-matic strategy that can mit-igate the negative effects offuture drought events is toadjust the stocking rate ofthe cow herd to 75% ofwhat could be maintainedbased on long-term precip-itation and forage produc-tion records. This stockingrate should be based onseveral years (more is bet-ter) of observing the quan-tity of forage produced

under the typical manage-ment strategy. Addition-ally, cow size has increasedover the years. Larger cowsrequire more forage; thusthe stocking rate shouldalso be adjusted for a dif-ference in cow size if theranch used to run 100 cows25 years ago when averagecow size was 900 to 1000pounds/head.

When stocked at 75%,livestock producers usuallywill not be overstockedduring most drought years.This prevents having topurchase expensive feed inan attempt to “feed yourway out of a drought”. The75% stocking rate also willreduce the need to sellcows at a time when manyothers are being sold andprices are deflated. Duringyears of good forage pro-duction, stocker calves maybe used as flex grazers toutilize excess forage. Cal-ves may come from the pro-ducer's herd (keep themlonger) or may be pur-chased or grazed on a gainor head/day basis. Excessforage in good years alsomay be harvested andstored for drought years or

sold as hay.Forages should never be

grazed “to the roots” underany circumstances; remo-val of most or all greenleaves deprives the plant ofthe ability to convert sun-light into carbohydrates(energy) vital for plantgrowth. Decreased carbo-hydrate production resultsin decreased root produc-tion, thus reducing theplant's ability to obtainnecessary water and nutri-ents from the soil. The rela-tionship between leavesand roots is critical at alltimes, but especially duringdrought. Besides allowingthe plant to carry out opti-mum photosynthetic activi-ty, adequate green leafresidue also reduces soilmoisture evaporation andpromotes infiltration ofprecipitation that is re-ceived. When there is littleor no forage residue, rain-drop impact on bareground can damage soilstructure resulting in sur-face crusting, reduced rain-fall infiltration and muchgreat water loss as runoff.For bermudagrass, a targetresidue height should be no

less than 4 inches, whileother species will be differ-ent depending on theirgrowth habit. Some of thetall, bunch grasses like littleor big bluestem should notbe grazed shorter than 10to 12 inches.

Manage fertilizer inputsFertilizer is never inex-

pensive, and all fertilizernutrients have increased incost dramatically in recentyears. Thus, the first incli-nation of livestock produc-ers is to not fertilize duringdrought. This is seldom awise strategy. Nitrogen isessential for photosynthe-sis, which enables the plantto produce its own food.Phosphorus and potassiumare critical for root devel-opment, water use efficien-cy, and overall plant vigor.Soil testing and implement-ing a well-balanced fertilityprogram can help plantssurvive drought and recov-er more rapidly after thedrought has ended.

If fertilizer already hasbeen applied, but there hasbeen no significant precipi-tation, fertilizer will remainin the upper soil profile.Although nitrogen is sub-

ject to some volatilizationloss as ammonia gas to theatmosphere under certainconditions (wet soil or sod,high soil pH, elevated tem-peratures), the fertilizerinvestment in the pastureprogram will not have beenwasted. When precipita-tion does occur, the plantwill re-initiate growth andplant uptake of the fertiliz-er nutrients will occur.

If fertilizer has not beenapplied, the tendency ofmany producers is to take a“wait and see” attituderegarding a break in theprevailing dry weather pat-tern. This strategy reducesfinancial risk but mayresult in missing the firstgood precipitation event.Pay attention to weatherforecasts and if it appearsthat the pattern maychange and offer a higherpotential for precipitation,make every attempt to getthe fertilizer in the fieldbefore that next rain.Fertilizing immediatelyafter a rainfall event is notrecommended. Addition ofa urease inhibitor to ureacontaining fertilizers (ureaand liquid 32%) also may

be justified to reduce po-tential nitrogen volatiliza-tion losses when chancesfor rainfall are uncertain.

We’ve invested heavily in this breed with some of the most proven cow families and we have acquired some of themost exciting young sires to lead the program as well. Bulls with genetic greatness, strong EPDs, and powerful pheno-types are part of the Southwestern Farms program. In addition to the bulls pictured, we have semen interests inSmith Stout N Black, Smith Evan and Smith Nu Approach.

We are a young program, but we think the potential for greatness is unlimited!

Come visit us and see the progeny we are putting on the ground!

A polled purebredSimbrah son of SmithEvan, out of an Also NRed bred daughter. HisEPDs rank him in thetop 2% for calvingease and API; top 3%for birth and TI, top10% for weaning,yearling and top 20%for maternal weaningweight. He was GrandChampion Bull at the ASA National and National at San Antonio. His first calves are impres-sive and we will be campaigning a powerful son this coming spring. Owned with SmithGenetics, Burch Farms, Diamond RF Farms and Reavis Farms.

Smith Wentz Blackfoot

Smith Xtra Ordinary

Smith Fierce N Black

Sired by Smith Nu Wave II andout of the great LMC Diva. He isa polled purebred and ranks inthe top 1% of weaning; top 2%for yearling; top 3% for mater-

nal weaning weight, carcassweight and TI. His first calvesare very impressive. Owned

with Smith Genetics.

His EPDs rank in the top 1% for weaning, API and TI; top 2% for calvingease ,birth and yearling; top 4% for yearling, top 10% for maternal

calving ease and maternal weaning weight. He is sired by Charismaticand is out of Madam W, a Dream On daughter. He is a polled/scurred

purebred Simbrah. Owned with Smith Genetics and Reavis Farms.

A black polled Simmental sire that we areusing to produce percentage Simbrahs. Heis sired by Flying B Cut Above and out of aDream On daughter. He was the reservegrand champion bull at the 2014 HoustonInternational Show. Owned with SmithGenetics.

Ray and Suzanne Hill Family607 PR 5215 • Kirbyville, Texas 75956409/423-9060 or 409/[email protected] www.southwesternfarms.com

Farms

SummaryThe following key

points should be remem-bered regarding prepara-tion for the next, andinevitable, drought event.

•For livestock produc-ers, attempting to feedyour way out of a droughtis usually not economicallyviable and should not beattempted.

•The cow herd shouldbe stocked for 75% of whatthe forage resource canproduce based on long-term records.

•Properly fertilized for-ages tolerate and recoverfrom drought better thanpoorly fertilized forages.

•It is generally better tohave fertilizer in the fieldwaiting on a precipitationevent than to fertilize afterrain, so that the rainfall canmove nutrients into theplant root zone for uptake.

•Do not be afraid to sellcows; protect your forageresources by culling deeplybefore the drought be-comes too severe.



How much shouldI feed my cows?The answer... in five simple questions.

By Rick Machen and Ted McCollum,Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service

Most supplements contain both protein and energy, so it becomes a bal-ancing challenge to determine which supplement best combines theneeded nutrients at the best cost.

Review of a cow/calfenterprise budget general-ly finds supplementationamong the top threeexpenses. If profitability isa primary goal, then it'simperative that supple-mentation efforts be effec-tive and cost efficient.

Unlike cattle feeders anddairymen, beef producersseldom know exactly whatand how much their cowsare eating. So the questionoften arises - “How much

should I feed my cows?”This question is similar

to “How long does it taketo get to Amarillo?” Per-haps the most accurate an-swer to both is “It de-pends.” A response whichin turn begs more ques-tions: From where are youdeparting from? Methodsof transportation? Route?Number of stops?

The intent herein is toidentify five questions (inorder of priority) cattle-

men should consider asthey develop their supple-mentation program. [Sup-plementation is oftenthought of in the context ofa winter activity. Yet as theprevious three years (2010-2013) have illustrated, sup-plementation may be war-ranted anytime nutrientdemand exceeds nutrientavailability, regardless ofthe season.]1. How much do theyweigh?

Larger cows can eatmore and must do so to sat-isfy maintenance require-ments and productionexpectations. Body weightis the largest factor affect-ing the pounds of nutrientsrequired. Table 1 illustratesthe effect of body weight onnutrients needed.

Notice the weights list-ed in nutrient requirementstables assume cows are inaverage condition (bodycondition score = 5).

Stocking rates and for-age demand are expressedin animal units, with an ani-mal unit being theweight/number of a speciesexpected to consume 26pounds of air dry forageper day. Relative to beefcows, an animal unit is a1,000 pound cow.

Mature weight/size ofthe U.S. beef cow herd hassteadily increased over thepast 40 years. There is nosubstitute for scales when itcomes to assessing cowbody weight – too often

'guesses' are off by 200pounds or more. Suffice itto observe, there are notmany 1,000 pound cows leftin the country.2. What stage of productionare they in?

In addition to bodyweight, nutrient demand isinfluenced by physiologicalstatus or stage of produc-tion. In order of increasingnutrient demand, the four

stages of production are:mid-gestation ➔ late

gestation ➔ late lactation➔ early lactationYet the order in which theyoccur is:

mid-gestation ➔ lategestation ➔ early lactation➔ late lactationand depending on calf ageat weaning, late lactationand mid-gestation may




Taking a look at the numbers...

Fall 2014 Simbrah EPDsThe American Simmen-

tal Association (ASA),maintains the registry andExpected Progeny Differ-ences (EPDs) database forthe Simbrah breed and haspublished the Fall 2014EPDs. We have providedthe top 12 rankings for each

trait based on sires whohave had progeny bornsince January 1, 2011.

EPDs are estimates ofhow a bull or cow’s futureprogeny will perform, onaverage, for a given trait.They provide estimates ofthe genetic value of an ani-

mal as a parent. Specifical-ly, differences in EPDsbetween two individuals ofthe same breed predict dif-ferences in performancebetween their future off-spring when each is matedto animals of the sameaverage genetic merit.

Fall 2014 Simbrah Birth Weight Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Weaning Weight Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Yearling Weight Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Maternal Calving Ease Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Maternal Milk Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Maternal Weaning Weight Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Docility Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Carcass Weight Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Yield Grade Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Marbling Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Back Fat Thickness Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Calving Ease Trait Leaders

They provide a tool toallow breeders and bullbuyers a calculated way tomeasure predicted per-

formance.If you wish to learn

more about SimbrahEPDs, as well as see breed

averages, visit www.sim-mental.org and view thetab titled, herdbook servic-es.

Fall 2014 Simbrah Rib Eye Area Trait Leaders



Fall 2014 Simbrah All Purpose Index (API) Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah Terminal Index (TI) Trait Leaders

Fall 2014 Simbrah EPDs...Fall 2014 Simbrah Warner-Bratzler Shear Force Trait Leaders

American Simbrah - The World’s Breed



the loss of both Lytle TomJr., and Lytle Tom III, thecowherd was managedcommercially until PhilipTom and his niece, Ellen,the fifth and sixth genera-tion of Toms came home tothe ranch.

Today, with Ellen andPhilip’s return to the ranch,these two Aggies, both withbackgrounds in the JuniorSimmental/Simbrah Asso-ciation have committedtheir efforts to developingSimbrah, SimAngus, andSimAngus HT (heat toler-

ant) cattle to fit the com-mercial demands of southTexas and the Gulf Coastregions.

“While Philip and I bothwere active with the juniorbreed association, showingheifers and competing inleadership events,” ex-plained Ellen Tom, “wedon’t sell any show heifers.I am still involved in thestate junior organization asan advisor, and I continueto support other youthevents helping to developleadership contests thathave application to thebeef business. I think it’svery important that the

next generation, whetherthey stay involved in agri-culture or not, be advocatesfor the industry.”

“Our focus here on theranch since its inception isthe development of superi-or beef genetics for thecommercial industry,” sheexplained. “We are com-mitted to improving genet-ics through performancetesting and utilizing all theavailable tools, collectingdata from birth to carcassultrasound and usinggenomic testing to identifyand advance our program.Not only do we want toidentify the superior per-

formers and propagatethose genetics, but we alsoneed to identify the bottomend and cull those low per-formers from the herd. “

“We emphasize conven-ience traits, such as solidcolor patterns, be it red orblack, and docile disposi-tions in our Simbrah andSimAngus herds. We alsowant polled cattle. There isno reason for our commer-cial customers to have todehorn,” she continued.

We operate very muchlike our commercial cus-tomers, with big pastures ortraps, some with pooraccess and lots of brush, so

we have to have to havedocile, low maintenancecows that will calve unas-sisted and wean a heavycalf. “

“Our Simbrah are ourmost problem free herd,”she explained, “and ourcustomers tell us calf sur-vivability is excellent. Thecows are easy calvers, stayin production longer, andthe Simbrah progeny ontest perform comparativelyto our SimAngus. So wethink we are on the righttrack producing a heat tol-erant breed with superiorperformance.”

Tom indicated that invisiting with their cus-tomers and other area cat-tlemen, their black Sim-brah cattle are offeringlong-time Brangus bullbuyers an alternative.

“Whether it’s becausethey need to branch outgenetically or other rea-sons, cattlemen that havebeen traditionally buyingBrangus bulls are nowinterested in our blackSimbrah,” she said.

While the ranch has notreached the cowherd num-bers of the Angus years,they are holding at 200females, with one-third ofthem Simbrah. A 100% fallcalving herd, they utilizeestrus synchronization and

A.I., embryo transfer, andin-vitro fertilization (IVF)to grow their numbers.However, drought condi-tions continue to plaguethe area and keep the oper-ation from making largejumps in cow numbers.”

“We don’t want to putundue pressure on our pas-tures, plus we want to beable to build with quality,not numbers,” explainedEllen. “Our customershave cut back on numbersdue to drought and so thedemand is not as strong.What they are interested inis quality and we providethe performance data oneach animal so they areable to make informedbuying decisions,” she indi-cated.

From the very begin-ning the Tom Brothersoperation has been aboutinnovation. They are notinterested in the status quo.Instead, this family thatstarted with Ellen Camp-bell Tom and her husband,Charles, and continues tooperate under the guidanceof Ellen Tom and her uncle,Philip Tom to remain astrong, viable ranch entity.Who knows what other“firsts” this operationmight enjoy as they moveinto another era!

SLSThe Tom family operates their purebred herds very much like those of their commercial customers.

(Continued from page 1)

Tom Brothers...





overlap.Like body weight

[among some breeds], milkproduction has increasedappreciably in most breedsin the last three decades.Greater milk production isaccompanied by increasednutrient demands. In addi-tion, cows with greater milkproduction potential haveincreased maintenancerequirements, even whennot lactating. Nutrientsneeded to support mainte-nance and lactation areshown in Table 2.

Compare the require-ments between the twoproduction stages (Table 1vs. Table 2) for a givenweight of cow, and it illus-trates the effect of physio-logical status. Comparebetween body weights ofcows within either tableand one understands theimportance of accuratelyassessing cow body weight.3. What response do youexpect?

Reproductive perform-ance is closely related tonutrition. Research resultsclearly demonstrate thatcows need to be in bodycondition of five (5) inorder to facilitate early lac-tation and a timely returnto estrus (such that the cow

will conceive within 90 daysafter calving and maintaina 365 day (or less) calvinginterval). Cows in adequatecondition at calving (condi-tion score 5 or greater)have the 'luxury' of beingable to utilize bodyreserves (primarily fat) andlose weight while sustain-ing lactation and reproduc-tion.

Maintenance require-ments must be met daily;otherwise the cow will loseweight. Weight gain resultswhen nutrient intakeexceeds nutrient demand,hence the most efficientconversion of supplement

to body weight gain isexpected to occur afterweaning and prior to lategestation. Improving bodycondition of a grazing beefcow via supplementationduring periods of greatestnutrient demand (late ges-tation through early lacta-tion) is difficult if not eco-nomically and practicallyunfeasible.4. What and how much[forage] do they have toeat?

Supplementation andfeeding are often usedinterchangeably, but thetwo have difference inten-tions. Supplementation is

(Continued from page 5)How much...

Still Raisin’Simbrahs!

Call us today to discuss our program andhow our cattle can work for you!

Sklar and SonDarrell and Mary Sklar

Shane and Jill Sklar736 FM 234N • Edna, Texas 77957 • 361/782-8234

For more than three decades, the Sklar family has beenutilizing Simbrah genetics in our operation. We appreciatethe breed’s longevity, the way the females milk, the addedpounds we get and the market potential of the calves weproduce.

We have breeding power of LMC WFC Goldminer 5U/419leading our program. He’s a polled purebred bull and isblack. He is sired by Smith James Outlaw and out of aGoldmine bred daughter.

He’s loaded with bone, very clean sheathed and carries lotsof muscle. We’re excited about the outcross genetics hebrings to our program.

LMC WFC Goldminer 5U/419

SKLAR AND SON-YOUR SOURCEFOR SIMBRAH BULLS AND

SIMBRAH SIREDCOMMERCIAL FEMALES

participants and/or pur-chased in the sale. TheShowcase includes five di-visions of showmanship inaddition to the Simbrah,Percentage and Simmentalshows and you must pre-enter. The show will be onSunday, October 26th.

Participants in thisyear’s sale include BaringCattle Company, Elmen-dorf, Texas; Burch Farms,Hempstead, Texas; Dia-mond RF Farms, Wallis,Texas; Hagan Cattle Com-pany, Yoakum, Texas; Hal-lak Ranch, Athens, Texas;McCrary Farms, DeKalb,Texas; Pine Ridge Ranch,Dallas, Texas; ReavisFarms, Mission, Texas;Smith Genetics, Giddings,Texas; Triple J Ranch, SourLake, Texas; Triple PRanch, Pearland, Texas;Southwestern Farms, Kir-byville, Texas; 7N Ranch,Falls City, Texas and SmithFarms, Denton, Texas.

For additional details,entry forms, rules and saleaccommodations, visitwww.smithgenetics.com orcall 512/587-7896. You canalso follow the event onFacebook.

(Continued from page 3)News...

2014 National Reserve CHAMPION Percentage Simbrah Bull

Smith Hi Caliber

BULLS FOR SALE AND SEMEN ON SELECT BULLS

Ronnie & Susan Smith7736 FM 428

Denton, Texas 76208817-874-3431, cell

[email protected]

We will offer our genetics inSimbrah Synergy, October 25th.

We Breed The Kind Of Simbrah You WantAnd The Kind That Will WorkWe Breed The Kind Of Simbrah You WantAnd The Kind That Will Work

"Nothing has a bigger influence on your bottomline than Fertility-No calf, no profit. Next biggestinfluence is Performance-More pounds and moremoney per pound. We produce replacement heifersthat make a profit..."

Jud Flowers

When you are in the market for registeredSimbrah replacement females and bulls, we inviteyou to come to Monte Christo!

Monte Christo RanchJud & Margie Flowers

12111 N. Bryan Rd. • Misson, Texas 78573956/207-2087

[email protected]



filling the void betweennutrient demand and nutri-ent(s) supplied by the for-age/hay being consumed.(Realize hay is a substitutefor standing forage.)Feeding is providing a bal-

anced diet that meets nutri-ent demand (i.e., drylotcows).

*The success or failureof a supplementation pro-gram is dependent upon thequantity and quality of for-age being supplemented.

As forage quality

decreases (envision dor-mant, dry grass mid-win-ter), nutrient contentdecreases as does forageintake. If cows had unlimit-ed intake and digestionpotential, they could stayfat on wheat straw.Unfortunately, the fibercontent of forages limitshow quickly digestionoccurs, which in turn influ-ences forage intake. In con-trast, the higher the quality(picture immature wheatpasture or lush springgrass), the more a cow canand will eat.

Understanding thequantity and quality of theforage being consumed isfundamental to designing asupplementation programfor beef cows. If a cow isroaming over several acresof native range consumingsome grasses, some forbsand maybe a small amountof browse, estimation ofdiet quality is difficult.Observing grazing behav-ior and the consistency offeces are useful indicatorsof forage availability andquality, respectively. Ex-perienced range cattlenutritionists/cattlemanoften use experience andbest-guess estimates of dietquality as a starting pointfor developing supplemen-

tation strategies.5. What supplement(s) areavailable?

Supplements come innumerous forms – cubes,blocks, tubs, lick tanks,grains, bales, plant co-products, milling co-prod-ucts, bakery waste, bulkcandy, etc. The choice ofsupplement is often deter-mined by historical use,producer preference, quan-tity purchased and ease ofhandling/provision.

Ruminants are amazinganimals created with theunique ability to convert awide variety of feedstuffs,from rice hulls to casein,into high quality animalprotein and/or milk.Generally, forages com-prise the least expensiveportion of a cow's diet, sothe challenge becomes howto 'best' supplement theforage to achieve perform-ance goals (weight change,reproduction, lactation).As noted in Table 1 and 2,protein and energy are thetwo major nutrients consid-ered for supplementation(mineral requirements andsupplementation not to beoverlooked).

Identify the first pro-duction-limiting nutrient(often protein) and evalu-ate supplements on a cost

per unit of that nutrientbasis. Most supplementscontain both protein andenergy, so it becomes a bal-ancing challenge to deter-mine which supplementbest combines the needednutrients at the best (notnecessarily the cheapest)cost.

Supplement deliveryalso has influence on deci-sion making. If it is notpractical/feasible to seecows every day to two, thenself-limiting supplementsor those that can effectivelybe fed infrequently (once

per week) might be consid-ered. Purchasing in largequantity (tons) typicallyresults in a lower cost perunit of supplement, butsome producers cannothandle (economically orphysically) large quantitiesof supplement. Physicalability also effects supple-ment choice; whethermobility-challenged or notproducers should exercisecaution when distributingsupplement. The inabilityto avoid cows competingfor supplement can resultin serious injury.

How much...

Want moreinformation?

For more detail regarding supplementationstrategies see B-6067 Supplementation Strategies forBeef Cattle at: http://animalscience.tamu.edu/ live-stock-species/beef/publications/.

Producer-friendly software is available to aid inanswering these questions and development of asound supplementation program for beef cows.Oklahoma State University faculty have developedCowculator, a very useful tool for evaluating supple-mentation options. The program may be down-loaded at no cost at: Http://www.extension.org/pages/23788/osu-cowculator-v20-beef-cow-nutri-tion-evaluation-software#.U8BzWkC9ZmM

We are building a Simbrah pro-gram that is loaded with power—froma genetic and phenotypic standpoint,and more importantly from a profitperspective.

We are assembling females thathave some of the most proven geneticlines available and building from thatnucleus. Bloodlines represented in ourherd include: Smith Black Mystic, NFSmith Sargeant, Smith Nu Wave II,Smith Isgrig Charismatic, LMC Oprah,and LMC Diva!

Our ranch is located inKenedy, Texas and weinvite you to come see

the powerful set of cattle we have.

REPLACEMENT FEMALESAND BULLS FOR SALE

Smith Johnson Top Price-This is a female we raised and she is pic-tured as a yearling. She is sired by Charismatic and out of SmithPriceless, one of the most proven and popular females ever inthe breed. Top Price now has a Smith Satisfies heifer calf at sidethat we plan to show! Top Price ranks in the top 1% of the breedfor weaning, yearling and TI and in the top10% for birth and API.

Wayne Johnson 830/391-2571Kenny Johnson 361/[email protected]

Tim Smith consultant512/587-7896

[email protected] us on Facebook-JohnsonCattle Company, Kenedy, Texas

JOHNSONCATTLE CO.

La Morra Ranch hasbreeding age Simbrah bullsand breeding age Simbrahheifers, as well as bredheifers for sale.

Our cattle are bred forconvenience and high per-formance. We select for lowbirth weights, easy calvingand heavy weaningweights—a combinationthat is a true cattleman’sdream.

Visit our website, or bet-ter yet—visit the ranch andlet us show you our Simbrahgenetics at work and howthey can work for you!

Conveniently located atFloresville, Texas, just 30minutes from San Antonio.

LMC GenePLUS Online Sale VAugust 30 -

September 2, 2014

Carlos X. Guerra FamilyP.O. Box 81 • Linn, Texas 78563

956/383-7566 Office956/802-1641 Mobile

[email protected]

Lot 3 - Selling semen (10 units perbull) on four of our best Polled

Brahman sires - LMC LFAmbassador, LMC WFF Pistolero,

LMC Poll Aussie (in photo) and LMCPolled Integrity, plus semen on theSimbrah Champions, LMC Johnnie

Walker and LNLMC 12th man.

Lot 8 - LMC Polled Bella 41/4 is a dou-ble smooth polled baby doll sired byLMC Polled Integrity and LMC PolledBaby Doll. She is long, feminine andthe kind to build a herd around. Thedemand for top polled Brahman cattleis growing daily. Do not be leftbehind!! Photo at five months of age.

Lot 17 - RGVLMCCTCF Blossom is amajor league show and donor pure-

bred polled Simbrah prospect sired bythe International Champion LMC 6GRed Rock and out of the many timeschampion RGV Dr. Beauty. Photo atseven months of age. One of 12 top

quality Simbrah lots selling!!!

Lot 5 - LMC LF Polled Ace is a doublesmooth polled show and herd bullprospect sired by LMC LF Ambassadorand out of LMC WFF Caroline 5/6. Buyhim young, right and develop him justthe way you want. His sire will enterthe ABBA's prestigious Register ofRenown next spring as the secondpolled bull to ever reach this pinnacle ofsuccess. Photo at seven months of age.

Lot 6 - Selling your pick of one the bestever double polled litters of 4 double

polled baby dolls sired by LMC LFAmbassador and out of our LMC +S

Polled Madonna donor. They are reallygood!! This sound investment can putyou on the map and at the top of the

POLLED Brahman World. Photo at sixmonths of age

Selling 25 lots of ourfinest Polled Brahman,

Simbrah and Simbraviehs:Pick of the litters, show &donor prospects with afew herd bull prospects.

Upcoming eventsOctober 4th - The 27th Annual LMC Jr.

Round Up, Futurity & CustomerAppreciation Dinner at La Muneca

November 22nd - 25th - La Muneca "GIVINGTHANKS" Online Sale VI

March 27th & 28th - LMC Annual Jackpot,LMC $ellabration Show and Online Sale (March 28th - 31st)



Fence-line weaning: It can be easyBy Jason Banta, Texas A&M associate professor

and extension beef cattle specialistMany beef cattle pro-

ducers are hesitant to weancalves because they believethey don't have therequired facilities or haveheard horror stories aboutweaning. In reality, whendone correctly weaning canbe a very easy practice thatnot only helps the producergenerate more income, butalso helps the beef industryas a whole. In a recent

analysis of the SuperiorLivestock Auction salesdata in 2013, weaned calvesbrought $4.78/cwt morethan calves that were notweaned. While it may notbe as readily apparent,there are also economicbenefits of selling weanedcalves through a local live-stock auction. Weanedcalves will shrink less thanno-weaned calves, result-

ing in more pounds to salegenerating more incomefor the producer.

Many producers haveactually weaned calveswithout even realizing it.At meetings, I sometimesask the question “Howmany people wean theircalves”? and a few handsgo up. I then ask “Howmany people keep replace-ment heifers”? More peo-ple always raise their handsin response to this ques-tion. If you are keeping

heifers, you are weaningcalves; there is nothing dif-ferent between weaningmale and female calves.

There are numerousmethods of weaning calves:1) fence-line weaning, 2)putting calves in a corral, 3)putting cows in a corral, 4)trailer ride to the local auc-tion market, 5) separatingcows and calves in distantpastures, and 6) even theuse of devices that preventcalves from nursing. Whileeach approach has some

pros and cons, fence-lineweaning is considered to bethe best by most in theindustry. Additionally, sev-eral research projects haveshown the benefits offence-line weaning com-pared with other methods.

What is fence-line wean-ing? Fence-line weaning isjust the practice of puttingcalves in one pasture andcows in an adjacent pastureso that they are only sepa-rated by a fence. Being ableto see, hear, and smell each

other provides comfort forboth the calf and cow andwhen done right, is proba-bly the least stressfulmethod of weaning. After afew days the calves willmove further and furtheraway from the weaningfence and the bawlingdecreases greatly amongthe calves. The cows espe-cially some will generallytend to walk the fence andvocalize for a longer periodof time than the calves.After about five to sevendays you can generallymove the two groups apartif desired.

There are several tipsthat producers can incor-porate to make fence-lineweaning easy and success-ful. These include:

• Keep calves as calm aspossible on the day ofweaning.

• If possible don't con-duct any other manage-ment practices on the dayof weaning.

• Select a weaning loca-tion that provides goodshade.

• Select a weaning loca-tion with a water source areasonable distance fromthe weaning fence.

• Plan ahead to havegood quality forage avail-able in the weaning pas-ture.

• Prior to weaning,expose pairs to the pasturecalves will be weaned in.

• Prior to weaning,teach calves how to eatfrom bunks.

Keeping calves calmOne of the biggest mis-

takes made when weaningcalves is getting the cattleexcited. Working withexcited cattle can make theweaning process exponen-tially harder and is themain reason some folkshave not been successfulwhen trying fence-lineweaning. Ideally it is bestnot to process (vaccinate,dehorn, castrate, treat forparasites, etc.) calves theday of weaning. Vaccina-tion can be done eitherbefore or after weaning.When calves are handledcorrectly, sickness rates inweaned calves will usuallybe non-existent. Conse-quently, some producerswill wait seven to 14 daysafter weaning before ad-ministrating booster vac-cines.

The ideal scenario is tocalmly sort cows fromcalves on weaning day andquietly move them to theappropriate weaning pas-ture.

Selecting a locationSeveral factors should

be considered when select-ing a weaning location



Fence-line weaning is just the practice of putting calves in one pasture and cows in an adjacent pasture so thatthey are only separated by a fence.

including: shade, watersource, forage conditions,distance from sorting facili-ty, size of pasture, and dis-position of cattle and theresulting impact on fencequality.

Weaning locationsshould be selected thathave good shade on bothsides of the fence, especial-ly for calves weaned duringthe summer or early fall. Ifa location is not availablewith good shade on bothsides, choose a locationthat will have good shadenext to the fence where thecalves will be. A desirableweaning pasture shouldalso have a good watersource within a few hun-dred yards of the weaningfence in the pasture wherethe calves will be kept.Location of the watersource for cows is not ascritical. Producers shouldplan ahead to ensure goodforage conditions in thepasture where calves willbe weaned.

It can sometimes bechallenging to push cowsand calves after they havebeen sorted (especially ifthey haven't been taughthow to handle), so a sortinglocation close to the wean-ing pastures can be helpful.The size of pasture used towean calves can vary, butsomething between abouttwo and 20 acres tends to beideal. Putting calves in real-ly large pastures can createsome challenges. Cows canbe placed in a larger pas-ture, adjacent to the small-er pasture for calves.

The quality of fenceneeded to separate cowsand calves does not have tobe near as stout as manymight think. While pipe,net-wire, or good barbedwire fences are ideal, fence-line weaning has been suc-cessfully accomplishedwith old barbed wirefences, smooth wire fences,and even single strand elec-tric fences (although Iwould not recommend onlyusing a single strand ofelectric fence for mostoperations). On old barbedwire fences or smooth wirefences, placing a strand ofelectric fence on the pri-mary fence can be helpful(place the electric wire onthe side of the fence thecows will be on). If one ortwo calves out of 20 or 100crawl through the fence,don't get worked up, justwait until the end of the dayor the next day and sortthem back out. It is not theend of the world if they getto nurse for an extra day ortwo.

Preparing calvesfor weaning

Prior to weaning calvesshould be taught how to eatfrom a bunk or eat cubesoff the ground. This taskcan be accomplished byfeeding pairs a smallamount of feed (one-twolbs. per pair) until a majori-ty of the calves are consum-ing some feed. I have seenthis accomplished in as fewas four or five feedings,although it may take longerin some operations. Manyfeeds can be used to accom-plish this task, but my pref-erence is either cottonseedor soybean meal becausethose supplements are nor-

mally the preferred choiceto use once the calves areseparated. Calves will learnquickly by watching theirmothers eat and this prac-tice will make it much easi-er to get calves eating afterweaning if supplementa-tion is required.

It is also beneficial toexpose the pairs to theweaning pasture for a dayor two within a couple ofweeks of weaning. This letsthe calves become familiarwith where the watersources are located. How-ever, you don't want tokeep the pairs in the wean-ing pasture for several daysbefore weaning because

Fence-line... the cows will end up con-suming the highest qualityforage. You can either putthe pairs in for a few daysand then let the grassregrow for a couple ofweeks, or you can put the

pairs in one day beforeweaning and then pull thecows out the next week.

In summary, weaning iseconomically beneficial tothe producer and alsoresults in less sickness and

death loss of calves oncethey leave the cow-calfoperation. Additionally, byfollowing a few simpleguidelines, weaning can bea very easy and rewardingpractice.



Vitamin A: What you need to knowSuccessfully incorporat-

ing mineral and vitaminsupplementation into yournutrition program stems

from understanding whycattle need those nutrientsin the first place. Producerswho have a better under-

standing of key nutrientfunctions, more specificallythe biology behind bodilyfunctions, will be betterable to decide on appropri-ate supplements and tim-ing, as well as the efficacyof the product that thenutrition consultant ispushing this year.

What isvitamin A?

According to HomerSewell, University ofMissouri (MU) Extension,vitamin A is considered arequired nutrient for beefcattle because, unlike vita-mins B and K, microbes inthe rumen are unable tosynthesize it. Animals arethe only carriers of vitaminA. Plants, the naturalsource of vitamin A for cat-tle, contain carotenes,which the animal then con-verts into vitamin Athrough the wall of thesmall intestine.

Vitamin A is a fat-solu-ble vitamin and is stored inthe liver.

Daniel Rivera, Missis-sippi State University

(MSU) assistant research/extension professor, says,“Carotenes are pigmentssynthesized by plants foruse in the photosyntheticprocess. They are found ingreen and yellow plants(forages) and are readilydestroyed by sunlight(cured hay). They are alsofound in minor amounts inyellow corn, but are in lowamounts in other grains.”

FunctionsMany immune system

cells require vitamin A tofunction well, says Rivera.It plays a role in the epithe-lial (lining) tissue of therespiratory, digestive andreproductive tracts. Vita-min A assumes the role of anonprotein-helper mole-cule or cofactor in kidneyfunction and bone develop-ment, he adds.

Sewell explains that theeye uses vitamin A to adaptfrom light to dark.

How muchis needed?

Because cattle convertcarotenes to vitamin A and

then store it in the liver, ananimal’s needs are primari-ly dictated by its availableliver stores. Requirementschange based on the cir-cumstances the cattle areexperiencing. Rivera says,“Stresses such as heatstress, immune challenge,inflammation and parasitesmight interfere with theanimal’s ability to convertcarotene to vitamin A,thereby increasing therequirement.”

Like many minerals,vitamin A absorption canbe inhibited by other min-erals and chemical com-pounds. According toRivera, nitrate can reduceabsorption, and low phos-phorus is thought to play arole in decreased absorp-tion, as well.

Should italways beavailable?

Interestingly enough,“Once [vitamin A] storeshave become depleted, theanimal has difficulty in con-verting carotene to vitaminA,” says Rivera, who advis-

es that cattle should be sup-plemented with vitamin Ayear-round. This will allowliver stores to build, and areserve will be available fortimes of stress or when theforage quality decreasesduring drought or dorman-cy. He says that most com-mercial mineral supple-ments include vitamin A inthe mix, and the actual sup-plementation cost of thevitamin is minimal.

Baby calves are bornwith limited stores of vita-min A, but Rivera says aslong as the calf receivescolostrum, an injectiondose is not needed.

Vitamin Adeficiency

A deficiency occurswhen cattle have mobilizedall reserves of one or manynutrients. Vitamin A defi-ciency, in particular, causesnight blindness. Sewellexplains that the easiestway to check for nightblindness is to place anobject in the pathway of ananimal at twilight andnotice if it stumbles over it.

Smith Priceless-We have a daughter sired by Dream On in ourembryo transfer program. One of the most proven geneticlines in the cattle industry.

LM She Moves-We have a Hide-N-Seek sired daughter of herin our embryo transfer program. She Moves is one of the topcows in the breed.

Smith Bella Bella-Known as the matriarch of the breed, wehave a maternal sister working in our ET program.

Smith Annie Lou-Another female that is recognized for hergreatness and we have a daughter of her and Sargeant in ourprogram!

Predictability Is ImportantWe feel predictability is important –in fact we believe it iskey to our success. We have selected daughters of someof the most proven cow families in Simbrah to have asour donor nucleus in our purebred herd. We have daugh-ters out of Smith Priceless, LM She Moves, Smith AnnieLou and a maternal sister to Smith Bella Bella all workingin ET now.

In addition to our registered program, we run a largecommercial operation with Simbrah at the forefront of itand we’ve been in the Simbrah business for more than 30years!Replacement Females • Show Heifers and Steers

Herd Sires For Sale

We will have a large numberof cattle selling in

Simbrah SynergyOctober 25th

We can also assist you with your truckneeds, call us

800-835-3247www.truckvilletexas.com

Jake and Amber Tortorice 409/782-5892 or 409/287-3234Jake and Mary Tortorice

Sour Lake, Texas • [email protected]

TTriple Jriple J RRanchanch

We sell all yourAmerican made trucks

Shallow Water Ranch

WE HAVE THE BLACK SIMBRAHSYOU NEED

LOOK FOR OUR BULLS AT THE SAN ANTONIO ANDHOUSTON ALL BREED BULL SALES IN 2015!

Scramble Certificates Welcomed.Breeding Registered BLACK Simbrah Since 1993.

Shallow Water Ranch

21501 CR 496 • Rising Star, Texas 76471Bobby and Jeanne Thornhill

254/643-6715 (R) • 325/647-4030 (C)

Shallow Water Ranch

Jim Carter, president219 Goetz Rd. Cameron, Texas 76520254/697-1078 [email protected]

Featuring Simmental& Simbrah Cattle

ONLINE SALE, SEPTEMBER 18-20on DVAuction.com

Sale will run from 8:00 a.m. on September 18 to 3:00p.m. on September 20.

Some of the cattle will be available for viewing at JHCRanch at their Buckholts, Texas location, near Cameron onSeptember 20th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

For more information on sale contact:Jim Carter, 254/697-1078

or Jim Ethridge, 979/255-2882



American Simbrah - The World’s BreedPlease Contact These Progressive Breeders

BBoovviinnee EElliittee,, LLLLCC

Bob and TammyMaiorano678 Moss Rose Lane

Driftwood, Texas 78619Tim Smith, consultant

512/[email protected]

Fore moreSimbrah News, visit

www.simbrahworld.comor follow Simbrah World

on Facebook

9660 FM 713

Dale, Texas 78616

512/507-5719

[email protected]

Ronnie ReevesSIMBRAH CATTLE

LITTLEFOOT CATTLE

COMPANY

4410 Meyer RoadNeedville, Texas 77461Home: 979/793-3482Cell: 832/473-0671

[email protected]

Doug, Karen, Daniel and Kevin Lightfoot

RNDCattle ServicesCattle ServicesRoberto N. Davila

Semen, Embryos, Custom AI ServicesInternational Live Cattle MarketingP.O. Box 2133 • College Station, Texas 77841

(956) 975-9050 • [email protected] habla español

3300 Longmire Drive • College Station, Texas 77845800-786-4066 • 979-693-0388 • 979-693-7994 Fax

[email protected] • www.bovine-elite.com

* Semen & Embryo Sales* A.I. & ET Equipment Sales* MVE & Taylor Wharton Tanks

* A.I./Palpation Clinics* TruTest Scales* Professional Exporting & Importing

* Semen & Embryo Warehousing

* A.I. Consultation

* Semen & Embryo Sales* A.I. & ET Equipment Sales* MVE & Taylor Wharton Tanks

* A.I./Palpation Clinics* TruTest Scales* Professional Exporting & Importing

* Semen & Embryo Warehousing

* A.I. Consultation

KATHY HUTTO &JEFFREY REED

9660 FM 713 • Dale, Texas 78616512/507-5718

Embryos for salesired by Charismatic

Watch for our partnership lotswith Smith Genetics in Synergy VII

Simmental andSimbrah

For cattle information contact TimSmith, 512/587-7896

Featuring Sargeantdaughters

Also followus on

17914 Timber Mist CourtCypress,Texas 77433

832/[email protected]

www.temperancelivestock.com

David and Thuy Grimes Kaleb and Katarina Fontenot

DBR LAND &CATTLE RANCH

Dick & Sylvia HornbackP.O. Box 1477

Decatur, Texas 76234Ranch: 940/393-3266

[email protected] CALVES NOW AVAILABLE

Triple P RanchHarvey and Marcy Popp

and family12525 Roy Rd

Pearland, Texas 77581713/906-3992

[email protected]

Bill and Ginny Smith, Susan andRay Dieckmann, Paula Duncan

For information contact Tim Smith,[email protected] • 512/587-7896

KENTUCKY DIVISIONQuarter Horses, Simmental

and Simbrah Cattle

(832) 264-7766 tel(281) 345-9201 fax

[email protected]

CMAN Cattle Co.

Robert, Darlene, Danielle and Jessica Seaman17755 Kitzman Rd. • Cypress, TX 77429

Other conditions gener-ally linked to vitamin Adeficiency are loss of appe-tite, rough hair coat, grea-ter susceptibility to infec-tion and disease, diarrhea,decreased performanceand reproductive prob-lems, says Rivera. He cau-tions that these are similarto many other nutrientdeficiencies, making it dif-ficult to assess if the prob-lem is associated entirelywith vitamin A.

Remember carotenes,the sources of vitamin A,are found in green and yel-low growing plants. “Cattle

that have been on drought-stressed pastures or high-grain diets for an extendedperiod of time are moresusceptible to vitamin Adeficiency via a carotenedeficiency,” says Rivera.

He says cows can takeup to 180 days to depletetheir liver stores, andyoung cattle can depletetheirs in half the time. Onthe flip side, it can takenearly 40 days to correct adeficiency problem usingsupplementation only.That’s a long time to sufferthe effects of a deficiency,so the fastest, safest way toaddress the problem isthrough an injection.

A producer Rivera onceworked with quit feeding acomplete mineral mix thatincluded vitamins A, D andE for about two years. Henoted a decreased calvingrate and weaned calveshaving a greater suscepti-bility to bovine respiratorydisease (BRD). However,once he got back on thecomplete mineral mix, theproblem was resolved.

“Since many mineralsand vitamins are cofactorsin many biological process-es it was difficult to ascer-tain if there was one specif-ic deficiency,” Rivera says.Source: Angus Bulletin

SLS

Vitamin A...• CALENDAR •

• August 30-September 2 LMC GenePLUS V Online Sale• September 18-20th-Heart of Texas Simmental/Simbrah

Association Fall Fest Online Sale. Cattle viewing on the 20th atJHC Ranch, Buckholts, Texas.

• October 16-Pan Am Simmental and Simbrah Shows, Dallas, Texas• October 17-State Fair of Texas Junior Simmental and Simbrah

Shows• October 19-Black Label Sale, Grandview, Texas• October 24-26-Simbrah Synergy VII and $15, 000 Showcase,

Giddings, Texas• November 13-15-Two Fast Nickels Online Bull Sale•November 22-25-LMC GenePLUS Online VI “Giving THANKS”

Sale

Kim Hagan Family

www.hagancattle.com



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Brought to you by American Simbrah Breeders Rich history ... · Brought to you by American Simbrah Breeders Ellen Campbell T om and her hus-band, Charles began what is ... through