January Charolais Edge

On the Edge Today

CHAROLAIS

From added pounds andperformance to adaptability andmarketability, Charolais-influencedcattle fill the bill in the hot andhumid South.By Kim Holt

Each year presents a new set of chal-lenges, but commercial cattle producerDavid Hayward and his brother, Tommy,know too well that mud is a given theyllhave to contend with each winter andspring on their commercial cattle operationlocated 90 miles south of Memphis nearGrenada, Miss.To deal with this environmental condi-

tion, the Haywards delay calving untilMarch, even though their temperatureswould allow it to start earlier in the year.And to aid in their quest to improve quality,these brothers breed Charolais bulls toblack-hided females.We think thats about as good a cross as

there is to obtain hybrid vigor, DavidHayward remarks. The Haywards have suc-cessfully used Charolais bulls since 1994and, up until several years ago, retainedownership on their calf crop. In doing so,they fed for about eight years in Texas, andmore recently in Iowa at the Tri-CountySteer Carcass Futurity for four years.Theyre not alone in their choice of

genetics. Hayward comments that for folkswho are making a living from commercialcattle in Mississippi and are crossbreeding,Charolais would be one of the top breedchoices.Theyve found their steers are acceptable

at weaning with 500-550-lb. weights, andthat theyve finished around 1,430 lbs.While theyd like to keep retaining theirown calves, Hayward relays its been toughto do the past three years. Its hard to feedcattle at $7 corn, he remarks.Still, they took home some very valuable

information from feeding their own cattleall the way through. Their Charolais cross-es performed and converted feed extremelywell, their yield grade was more thanacceptable, and their cattle were healthy ahuge advantage no matter when, but espe-cially if retaining ownership.As Hayward points out, even if a sick

calf recovers, there is the cost of treatmentand decreased performance to deal with.Their goal was to keep calves vaccinated,healthy and uncommingled.On the Hayward operation, calves are

weaned in October and backgroundedthrough winter. These days, theyre sold forMay shipment, yearlings destined for feed-lots. Hayward believes that using Charolaisbulls does make a difference at marketingtime.His bull supplier, Jimmy Ray Parish of

Clear Water Cattle, LLC, agrees and hasbeen told as much from visiting withfriends who are in the stocker and orderbuying business. Parish relays, Theyll tellme were going to give as much if notmore for a smoke calf as a black calf.Their reason: they know a Charolais-sired

calf, if a smokey color, is a crossbred calf.And the calves can do so many things.

(Continued on page 8)

Charolais Genetics:Adaptable + Marketable

for folks who are making aliving from commercial cattle inMississippi and are crossbreed-ing, Charolais would be oneof the top breed choices.

page 1

Beef industry press recentlyreported that for the first time in

more than 40 years, the U.S. wouldbe a net beef exporter in 2011.In fact, exports are predicted to

continue to increase,

page 2

We found the most profitablesteers had the highest weight

gain, the heaviest carcasses andthe highest percent Choice andPrime, Walter says. The top thirdof lots averaged a $90.26/headprofit, while the bottom third had

a $39.15/head loss.

page 10

substantial research contributedto the guidelines of developing

heifers to reach 60 to 65 percent ofmature body weight pre-breeding.This was to ensure heifers reachedpuberty and, thus, maximized preg-nancy rates, particularly by being

fed high-energy diets.

page 18

Volume 10, Issue 1 January 2012

Published by the American-InternationalCharolais Association and Charolais Journal

PRSRTSTANDARD

U.S.POSTAGEPAID

JeffersonCity,MO

65101

Permit#303 Charolais genetics fit almost any type of environment, including the challenges present-ed in the Southeastern U.S. (Photo courtesy Clear Water Cattle, LLC)

We may have a shortage of a lot ofthings. However, industry information sig-nals are not among them! Many of us feelknowing how to sort the overwhelming vol-ume of information is the biggest problem.Long-term weather forecasts indicate

another year of historic drought throughouta huge part of cow country. The largestbeef producing state, Texas, has experi-enced equally historic cowherd reductionsand liquidations. The corn futures havemoderated slightly with no real indicationof any permanence or long-term levelingout. The price of hay is only slightly lessthan gold and for many, even more pre-cious! Yet, for the first time since the BSEoutbreak in 2003, and the death spiral ofour markets that followed, the beef industryappears to be positioned for several yearsof good times.Beef industry press recently reported that

for the first time in more than 40 years, theU.S. would be a net beef exporter in 2011.In fact, exports are predicted to continue toincrease, particularly in Asia and the FarEast where the middle class is emerging.The U.S. marketing efforts are definitelymaking a difference. Many foreign con-sumers actually know the differencebetween U.S. beef and other suppliers suchas South America and Australia, andrequest our beef at the retail level.We all know the nations cowherd has

been in decline for the past 20 years. Ourability to manage supply and meet thedemand for beef here and around the worldis clearly the result of increased efficiency.The beef industrys ability to produce morepounds on less feed and land resources isreally miraculous and a much overlookedtestament to scientific progress.In fact, a researcher thats been in the

news lately is Jude Capper, Ph.D.,Washington State University. Dr. Cappersresearch, The Environmental Impact ofBeef Production in the United States: 1977compared with 2007, was recently pub-

lished in the Journal of Animal Science.The study examines 30 years of productionand addresses the hot-button topic of thebeef industrys carbon footprint. Carbonfootprint may not be a hot-button topicamong the average beef producer. But, likeit or not, it will be! Cappers research isimportant and validates our efforts to usescience and technology to improve efficien-cy. Her research proves our industry isengaged in best practice methods and pro-duction systems.Here are just a few interesting points

from the research:Each pound of beef raised in 2007 used

33% less land 12% less water 19% less feed 9% less fossil fuel

than beef produced in 1977.Ranch management and feeding

improvements made between 1977 and2007 resulted in a 13% increase in yieldfrom 30% fewer animals.Its easier to simply acknowledge the

study proves what we already thought to befact. However, there is a growing faction ofmisinformed, misguided activists (i.e.: con-sumers) that believe the opposite. Theybelieve the answer is to dismantle efficientproduction and are hell-bent on using theirfinancial resources to politically influence

the already oppressive regulatory process.As the number of mouths to feed increas-

es and the quality of diets in many areasaround the world improves, the demand fornutrient-rich protein like beef will increase,says Capper. At the same time, resourceslike land, water and fossil fuels will becomeincreasingly scarce. These realities are liketwo trains speeding toward each other on thesame track. If we listen to alarmists shoutingat us to slow down, we could face a head-oncollision of epic proportions. The only wayto avoid this disaster is to accelerate the paceof progress.Understanding ones most vocal critic is

important, regardless of the issue. Relevantto the carbon footprint debate, its impor-tant to understand the faction of consumerswanting to turn the industry clock back 50years has no attachment to the beef busi-ness. They do not understand where theirfood comes from or what it costs to pro-duce. This consumer has had the lifetimeluxury of making food selections fromabundant meat cases and store shelves andhas the financial resources to pay for it.This industry critic is not among the mil-lions of people in our own country uncer-tain about their next meal.Dr. Cappers research is rigorous, peer

reviewed and timely. Her foretelling of animpending food catastrophe is unimaginableto most of us. Yet, if we listen to the indus-try signals here and around the world, thereisnt a single indication we will need lessfood in the future. In fact, analysts predictthat by 2050 world population will increaseby 50% and we will need to produce 70%more food than we produce today.Charolais beef producers are on track.

The beginning point in food chain efficien-cy is your genetics. Charolais-influencegenetics are and always have been efficient.The perpetual process of using the newestand best selection tools available insureyour ability to produce a value-added prod-uct positioned for the future.

Volume 10, Issue 1 January 2012

Published periodically by:

American-International Charolais Association11700 NW Plaza CircleKansas City, MO 64153

Phone: (816) 464-5977 Fax: (816) 464-5759E-mail: [email protected]

Website: www.charolaisusa.com

Charolais Journal11700 NW Plaza CircleKansas City, MO 64153

(816) 464-5977 fax (816) 464-5759Web site: www.charolaisusa.com

Association StaffJ. Neil Orth

Executive Vice President, ext. [email protected]

Marilou WegnerRecording Secretary, ext. [email protected]

Maggie SmitheeAssistant Recording Secretary, ext. 401

[email protected] Hobbs

Director of Activities, ext. [email protected]

Robert WilliamsDirector of Breed Improvement& Foreign Marketing, ext. [email protected]

Molly MaderDirector of Foundation, ext. [email protected]

Kaitlyn LewisDirector of Junior [email protected]

Judy ClementsAdministrative Assistant

& Affiliates Coordinator, ext. [email protected]

Lewis MeyerController, ext. 300

[email protected]

To use the extenson numbers listed for theabove staff, phone (816) 464-5977.

Future Issues Ad Deadline Mail DateCattlemans Source . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 1September Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 1December/January Edge . . . . . . . . November 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 15February Edge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 20 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . February 25

AD SIZES

1 Page 10" x 10.75" 1/2 Page Vertical4.875" x 10.75"

1/2 Page Horizontal10" x 5.25"

1/4 Page4.875" x 5.25"

A Graphic Arts of Topeka, Inc. production

No Shortage of Signals

By J. Neil OrthAICA Executive Vice President

Journal StaffJ. Neil OrthCPI President

David HobbsManager

Molly MaderEditor

Forrest BassfordPublisher Emeritus

Central/NortheastRepresentativeCall AICA

(816) 464-2474, ext. 200

North CentralRepresentativeColt Keffer

c (765) 376-8784

Southeast RepresentativeFloyd WamplerBristol, TN

c (423) 612-2144

SouthwestRepresentativeWes Chism

c (281) 761-5952

Western AssociateAdvertising SalesDennis Metzgerc (816) 519-8208

Field Staff

page 2 January 2012

CHAROLAIS EDGE page 3

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Charolais Journal:Wes Chism

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Dennis Charolais Farm

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Bulls Sell With:

Eric, Angie, Haley & Brayden Dennis170 Rock Bluff RoadSaint Jo, TX 76265

s www.dennischarolais.com

Dennis Charolais Farm

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For Sale Catalog & Information:

January 2012

Of Wasta, South Dakota(605) 381-0885 cell

(605) [email protected]

www.cheyennecharolais.com

A Ranching Outfit Raising Charolais Seedstock for Over 18 Years

Tues., February 7, 2012Philip Livestock Auction, Philip, SDSelling 60 Yearling & 2-yr. Old Bulls

2012 Featured SiresCC Alicias Cigar

Hoodoo Justice 825Justice 828

2TM Cigar 406 Polled2TM Triple Ease

2TM Infinite Wind2TM Infinite Justice 504 Polled

THANK YOU, to our customers in the past year! We look forward to being of service to you again at our annual bull sale in 2012. It's been an exceptional year again for moisture and look forward to a successful Fall marketing season on our commercial calves. The prices look good and cattlemen that bring a high-quality, eye-appealing, scale-pushing set of Char-cross calves to town will be rewarded! We strive to bring you consistent, docile, easy-calving performance genetics, from our proven herd bull battery. The calves from these bulls look outstanding! Were very proud of how this years group of calves has developed and also with how the coming 2-year olds are growing out on grass. Our goal is to help you put more dollars in your pocket by producing more pounds from your cowherd. If youre not already one of our many satisfied customers, come take a look at our program and our bulls this February in Philip. We believe youll be impressed. Joel Deering

Long bodied thick made bullslike this sale topper will sell in 2012.

This bull was very popular last year,many of his 1/2 brothers will sell in 2012.

Join Us

January 2012

Our Angus Co-sponsors:

PIONEER ANGUSHay, WA

ROCKING RCATTLE COMPANY

Hayden Lake, ID

SHB ANGUSReardan, WA

HANGN A CATTLE COMPANYAlan & Leslie Alexanderx{ V ,>` U *>V] 7 (509) 545-8816>}>JV U >}>V>iV

Live online bidding viaLive online bidding via

Your Northwest Source for Quality Charolais Cattle

/ 7} *i A large selection of sons sell!

www.rancherschoicesale.com

V > U ->i >

Featured Charolais sires: LT Wyoming Prime 2019, LT Easy Blend 5125,

LT Cheyenne Blend 7142.

Offering 120

Charolais and Angus Bulls

FEBRUARY 25, 2012

F RYYR 22255,, 2200122

Eltopia,Wash.


Sioux Empire Farm Show Charolais Show & Sale*ANUARY s7( ,YONS &AIRGROUNDS 3IOUX &ALLS 3$#HAROLAIS 3HOW AM 3ALE PMA Midwest tradition of high quality bulls, bred females and show heifer prospects. Dont miss this exciting Charolais event featuring some of the Midwests finest.

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In South Dakota There Are Three Great Places To Buy Great Charolais Genetics From Some Of The Greatest Charolais Breeders In The Country!

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got cows? DEBRUYCKER CHAROLAISStay Updated

www.debruyckercharolais.com

SELLING 500 TOP QUALITY BULLS, APRIL 7, 2012

Lloyd: 406) 476-3427

Joe: (406) 466-5821

Mark: (406) 469-2371

Brett: (406) 476-3214

1690 6th Lane N.E.

Dutton, MT 59433 Weve got BullsThe single best cross on British-based cows is Charolais. This cross creates

a Strong offspring, ready to be pushed in the feedyard - best for your bottom line. DeBruycker genetics are widely accepted as top in the industry for FDOYLQJ DELOLW\ SHUIRUPDQFH IHHG HIFLHQF\ DQG FDUFDVV TXDOLW\ *XDUDQWHH

yourself more aggressive bidders on your calf crop with DeBruycker genetics. DeBruycker Charolais - Often imitated, Never duplicated

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page 8 January 2012

Charolais Genetics(Continued from page 1)

Filling a genetic needLocated in Aberdeen, Miss., Parish and

his wife, Jane, a beef cattle Extension spe-cialist with Mississippi State University,along with Roye and Elizabeth Carnell,determined there was a deficit in their cen-tral state region for Charolais genetics. Forthe past eight years, they have focused onraising quality genetics for commercialherds like the Haywards and have sinceexpanded numbers.Parish says theyll market about 60

Charolais bulls this year into the Southeastand Texas. Next year theyre on track tomarket 100-plus bulls and an additional 50the year after.The reason we raise Charolais is, no. 1,

we really enjoy the breed itself. The cowsare very fertile, very productive, Parishexplains. They are pretty doggone goodmothers, and do a good job raising a calf.He shares their target is 350 cows, and

theyll see if the market can handle thatmany bulls in their area. Bull customersrange from producers with 15 mommacows on up to 2,000. Its a very broadspectrum, he says, so its a challenge.Weve sold bulls into every

Southeastern state. Thats pretty much ourhub, he explains, but the majority of theirbulls go to central and south Mississippi.Clear Water mates their cattle based on

balanced-trait selection. I cant stress bal-ance enough, Parish assures. I feel liketoo many breeders are single-trait select-ing, which isnt good for cattle, the breedor commercial bull customers. I think sin-gle-trait selection really hurts those guys.The Parish familys momma cows are

expected to forage and raise big healthycalves on their own. While birth, weaningand yearling are all emphasized, so arecarcass and scrotal traits they wont usea bull below breed average for scrotal.Cattle have to look the part too deep-

ribbed, easy fleshing, structurally correct,with good udders and, no less, good dis-positions.If they snort, theyre gone. Parish

explains, in their part of the country, thereare older cattlemen with smaller herds, sodisposition is very important for us.

Environment presents extremesWeather-wise, Parish explains that

Mississippi weather does present somepretty big extremes, from an annualrainfall of 60 inches to extreme humidityand winter cold. Its not uncommon tohave humidity levels reach over 90 per-

cent, and this past summer brought lots ofdays over 100F.Clear Water is located in whats known

as the Black Belt region that runs throughMississippi, Alabama and several otherstates. The regions black soils and heavyclays dont lend to winter freezing, somud is a big issue down here, Parishexplains. Its another stressor on cattle,and part of the weed-out program for theirbull and heifer development.As far as bull development, our envi-

ronment really tests those cattle, he says.The bulls that make it are good cattle thatcan adapt and work in any environment.They can go south to Louisiana andFlorida and do just fine or we can sendthose cattle up into Tennessee, Kentuckyand Missouri, and they do fine up in thatregion also. Theyve even sent somebulls into Texas with good results.Mud doesnt allow Clear Water bulls to

be confined. For this and other reasons,theyre developed on pastures where theyhave access to exercise, forage and agrower-type ration that doesnt burnbulls up.We expect them to gain 3.25 pounds

per day, Parish relays. Were teachingthem at a younger age to go out and beathletes instead of couch-potato bulls.

More net dollarsClear Water markets yearling bulls, all

privately. In doing so, they strive to helpcustomers find bulls that fit their opera-tions production, marketing goals andbreeding needs.The Clear Water operation is open to all

feedback, but Parish admits its been diffi-cult for them to obtain carcass data. Theplace that we feel were going to have a bet-ter chance (of getting data back) is with theTri-County Steer Futurity up in Iowa, hesays [see sidebar]. They have fed purchasedcattle there before with successful results,and are considering buying back customerscalves to feed through and track data.For now, though, Parish says, Well help

any bull customers market their calves, ifthey want it. We offer marketing assistanceas a service.A relatively new feeder-cattle marketing

option that has worked well for Mississippiproducers, including the Hayward brothers,is whats known as board sales. Thesesales provide producers state-wide with ameans to pool numbers of like kind andtype calves to market to buyers in load lots.Cattle are videotaped and catalogued, andare presented in that fashion to potentialbuyers prior to and on sale day. The states



Brian & Tiffany Stoller (WY s 0ALISADE .% "RIAN #ELL

[email protected]

Focusing on Quality with Performance

GDAR Game Day 499

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Vedvei Charolais

Alan & Deb Vedvei44213 204th St. U Lake Preston, South Dakota 57249

x n{{x U > x n{{n U iìJ>``>>iiiìV>>V

2000 AICA Seedstock Producer of the YearStop by the ranch or

give us a call!

Time proven VCR Herd Sires - Mac 2244 and Duke 914 - provide our foundation. Our next step - with stacked pedigrees

- includes HC Rhinestone 8355 Pld.

Look for these VCRSeedstock consignmentsat these winter sales

VCR Seedstock stack generations of Balance Multiple Trait selection - EPDS, Performance, Structure, Milk - to provide our

customers with predictable results - Profit and Satisfaction.

Sioux Empire Farm ShowThursday, January 26U 6, ii n *

M803156 AWW/R: 732/111

U 6, > /7 *M803130 EPDs - BW: -3.5 M: 13

U 6, -i> *F1137514 Balanced NumbersBlack Hills Stock Show

Tuesday, January 31U 6, -i> *

M803129 WWR: 103.2

U 6, -i> x *M803148 AWW/R: 747/113

U 6, ,L x *F1137582 Milk EPD: 14

South Dakota Showplace7iì`>] iL> nU 6, ii *

M798528 AWW/R: 734/104

U 6, -i> n *M803133 BW EPD: -2.3

U 6, > { *F1137581 Great Pedigree

Herd Sire ProspectsAvailable Private Treaty

Sons of Rhinestone, Dakota Syle, Real

Deal and other VCR Proven Sires

VCR Sir Duke 914 Pld19-Time Multiple Trait Leader

7, - > >V {{The Benchmark Sire

Balance andPredictability

page 10 January 2012

Fed Cattle CanMake Money, EvenWith High InputsFed cattle can make money, evenas high input costs continue toplague cattle-feeding profitability.

By Larry Stalcup, BEEF Contributing EditorReprinted with permission from BEEFMagazine and BEEFMagazine.com

With high feeder cattle and ration costsputting fed-cattle breakevens in the$1.25/lb. range or higher anything cat-tle feeders can do to improve performanceis important, says Shawn Walter ofProfessional Cattle Consultants (PCC),Weatherford, OK.Just how important that performance

really is revealed in a detailed PCC studyon cattle-feeding profitability. The studyfound that monthly profit and loss canrange from a repressive $250/head loss to atake-it-to-the-bank $350/head profit.The survey by Walter and Ron Hale for

PCC used data provided by Certified AngusBeef LLC and its Feedlot LicensingProgram (FLP). They examined closeoutson 443,000 steers finished from January2004 to December 2009. No natural cattlewere included and the profit and loss(P&L) statement didnt include any risk-management strategies by feeders.Walter says a full range of Choice-Select

spreads, from $0 to $23/cwt. was accountedfor, as were a wide range of ration pricesthat more than doubled from $153/ton in2006 to $315/ton in 2009. A standardizedcost-in variable was achieved by using theaverage CME feeder-cattle price index witha 5 slide applied either way from 750 lbs.The mass of data was analyzed by look-

ing at the P&L of each lot and ranking itwithin the month it closed, then assigningit to a low-, middle- or high-profit group.The result was a profile for low-profit lots,average-profit lots and high-profit lots,Walter says

Obvious results, with a twistWe found the most profitable steers had

the highest weight gain, the heaviest car-casses and the highest percent Choice andPrime, Walter says. The top third of lotsaveraged a $90.26/head profit, while thebottom third had a $39.15/head loss.However, the results underscored the

importance of balance. Feeding cattle to avery high degree of finish can causereduced feeding performance, whichadversely affects profitability.We found that added gain can easily

overcome USDAYield Grade (YG) 4 and 5discounts in most cases, Walter says.And, regardless of the market, there arenearly always individual lots that are mak-ing money and some that are losingmoney.Of all the cattle surveyed, the top-third,

high-profit lots had an average daily gain(ADG) of 3.31 lbs. That compares with2.68 lbs. for the low third, and 3.13 lbs. forthe middle third.He says both live and carcass perform-

ance contributed to improved profitabilityin the PCC survey. High-profit lots had a56.20% Choice or higher carcass, with12.28% in the premium Choice category,while the low-profit lots had 49.83%Choice or better and 9.6% premiumChoice, he says. The middle-profit cattlewere 51.66% or higher Choice and 10.88%premium Choice or higher.The high-profit lots had about 13% YG

4s and 5s, compared with 11% for the low-profit lots. That showed us that the addi-tional carcass weight and improved qualitygrade (QG) overcame YG discounts andprobably additional carcass weight dis-counts, netting more profit to the bottomline, Walter says

Feed efficiency importantThe PCC survey illustrates the impor-

tance of feed efficiency and gain whenration prices are high. In 2006, the averageration price was $166/ton (dry matterbasis), Walter says. But prices doubledby July 2008, topping out at $315/ton.Effects showed up at closeouts.He says that for cattle finished in 2009,

when late-2008 ration prices were highest,ADG widened even more from 3.71 lbs.for the high-profit group, to 2.35 lbs. forthe lowest group.As Choice-Select spreads narrowed

from 2006 to 2009, ration costs magnifiedthe effect of feeding performance, Waltersays. Average QG improved and becameless of a factor in influencing profitability.As carcass weights increased throughout

the six years the data was collected, theprofit profile remained similar, with a 26-to 30-lb. range between the high and lowgroups. In 2004-2006, lighter-weight cattlefed to heavier weights were the most prof-itable. But after higher ration costs becamecommon in the latter years, the most prof-itable cattle averaged 100 lbs. heavier whenplaced on feed.In further examining QG, high QG cattle

had a 3.18-lb. ADG, compared with 3.09lbs. for the middle-quality group and 2.97lbs. for the low QG group. Walter notesthat its often perceived that you give upfeeding performance to get grade, yet the



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Charolais Genetics(Continued from page 8)Extension service facilitates these sales.The primary advantage of these auctions

is that they add flexibility. They can accom-modate a large number of feeder calves thatmight not all be ready to ship on a certainday. They also offer cattle in load-lots madeup of single or multiple consignments ofuniform calves with similar health programs.Referencing these sales, Parish says, The

cattle have brought really good money. Headds that the person who procured theHaywards cattle had them placed the minutehe bought them. His wife, Jane, anExtension facilitator of the board sales,adds, about 80 percent of the cattle soldthrough these formats have brought back apremium over the average market price atthe time they were loaded out. Since thefirst sale in 2008, more than $10 million hasbeen generated for producers, she relays.Parish continues, Theres a huge

demand for Charolais-influenced calves.The Angus movement has been so big thatpeople have basically gotten purebredAngus herds that arent registered. Youvelost a lot of hybrid vigor and the stockerguys in our neck of the woods are reallyseeing it.He points out that producers actually

make more money when they sellCharolais-sired calves versus straightblacks, because the calves weigh more.They have more performance so it goes

back to net dollars. How much money amI putting in my checking account is whatits all about. And these smokey calves andCharolais-sired calves are putting more netdollars in producers pockets.

A bigger bang for the buckBrandon Cutrer of the V8 Ranch in

Boling, Texas, just one hour south ofHouston, agrees with Parish. The V8 runsaround 1,200 commercial cows, and usesCharolais genetics to its advantage.The majority of our commercial cattle

are half-blood Brahmans, he explains,either half Hereford or half Angus. For firstcalves, these heifers are bred back to Angusor Brangus-type bulls and, from then on, toCharolais.Cutrer explains, The reason we breed

them to Charolais bulls is because we sendmost of the calves to the sale at weaningtime. The black calves will probably bring alittle more per pound, but the Charolais-crosscalves outweigh them so much more that itonly makes sense to use a Charolais bull.The V8 Ranch is globally recognized for

its excellent registered Brahman stock.Brandon is married to Rachel Williams and

they have one daughter, Mollie Jo. Theyare now the third generation who is activein all daily ranching operations. Cutrer is aMississippi State University grad and,before moving to Texas in 2010, was herds-man of that universitys beef cattle unit.He explains the V8s commercial cattle

supplement their purebred Brahman cattleoperations cash flow. Therefore calvesarent retained. Similar to other ranches, theV8s cattle and operations present fullplates for family members and employees.Cutrer says, We love the Charolais

bulls, but we have some limited labor anddont see these commercials as often.Therefore, first-calf heifers are bred toblack-type bulls just to make sure they geta live calf on the ground.After that, those Brahman-cross cows

can have them, but they still pay attentionto birth weights during sire selectionbecause the more live calves we can get,the better, Cutrer assures.As far as the Charolais bulls adapting to

the southeast Texas heat and humidity, hereports: They sure take the heat a lot betterthan the black cattle. The Charolais bulls with their lighter hair coats they can getout there and do a better job. Now they stilldont fare as well as our Brahman-crosscattle, but they do a pretty good job as faras hanging with the heat.He adds, We like to buy bulls that come

from the Southern regions because they aresemi used to the heat and can handle it fromthere. The V8s Charolais purchases arefrom Thomas Charolais, Raymondville,Texas, and some also came from ParishsClear Water Cattle this past year. Cutrersays he was pleased with how the bullsfrom Mississippi held up and covered cows.He is also pleased with how their

Charolais-sired calves sell on sale day.He reports that buyers pick up these V8

crossbred calves as quickly as possible.We have a reputation around our area

for having good quality calves. TheCharolais help us get the most bang for ourbuck whenever we do sell calves. Theymight bring a couple cents behind the blackcalves, but theyre going to outweigh themfrom 50-100 pounds. So even if they are afew cents less, theyre going to bring usmore money.


Participants may enroll by contactingMarilou Wegner, American-International Charolais Association, e-mail [email protected] 816-464-5977, ext. 400.

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Fed Cattle(Continued from page 10)higher-grading cattle also tended to gainbetter.We typically think that as an animal

attains a higher degree of finish, its liveperformance declines, he adds. This istrue when evaluating performance at vari-ous days on feed. But, if we look at it froma feed utilization standpoint, the QG profileactually makes a lot of sense.If the poorer gain is a result of a less-

efficient use of feed nutrients, we couldexpect the poorer nutrient utilization to limitfat deposition. We would expect to see moreYG 1s and 2s and fewer Choice and Primecarcasses. But, if an animal is more efficientat utilizing feed nutrients for gain, there ispotentially more energy available for fatdeposition. That means fewer YG 1s and 2sand more Choice and Prime carcasses.In looking specifically at the QG profiles,

the low-third group had an $18.03/headprofit, compared with $24.02 for the middlethird and $35.21, or nearly double, for thehigher third.That compares with ADG profile profits

of $45.20 (based on 3.66 lbs. ADG) for thehigher third, $27.69 (3.15 lbs.) for the mid-dle third, and $4.32 (2.44 lbs.) for the lowerthird.

Higher gainers were almost 40 lbs.heavier when they went on feed (753 lbs.vs. 714 lbs.), Walter says. However, theyachieved an out-weight (1,334 lbs.) thatwas 121 lbs. heavier than the slower-gain-ing cattle that finished at 1,213 lbs. andthey did it with 41 fewer days on feed.

Too much Choice?Again, the PCC survey indicates that as

grade improves, so does ADG, but to apoint. It would appear that once cattlereach a threshold level of finish, gain dropsoff, Walter says. ADG improves until 70-75% of the lot is Choice or higher, at whichpoint ADG begins to drop off.About 30% of the cattle (in the survey)

grading 90% Choice or higher were still inthe low-profit group. It confirms our theorythat reaching a certain degree of finish kindof flips a biological trigger that starts limit-ing intake, which is often seen at the end ofthe feeding period.Walter concludes that continued gain

throughout the feeding cycle should add toprofit potential.However, we found that there is an ADG

threshold, which is about 4.3 lbs., he says.Cattle that outperform expectations beginto push through the weight ceiling and gettoo much of a heavy weight discount to off-set the value of the additional gain.

29th Annual Production Sale

Selling 70 Yearling Bulls

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Proper nutrition and managementsets young females up for lifetimereproductive performance.

By Kim Holt

The beef business is high-tech these days,from genome mapping and marker-assistedselection to sexed semen and instrumentgrading. The cornerstone of the industry,however, is still reproduction. It is the singlemost important factor for profitable beefproduction, reminds Rick Funston of theUniversity of NebraskaWest CentralResearch and Extension Center in NorthPlatte.

Replacements representfuture profitabilityOn the female side, replacement heifers

represent the future profitability and geneticimprovement of a herd. But they also repre-sent management and economical challengesfor producers, because they wont produce areturn for more than two years.An easy way to consider a replacements

nutritional requirements is to divide them intofour phases: weaning; weaning to breeding;breeding to calving; and calving to rebreed-ing. Then, for each phase, consider a heifersweight, her nutrient requirements, and neces-

sary forage and feed quality.At weaning, the young females selected as

herd replacements need the same attention,including vaccinations, as calves that will bemarketed. Introducing immune animals intothe breeding herd lessens the risk of diseasespread.The nutrient needs of replacement heifers

differ from those of mature cows becausethey are growing and developing. For opti-mum results, the younger females need to besorted, fed, and managed separately from theherd.

During the last several decades, substan-tial research contributed to the guidelines ofdeveloping heifers to reach 60 to 65 percentof mature body weight pre-breeding. Thiswas to ensure heifers reached puberty and,thus, maximized pregnancy rates, particular-ly by being fed high-energy diets.Current research, however, has re-evaluat-

ed this approach based on substantialchanges that have occurred over time in cat-tle genetics and the economy. It contendsthat, while intensive heifer development sys-tems may maximize pregnancy rates, they

dont necessarily optimize profit or sustain-ability.More recent research, including heifer

development studies conducted at theUniversity of Nebraska (Funston andDeutscher, 2004) and the USDAAgricultural Research Service Fort KeoghLivestock and Range Research Lab, MilesCity, Mont., shows that heifers can be devel-oped to lighter than traditional target weightsat breeding (around 53 to 58 percent ofexpected mature weight) without negativelyaffecting profitability or future productivity.Researchers, including Funston, suggest

that one reason reproductive performancehas not been drastically impaired by feedingto lower target weights may relate to geneticchanges in age of puberty.Kansas State University and Fort Keogh

studies show that young females can begrown at a slower weight gain early on andthen get caught up towards the end. Or theycan be grown in a stair-step fashion, gradual-ly increasing their growth rate up until thebreeding season.The most important thing is to make sure

heifers are in a positive energy balancegoing into breeding season, and are even


Dont Replace Replacements Focus on Proper Nutrition and Profitability


WCR Class of 2012Watch Them Grow!

Herd No.

2011DOB Sire AWW/R BW WW

EPDsYW M TM

115 2-7 Design 851 767/124 -2.9 43 72 10 32

116 2-8 Visionary 728/118 -1.1 37 41 6 24

146 2-15 Big Ben 726/118 -0.2 41 71 6 26

155 2-21 Big Ben 780/126 0.4 44 69 6 28

175 3-4 Design 851 732/119 1.6 38 63 11 30

186 3-7 Duke 7340 705/114 0.7 44 68 9 31

185 3-12 Big Ben 711/115 -0.4 34 56 4 21

1106 3-13 Polled Prince 716/116 -0.6 31 55 7 22

1108 3-13 Design 851 757/123 -1.3 47 78 7 30

1185 3-24 Firewater 8600 689/112 2.8 39 70 8 28

193 3-25 Duke 261 809/131 1.6 44 65 1 24

1229 4-4 Design 4246 727/118 0.9 37 59 20 39

1231 4-4 Polled Prince 687/111 -1.1 32 52 11 27

1238 4-5 Impressive 626 762/124 -2.7 34 52 2 20

1273 4-14 No Question 699/113 2.4 36 71 16 34

1275 4-14 Polled Prince 702/114 -2.1 31 52 10 25

1288 4-19 Duke 6090 691/112 1.7 42 71 15 36

1302 4-22 Duke 6090 782/127 0.9 41 63 11 32

Arnold Wienk(605) 860-1111(605)847-4350

Jeff Eschenbaum(605) 860-0505(605)847-4880

Sterling Eschenbaum(605) 203-0137

Lake Preston, SD

[email protected]

WienkCharolais.com

Contact us to be added to our mailing list, youll want to see

the Report Cards on this set of calves.Mark

Your Calendar!

April 28th, 2012 43rd Annual Bull

Sale at the Ranch

Friday,April 13, 2012

at the ranchHillrose, COCardinalharolaisAnnual Bull & Heifer Sale

Offering: 100 Sandhills Bred Bulls 20 Replacement Females

www.cardinalcharolais.com

QUALITY SELLS POUNDS PAY

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January 2012

Replacements(Continued from page 18)picking up pounds, but are not losingweight. The goal is to get the heifer bredand settled for a live calf born early on incalving season.To this extent, 20-plus years research at

Fort Keogh proved that heifers that pro-duced a calf early in the calving season con-tinued to calve early and wean heaviercalves throughout their lifetimes. The life-time reproductive performance of heifersthat produced their first calf late in the calv-ing season was more erratic, and they didnot calve every year.

Good nutrition is paramount bothpre- and post-calvingOnce bred, replacements still need to be

managed for continued growth and develop-ment so they calve unassisted as two-year-olds. Funston says that many calving prob-lems can be eliminated if heifers are of ade-quate size pre-partum.Their weight at first calving should be

approximately 85 to 90 percent of theirexpected mature weight, he advises. First-calf heifers should have a body condition of5 to 6 at calving through re-breeding toassure optimal reproductive performance.Balanced nutrition protein, energy, min-

erals, vitamins, and water is the key to

For 13 years, Missouri beef producershave offered in- and out-of-state customersa trusted, quality source for herd additionsthrough whats known as the MissouriShow-Me-Select (SMS) ReplacementHeifer Program.This replacement development and mar-

keting program is a state-wide educationaleffort emphasizing a Total QualityManagement-approach to reproduction andbeef-cow management. Since its inception in1996, the program has seen state beef pro-ducers increasingly adopt management prac-tices that offer the potential to improve theirherds long-term reproductive efficiency.Says founder Dr. David Patterson, state

beef Extension specialist and SMS repro-ductive specialist, The original intent wasfocused on trying to improve managementof replacement heifers to improve whathappened during their first calving periodand rebreeding. The marketing aspect was

a spin-off of this educational intent.To become an SMS-certified heifer,

females have to meet qualifications andrequirements. All undergo a comprehen-sive health program, including clostridial,respiratory, and reproductive vaccinations,and must meet minimum standards forreproductive soundness, pelvic size, bodycondition, and weight.Heifers are guaranteed bred to easy-

calving bulls of known identification andbreed, with complete EPD information. Allsires used naturally or artificially meet theprograms birth weight or calving-easeEPD requirements.Replacements that sell in an SMS-trade-

marked sale must weigh a minimum of800 pounds and body condition score atleast a 5. They are screened for frame,muscle, structural soundness, disposition,and general sale acceptance. The femalesare sorted into lots according to calving

dates and body-type similarities.Since 1996, the SMS has enrolled more

than 85,000 heifers from some 700 farms.Oftentimes producers in their first year ofthe SMS have found out that what theyassumed to be adequate body conditionand weight on replacement heifers, wasntenough.According to Patterson, there has been

an improvement, in terms of nutritionaldevelopment, in heifers that are in the pro-gram. This, and a structured health pro-gram, are the two obvious things off thebat. Some 80 percent of producers arealso using synchronization and A.I. onheifers.Surveys show that buyers appreciate the

assurances offered by SMS replacements,from their health status to lower risk forcalving difficulty in general. For moreinformation on the SMS, seehttp://agebb.missouri.edu/select.

Focusing on Replacement Heifer Success

optimizing production. And the critical timesfor mineral supplementation are 45 daysprior to calving, through breeding season,and prior to weaning.Nutritional demands increase greatly in

late gestation and even more in early lacta-

tion. Reproduction is of very low prioritywhen nutrient partitioning is considered, andthat is why cows in thin body conditionoften dont rebreed.The plane of nutrition during the last 50

to 60 days before calving has profound

effects on postpartum interval, Funstonsays. Body condition at calving is the singlemost important factor controlling when abeef heifer will cycle after calving.Pre-partum body condition score corre-

lates with factors such as postpartum inter-


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Genetics Functional cows are the foundation of our program. Every cow in the herd has been born and bred on the Hebbert Charolais Ranch. Using performance sires from Charolais breeds most proven bloodlines we have stacked the pedigrees emphasizing the important basic traits of calving ease, structural soundness, fertility and total performance.

More Than Genetics - $OO %XOOV DUH 3HUIRUPDQFH DQG )HUWLOLW\ WHVWHG )UHH 'HOLYHU\ ZLWKLQ 0LOHV %DFNHG E\ D %UHHGLQJ 6HDVRQ *XDUDQWHHRepresentative Reference Sires /21* ',67$1&( ($6< %/(1' 6,/9(5 ',67$1&( %/8( 9$/8( /($'(5 %2$5'

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val, services per conception, calving inter-val, milk production, weaning weight, calv-ing difficulty, and calf survival.Breeding heifers ahead of the cow herd is

a worthwhile strategy, as properly developedand managed heifers generally have a 20- to30-day longer postpartum interval versusolder cows. Funston says breeding replace-ments this much earlier gives them addition-al time to return to estrus and rebreed withthe mature cows the next year. But theseheifers need to be managed separately aftercalving, or early breeding is of no benefit.

He explains, It is important to managethese heifers separately for two reasons: earliercalving will likely mean that pastures are notavailable as soon, and youll need to supplyadditional nutrients.Also, nutrient require-ments (percentage of ration) are higher forfirst-calf heifers than for mature cows.As already stated, calving difficulty also

affects the post-partum interval. Heifersencounter greater calving stress than domature cows, and thats one reason why lowbirth-weight bulls with high accuracies are amust for breeding younger females.Calving difficulty and time of intervention

research from Fort Keogh indicates thatfemales that experience calving difficultytake longer to cycle than those that dont.The length of time before intervention in adifficult birth also affects cyclicity.According to Ft. Keogh researchers, forevery 10 minutes beyond the time period inwhich assistance is needed, two days moreare added to the time frame in which it takesa cow to begin cycling. And thats not tomention the affects that difficult births canhave on calves.For these reasons and more, Funston

encourages producers to pay strict attention


January 2012

(Continued fromCharolais Geneticspage 12)Nearly 30 years ago the Tri-County

Steer Carcass Futurity (TCSCF) beganbecause cow-calf producers from threeIowa county cattlemens associations had acommon goal: to figure out which cattlewere the most profitable to feed.Today, producers from Iowa and beyond

continue to utilize the TCSCF for feedbackwhich they can use to better manage andmarket their beef products.The TCSCF has evolved from its first

trial which attracted 32 Iowa producers and106 head of steers to include cattle fromthe Midwest and Southeast, along with siretesting for several breeds.In the last 10 years, we have fed over

76,000 head from 23 states and Manitoba,Canada, relays Darrell Busby, retired IowaState University Extension LivestockSpecialist who has coordinated the Lewis,Iowa-based program since its inception in1983. Ninety percent of the cattle we fedlast year were from repeat consignors. And98% of the cattle are retained ownership.The TCSCF is actually a cooperative

governed by a 10-member board of whichseven are southwest Iowa cow-calf produc-ers. Local feedlots bid to feed the TCSCFcattle. Busby explains, Were looking forfeedlots who we think can keep the recordsthat we want and be competitive on howthey feed the cattle.Some feedlots have actually been with

the TCSCF for 12-14 years. The feedlotshere locally have to be good partners,Busby explains. They work together as agroup to compare notes on rations, phar-maceuticals, management - anything theycan learn from each other.New cattle arrive at TCSCF feedlots

nearly every month, with about two-thirdsarriving in the fourth quarter. Busby pointsout, Our sire summary probably has oneof the biggest data sets on Charolais-siredcalves there are.

Bulls are sorted by profit, based onwhich has the most profitable progeny.Busby notes the top sire last year out of1,300 tested was a Charolais. He estimatesthe TCSCF has probably fed some 7,000head of Charolais-sired calves.In fact, the cattle TCSCF fed for the

Haywards fromMississippi were probablyone of the fastest gaining sets of cattle weveever fed, Busby notes. From his experience,Busby relays the key to profitability is find-ing a balance between growth, quality,health and temperament, too.When you have the type of growth they

had, you can give up some quality gradeand still be very profitable in the feedlot.The Haywards have used Charolais genet-ics since 1994. David Hayward estimatesthese bulls make up from 40-50% of theirbull battery.The Haywards found the TCSCF

through the Mississippi State ExtensionService. Beef Cattle Extension SpecialistJane Parish helps producers in her statecoordinate shipments to TCSCF, and willhelp them interpret and apply the data oncereceived back.The big reason we like to use the

TCSCF is because of the data that we getback, Parish explains. Its a very valu-able data set - theres so much detail to it- in a form that those producers can takeand use right away.Producers receive the traditional data

plus more, such as temperament and finan-cial, for $9 per head. With spreadsheets inhand, theyre able to compare cattle fromtheir herd to others in the program.Parish remarks, Youre getting a big

slice of the pie that you dont ordinarily getwith other places, plus TCSCF also hasage and source premiums.She notes the program is for larger pro-

ducers who can fill a load and also forthose with fewer cattle. Well work onthis end to put cattle together, she says,

so smaller producers can also benefitfrom getting this information.State Extension personnel play valuable

roles because theyre able to help produc-ers interpret and apply the data in a morelocalized fashion. This is one reason whyBusby says the TCSCF prefers to workthrough a states Extension service.Producers can use feedlot programs like

the TCSCF to measure, and then apply theinformation and make changes to breedingand/or management programs or as a basisfor a change in marketing.Busby comments, If you dont know

what your cattle will do in the feedlot, youhave no idea what changes you shouldmake. There are people out there who areselecting sires for growth, high marbling orquality grade and then not taking advantageof it by at least finding out what they have.In Mississippi, Parish says the TCSCF is

part of the Farm to Feedlot Program thatassists producers who are interested inlearning more about their cattle.Mississippi States Extension Service willwork with producers wherever they chooseto feed cattle, she says. But Extension canrecommend the Tri-County Steer CarcassFuturity because theyve found it a reli-able partner.We know theyre going to get good

data, it will be accurate, and collected in atimely matter. Its definitely a very positiverelationship with a lot of benefits to ourproducers.For more information about the

TCSCF: Producers in the Southeast areencouraged to work through their statecoordinator. A list is available at:www.tcscf.com. Producers from the Westand those interested in the TCSCFs USDAQSA program, should contact DarrellBusby at (712) 769-2600, [email protected]. Projections are run at no cost toproducers.

Tri-County Steer Carcass Futurity: A Reliable Partner

We All Understandthe Power of ProfitByOn the Farm Carl C. Stafford,Extension Agent, Culpeper County, VirginiaReprinted with permission

The cost of production has far more to dowith farm profitability than does the valueor volume of your production. This state-ment is proven by Kansas State Universityin a study at www.agmanager.info(Dhuyvetter, K. 2011) comparing character-istics of high, medium and low profit beefproducers.

Here in Virginia we know there are premi-ums to be had in the feeder cattle marketplace, discovered through the added value ofhealth, source, sire and age verified market-ing programs. Buyers show they are willingto offer premiums for these features and forthe additional value they see in feeder cattleprepared for the feedlot through short co-mingled, feeding prior to sale. However, theKansas study suggests we can make nearlythree times as much difference in our bottomline through cost savings.Kansas State University, Department of

Agricultural Economics offers its beef pro-ducers the opportunity to enroll their herds

in their Farm Management Association. Aprogram with cow-calf enterprise recordsaccumulated over 32 years, used to evaluateand compare members. Here in Virginia weoffer similar management services under theBeef Management Institute records pro-gram. The intent is similarkeep records,use records, compare records from multipleproducers to evaluate differences and identi-fy reasons for profitability.From the Kansas study, it is important to

recognize which characteristics determinerelative farm profitability between produc-ers. We must ask questions about the sizeof the operation, the weight and price of

calves sold, the level of costs and areasthese costs cover. What are the features ofprofitable producers? Answers to these andrelated questions provide curious managerschoices.High profit farms were larger on average

and had slightly heavier calves. They alsoreceived slightly higher prices and gener-ated almost $95 more revenue per cow, butthe differences in costs between operationswere much larger than the revenue differ-ences. High profit operations had a costadvantage in every cost category resultingin a net return advantage of as much as $345per cow between the most and the least prof-itable farms. To be clear, the study foundcost competitive farms in all categorieslarge size does not guarantee low costs. Thebiggest cost is winter feed.Most of the net return (72%) came from

cost differences, while a much smalleramount (28%) of the net return came fromthe gross income from higher prices andheavier calves. Dhuyvetter summarizes thissituation as not unexpected in a commodi-ty market where producers are basicallyprice takers, i.e., the ability to differentiateoneself financially from the average is typi-cally done through cost management.While economists tend to speak a differ-

ent language than the rest of us, we allunderstand the power of profit. The reasonsfor profit are uncovered through keepingrecords and then using them to manageamong other things, your biggest cost whichis winter feed.

Replacements(Continued from page 21)to their herds females pre- and post-calvingphases. Management decisions made dur-ing these time periods will greatly influenceprofitability of beef cattle operations.He explains, cows that cycle earlier have a

greater chance of getting bred during a limit-ed breeding season. As a result, conceptionrates will be higher, and calves born earlierin the season are older and heavier at wean-ing.The length of breeding season will influ-

ence uniformity of your calves and, therefore,influence their value at weaning, Funstonrelays. To have a short breeding season, it isvital that cattle cycle early in the season.Thus proper nutrition and optimum body con-dition are two keys to success.


Over 100 of our cull Purebred Charolais heifers fed only 119 days at North Platte Feeders.

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Beef Genetics

Megan, Lori & Galen Fink 15523 Tuttle Creek Blvd., Randolph, Kansas 66554, Phone/Fax: 785-293-5106

Galens cell: 785-532-9936 Loris cell: 785-532-8171 Megans cell: 785-410-5559 Email: [email protected] Website: www.finkbeefgenetics.com

Commercial Services Representatives Barrett Broadie: 620-635-6128 Gene Barrett: 785-224-8509

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January Charolais Edge