• Black Tide - Pt. 2

• Calf Health

• Gelbvieh Guide

• Just 5 Questions

• Reads For Ranchers - Pt. 2

• The World According To
   Hooter McCormick

EDITORIALS

• TRAILS
• RIDING THE GAP

The most recent Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) evaluation of current genetics of the major breeds provided an interesting comparison when you consider the early MARC data and where breeds have headed since the early days of continental importations. GELBVIEH is the only major breed that has kept a handle on mature cow size.

Who are the three largest in mature size? You’d guess they were all continental breeds, right? The rank may surprise you. These are the four-year old cow weights by sire breed.

Big cows don’t equate to big profits.
Last fall I had the opportunity to visit a large Gelbvieh operation that is also well –respected for their Angus cattle. The breeder had evaluated the weaning performance of the calves and the cow weights by breed. The Gelbvieh cows were smaller and weaned heavier calves; in fact, the Gelbvieh cows weaned 55 percent of their body weight as a bull calf, the Angus cows 47 percent of their weight.

The breeder told me that in the early days of the continental breed introductions, before making a decision to breed Gelbvieh, they went to visit the Garst operation in Iowa because of their experience with so many breeds. Mary Garst told them that the growth performance of Gelbvieh and Simmental cattle was equal BUT the Gelbvieh cows were a hundred pounds smaller as mature cows.

Larry Cundiff, a MARC researcher, is quick to point out the relationship between birth weight and mature weight. He credits Gelbvieh breeder’s prudence in reducing birth weight for a very desirable trend in mature cow size.

Lee Leachman is on the mature cow size warpath! And he appreciates the Gelbvieh contribution in his composite program for just that reason.

Lee provided an economic comparison of 1,150-lb. and 1,400-lb. cows. The same feed resources that would feed 100 of the big cows could support 116 of the smaller cows. His assumption that the smaller cows would have a slightly better reproductive rate is based on experience and research. He also credits the larger cows with the ability to wean heavier calves, though at a lower percentage of body weight. The 116 smaller cows wean more total pounds, which, because they’re lighter, command a higher price per pound. Lee gives those calves a $5.00/cwt advantage at market. Admittedly you have to assume more income from cull cows, Lee’s example accounts for that and still provides more than a $75 per cow higher return for the more moderate cow herd, an advantage of $8,121 for the 116 cows over the 100 larger counterparts.

Lee also warned the audience of the temptation to continue down the path of selecting for higher and higher yearling weight EPDs. He quickly points out that they stopped selecting for yearling weight in 1997 in an attempt to keep mature size under control. One of his points was that the younger end of the mature cows in your herd were sired by bulls born in 1998 or before.

Drawing from his experience with Angus cattle, Lee points out that the average yearling weight EPD then was 55 pounds. Today he wants a moderate yearling weight EPD, below average frame size and mature weight.

“An Angus breeder chasing the 90 and 100 plus yearling EPDS means 1,500 plus pound cows,” Leachman told the group.

Additionally he pointed out that a lot of the Angus breed’s current problems in marbling and CAB acceptance stem from those high growth cattle not reaching a compositional end point. There is an important message for Gelbvieh breeders to digest in his remarks.

There are biological limitations. Remember that carcass weights are very closely associated with mature cow weights and a strong economic incentive to produce carcass weights in the acceptable window is present.

The more I learn about cattle breeding, the more I realize that a lot of good things like reproduction, growth, carcass merit and PROFITABILITY sure seem to huddle in the middle of the road. My advice, stay out of the ditches!

A copy of Lee Leachman’s PowerPoint presentation can be emailed or mailed to you upon request.

Wayne Vanderwert is the American Gelbvieh Association Executive Director. He can be reached at 303-465-2333 or via email at waynev@gelbvieh.org.

American Gelbvieh Association Elects New Leadership
The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) elected new directors and officers during its 2007 National Convention and Annual Meeting in Denver, Colo. With the theme of “Bridging the Past to the Future – 35 Years of Progress”, AGA members from across the nation gathered for committee meetings and election of new directors.

Stuart Jarvis of Phillipsburg, Kan., was elected to lead the American Gelbvieh Association Board of Directors as President for 2007. Jarvis and his family own and operate Bar Arrow Cattle Company.

Vaughn Thorstenson of Selby, S.D. was elected as AGA Vice President. Thorstenson co-owns and operates Thorstenson Gelbvieh and Angus. Thorstenson was re-elected at this convention to serve a second three-year term.

Elected to serve a second year in their respective offices were Sam Castleberry and Skyler Martin. Sam Castleberry will continue to serve as AGA Secretary. Castleberry, Castroville, Texas, operates an embryo transfer service, in addition to his purebred operation, South Texas Gelbvieh. Skyler Martin of Oregon, Ill., will serve as AGA Treasurer. Martin owns Blackhawk Cattle Company and works with his wife’s family operation, Nordman Feedlots.
Elected to new three-year terms were Steve Arp of Arlington, Wis.; Mark Goes of Odell, Neb.; and Nancy Wilkinson of Model, Colo. Arp and his wife, Betty, operate Arp Gelbvieh, a family owned and operated farm. He also manages the beef unit at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Goes is an instructor of livestock production at Southeast Community College in Beatrice. Goes and his wife, Patty, have their own seedstock operation, M&P Gelbvieh. Wilkinson with her husband, Bill, and daughter, Sydney, owns Wilkinson Gelbvieh near Model, Colo. Nancy also supervises distance learning programs at Trinidad State University in Trinidad.

Other individuals serving as directors include: Jim Beastrom, Pierre, S.D.; Randy Gallaway, Mulhall, Okla.; Dick Helms, Arapahoe, Neb.; David Judd, Pomona, Kan.; Al Knapp, Bonner Springs, Kan.; Ed Kalianoff, Steele, N.D.; Scott Starr, Stapleton, Neb.; and Steve Tarvin, Chickamauga, Ga.

The AGA Board of Directors makes the policies and sets the direction of the American Gelbvieh Association with input from the membership through a well-developed committee system. The American Gelbvieh Association represents 1,500 members nationwide. For more information on Gelbvieh programs visit the website at www.gelbvieh.org.