Tiny house, big dreams

Rolling into the yard of Titus and Erika Jaeger’s irrigated section near Ingalls, Kan., I’m puzzled by the small structure sitting next to a sturdy set of pipe corrals, across the yard from rows of large square hay bales. It looks too nice for a line shack, and we know they live almost an hour west of where their cattle are…so what is this place?

I’m struck by how much it looks like something from the reality TV show “Tiny House Nation”; complete with potted plants hanging from the covered porch and rustic wooden railings. There’s a dusty white six-seater Polaris Ranger parked out front.

The story of this tiny house, as we soon find, is a testament to the love Titus and Erika share. Even the Ranger reflects their family values, as a way for them to go to work and bring their children, Annabelle and Baylon, along.

“Both of our parents were farm kids, and that’s something that I always looked for, was a farm girl,” Titus says of Erika as she wrangles the toddler and baby, preparing for a trip out to the pasture.

We have talked in the tiny house’s tinier parlor, hearing and seeing many examples of how the family lives out the mission statement printed on the back of their business cards.

Serving God. Loving and teaching our children. Honoring our heritage. Caring for the land, livestock and wildlife. Contributing to the community.

They glow and complete each other’s sentences as they tell about their “fairytale” romance. Their first date consisted of checking cows, petting horses and throwing sticks in the lake, chaperoned by Erika’s puppy, now part of the growing family after three years of marriage. Being a hopeless romantic myself, I’m delighted to see their love for each other, their children, their land and their cattle.

Even the name they bestowed upon their section of land reflects that sentiment.

“One of our first dates we were working cows, and one of our hired help called us ‘los pajaritos,’ which would interpret as ‘the love birds,’” Titus explains. “We were pretty affectionate.” They both laugh.

So what about this tiny house? It was a necessary home-away-from-home when they expanded here, 40 miles from the main house near Lakin, Kan. With family plans, they would need a place to nap, nurse and sleep while calving out heifers or rotating the grazing herd.

Titus tells how the unfinished cabin – shed, basically – found its way to “Los Pajaritos” all the way from Lubbock, Texas.

“We had needed a place to come inside and cool off. Our first structure was a camper we found off of Craigslist, but there’d been a windstorm when we were gone one weekend, that destroyed it.”

The couple made a commitment from the start: in their first 10 years of marriage, they would never spend a night apart. After hearing about the shed, and clearing it with his wife, Titus left for Texas with the fifth-wheel flatbed trailer. Later in the day, he realized he wasn’t going to make it all the way home before nightfall with his wide load and no extra lights. Erika and then one-year-old Annabelle drove to Dumas, Texas, to keep their extra vow.

Having utilized DNA testing, and as strong advocates for the Beef Quality Assurance program, Titus and Erika work together to produce top quality beef, eager for the day that their children will be old enough to join them in an equal commitment.

“When you want high-quality beef, that includes taking great care of your cattle and great care of the land that we’re on,” Erika says.

–Hannah

Although summer intern Hannah Johlman was born in northeast Kansas and is now a senior studying ag communications and animal sciences at Kansas State University, she claims Sheridan, Wyo., as her home. Hannah tributes her grandfather and uncle involved in farming and veterinary medicine as her largest ag influencers, inspiring her to the career path she has chosen.

Doing what works

A few weeks ago I drove south and west of Oklahoma City, toward a town named Corn. With that name, I was not surprised to see that row crops and wheat have a big impact on agriculture here.

But among the miles of crop ground I found a father-son duo sticking out in a good way – raising quality cattle.

“Its very satisfying,” says Jim Richert, the dad. “It’s a lot of fun and I enjoy it.”

With a smile on his face, I see he enjoys talking about the cattle more than the crops. His eye for quality is also apparent.

“Not many people doing what we’re doing in the area,” he says. “Look around, this is corn ground. Ten years ago we were farming this, but turned it into grass for more cattle.”

It all started with Jim’s father. When an area of land didn’t have the best soil for growing crops, he turned it back to native pasture grasses for cows. Experience with that small section spurred Jim to believe grass and cattle could thrive here; even if his neighbors didn’t always think so.

Turning cropland back to pasture would come under scrutiny, so Jim wasn’t going to raise just any type of cattle. He was going to focus on quality and premium markets. Then grid-based pricing took off in the late ’90s, adding extra incentive.

“When grids developed, then we really started concentrating on selecting sires for carcass traits,” he says. “Probably one of the best things we ever did. It’s amazing by doing that our premiums just keep getting better.”

The Richerts aren’t only selecting for carcass traits though. They’re production oriented and know each live calf can add or subtract from the bottom line. With a 60-day bull turnout they expect to have 80% of their calf crop within the first 30 days of calving season. Any open females don’t stay around. The cowherd has to be productive and their calves have to excel on the rail to earn their keep.

In addition, for the last three years, the Richerts have incorporated using GeneMax genomic testing to help select replacement heifers. Jim gives Jay all the credit for introducing the technology.

“We’re looking at the numbers,” Jay says. “When it comes to selection and improvement, GeneMax^® is a way you can get there faster.”

There are plenty of neighbors who question the cowherd.

“In this part of the state you’re not going to find many cowmen,” Jim says. “You know you got to stay with what works for you. The people that diversified what they’re doing in this area are the best off.”

So that’s what the Richerts are doing, and from what I could see, they’re gaining attention in all the right ways.

~Katy

Industry Information intern Katy Kemp is currently pursuing a master’s degree in ag communications from Oklahoma State University.

Restarting a legacy

Growing up in the Angus business, I’ve always admired ranchers who own and operate their family’s original homestead. Those who’ve managed the test of time and been able to carry on a legacy for more than 100 years on land once wide open and unsettled. There’s a history on such places, filled with stories, memories and pictures one could find in a museum.

Visiting the J-D Claypool Ranch in southern Oklahoma, near Ringling, I saw such history. The original Dillard Ranch was established in the late 1800s, before Oklahoma was granted statehood.

As I visited with Tom and Seane Jones, the pride was evident. The photos from Seane’s father’s herd in the 1950s and National Western Stock Show champions were as expected. But the couple is not carrying on your typical ranching heritage.

Multigenerational ranching operations may be fewer today, but certainly nothing new. Most transition with equipment, cattle, land and buildings to maintain the family business. But in this case, continuing the legacy meant starting from scratch.

Seane’s grandfather Josiah Dillard established the ranch, and cattle were still the focus as her father, James Dillard, inherited the land and formed the J-D section of Dillard Ranch. Seane is one of six daughters, and the only one who still owns and runs cattle on a portion of what is now the J-D Claypool Ranch. After Seane’s father passed her mother and sisters continued the business, but over time the focus shifted. When Seane and Tom returned in 2007, there were no cattle.

They used their knowledge of horse racing pedigrees and genetics, applying it to how they evaluate cattle.

“We chose Angus as the base of the herd because of the market and consumer appeal,” Seane says. “From there we’ve just worked around the facts the data supplied.”

They use EPDs and genomics to evaluate the purebred cattle and GeneMax™ DNA test results on the commercial females to gather as much data as possible. Their quick adaptation to the technology and strict culling brought much progress in a few short years. The Joneses don’t keep any replacement females that score less than 90 of 99.

“Most are surprised when we tell them the cattle are new to the ranch,” she says. “Many work on the land and cattle for a long time to see the results we’ve seen. When you rely on the DNA and not only your eye, you can make progress toward a realized goal faster.”

Genomics provide increased accuracy in their quest for “the right genetics and right formula,” Seane says.

The Oklahomans may have started with a blank slate of genetics, but with their approach to balanced selection and use of modern technology, the future of the J-D Claypool Ranch looks strong. Cattle are again thriving on this land and poised to last another 100 years.

~Katy

Industry Information intern Katy Kemp is currently pursuing a master’s degree in ag communications from Oklahoma State University.

Building fences, cowherd, beef demand

If you want to get folks at the coffee shop or co-op talking, you can take a page out of Lyle Gossling’s book.

Last year after a late, wet spring in northeastern Iowa, Lyle decided it was time to switch up his typical corn-soybean rotation and seeded down some “nice creek bottoms” to forage beans. (They were billed as “poor man’s silage” in the seed catalog and that intrigued him.)

2013_06_06_mr_Lyle Gosling-62 — More pasture, less crop ground. That sounds just about right to Iowa cattleman Lyle Gossling.

“The co-op was abuzz with what was growing in those fields. Then when I chopped them off in August, there was a lot of, ‘You chopped your beans?!’,” Lyle says. He reseeded with rye and had 15 inches or more of growth for fall grazing.

Lyle, who farms near Decorah, Iowa, has been feeding the forage beans this winter and says nutrient-wise it’s the perfect complement to his corn silage.

“In my quest to change that from a corn crop on those bottoms to something I could use for my cows, it just seemed like this was the year to try it,” he says.

2013_06_06_mr_Lyle Gosling-50 — This calf is the product of a lot of data review.

Sure, there are other farmers in his area with cowherds, but I’d have to bet that the last few years Lyle is the only one who has been thinking he needs less corn to sell at the elevator and more cow feed.

Providing the proof, Lyle says, “I’m the only guy putting fences in, while everybody else is taking them out.”

Neighbors ask how he can waste that good crop ground.

“I guess I shrug my shoulders and say, ‘I like my cows,’” Lyle says.

But don’t confuse that passion with a hobby. Ever since picking up his first purebred females at a local salebarn, Lyle has used data to make improvements that make his investment of time and money worth it.

Docility and mothering ability top his criteria, but he’s also interested in end product traits and recently added GeneMax as another selection tool.

Last year, 87 of Lyle’s cattle fed just down the road from his pastures hit 58% Prime.

Considering the cattle versus corn economics this year, will the co-op chatter change? It’s hard to tell, but regardless, Lyle plans to keep his focus on the herd.

“It takes a lot of time and studying, but I want the type of cattle the industry is going to demand down the road,” he says.

To read Lyle’s entire story, including how his grandpa helped him buy his first cows, how he picks his bulls and why he enjoys the business, be sure to check out, “Why? Why? Why? Why Not?,” the February cover story of the Angus Beef Bulletin.

May your bottom line be filled with black ink,

Miranda

GeneMax expands quality in Texas

One of the really neat parts of rolling our commercial DNA test has been the focused producers we’ve met along the way. People like Roy Russell, who knows that raising high-quality beef is not only good in the here and now, but is insurance for his future. Read on in this report from our fall intern, Jayne Godfrey. –Miranda

Growing up on a family ranch near Aspermont, Texas, gave Roy Russell a background in management and a passion for the business. Those helped him begin expanding seven years ago to the 200-cow commercial herd the family owns today.

Roy Russell 5 — Roy Russell (right) and his father Tim

The next step is to make them better.

“We are trying to make the most money with as few cattle as possible,” Russell says. “Technology helps me to create a more predictable herd.”

Last year, after hearing about the GeneMax™ genomics test from CAB, he knew it could help him expand profitability in a cost-effective way. The DNA-based test measures gain and grade potential of high-percentage Angus cattle using blood, hair or tissue samples.

“I’m trying to draw a straight line between bulls and calves to produce a quality product. That’s the ultimate goal,” Russell says, noting a target of 85% CAB and Prime. To keep that line straight, every cow must carry the genetics for quality, which is why he tested most of the cows last fall and began using the GMX Scores for culling and selection.

“There are just so many variables, and from this perspective it’s a great tool to help with decision making,” the Texan says. “The more tools you have to use, the better your herd is going to be.”

For Russell, the biggest benefit could be what the technology can do for the relationships he cares about. “You’re going to make more money for your next customer by providing more information,” he says. There’s another goal, too, closer to home: “I want to leave a legacy for my kids, That’s why I’m working to expand our ranch. We love the work and what we are doing.”

Sale time

Resources for both commercial and seedstock ranchers

We’ll be well into bull sale season soon. For our readers who are commercial producers, thinking ahead to those sales, it seems like the perfect time to bring this blog post back up: Bull buying made simple.

GMX jacket photo — We’ve seen quite a few of these jackets out at stock show. This post tells you how you can score your own.

If you’re a registered breeder gearing up for your 2014 bull sale, you aren’t alone. This week at the National Western Stock Show, I’ve heard lots of breeders discuss their sale preparations – and progress toward the goal of a completed sale catalog.

This is a great time to remind anyone in the planning stage about sale catalog resources from CAB.

Every sale catalog layout has extra space here and there. Why not fill it quickly while educating customers about the genomic tools available to them? Investing in YOUR registered Angus bulls is their first step, but they can capitalize on that investment by incorporating DNA tools like GeneMax™ (GMX).

We have print-ready GMX “ads” ready to fill those spaces of various sizes, color or black and white print. If you decide to use one of these ads in your catalog, be sure to send us a copy! We’d love to send you some free GMX swag as a way to say thanks!

To access the print-ready file of your choice, please contact me at Klee@certifiedangusbeef.com or 330-345-2333.

~Kara

Filling pens to create supply

Kuner Feedlot named CAB 2013 Progressive Partner

by Miranda Reiman

No one is automatically insulated from the effects of a shrinking national cowherd, but Kuner Feedlot, one of 12 in the JBS Five Rivers Cattle Feeders group with 1.6 million annual marketings, goes for proactive rather than reactive ways.

The management team’s unique approach caught the attention of the Certified Angus Beef^® (CAB^®) brand, which named the Colorado yard Progressive Feedlot of the Year at the CAB annual conference in Palm Desert, Calif., on Sept. 18-20

“We knew last fall that it could get tough to find cattle and we’d be forced to be creative,” says Nolan Stone, general manager at the 100,000-head capacity yard located near its namesake town along the South Platte River. They quickly gravitated toward developing replacement heifers.

“The idea was, ‘Let’s do something that will separate these heifers from what else is out there,’” he says.

They purchased 4,500 head of known Angus females and then used all available tools to make them a value-added group of replacements. Blood samples were collected during processing, to evaluate each heifer for gain and grade potential using CAB’s GeneMax™ (GMX) genomic test. The first decision on which to feed versus breed was based on those GMX scores.

“They wanted to base their selection on something that was more objective and had direct feedyard and carcass economic meaning attached to it,” says Kent Andersen of Zoetis, the genetics company that developed GeneMax in collaboration with CAB and Angus Genetics Inc. “They looked enough alike where it wouldn’t have been so easy to do that initial sort on phenotype.”

Using the 100-point combined measure for both gain and grade, the team at Kuner sorted off anything that didn’t make at least a 50. Then Colorado State University assigned docility score and evaluated the females for depth and width. Those that didn’t make the cut went into a natural feeding program.

Then they used timed AI (artificial insemination) on the remaining 1,250, followed by a second round of heat-detected AI at the feedyard. The remaining 1,100 heifers were then sent just south of Steamboat Springs, Colo., to Saddleback Ranch, which Five Rivers leases. Fifteen cleanup bulls, all 15/16 brothers leased from John Raftopoulos of Diamond Peak Ranch, Craig, Colo., completed the breeding program.

Andersen helped select the four AI sires.

“We went straight to the American Angus Association sire selection tool on their website,” he says, noting the Kuner goals of a double-digit EPD (expected progeny difference) for calving ease direct (CED), a “sensible” birth weight and “as much growth and grade as possible.”

Using the Sire Match feature of GeneMax, several sets of heifers were identified by known sires, including some Mytty InFocus and SAV Final Answer daughters. Only 39% of the heifers with unknown sires were selected, compared to 60% of those with superior genetics.

“We wanted to pick three or four AI sires that represented enough diversity that we could match to the heifer groups and accentuate strengths or cover any weaknesses, as well as minimize inbreeding,” Andersen says.

The average $W and $B indexes of the AI sires were $41 and $87, respectively. That puts them in the top 5% of the breed for those indexes.

That’s an advantage to any of the bred-heifer buyers, but also has a greater industry benefit.

“We felt like we could do a small part to improve the cowherd. We’ll be creating a set of feeder cattle down the road that were selected for things like dollar-B ($B),” Stone says.

He would like to see what could happen if others follow suit.

“We’ve told people our goal is not to just market these 1,100 heifers, because that’s not much in the whole scheme of things,” he says. “We’d like to tell people ‘here’s how we did it’ and hopefully others will do it and make better cattle.”

Andersen says it’s perfect timing.

“We could expect pretty substantial increases in heifer retention in the next one to five years,” he says. “This project really served as a very large scale prototyping effort for how we can use all technology at our disposal to select the best heifers possible and then breed those to the best, proven, genetically superior Angus AI sires possible.”

“We’re also hoping to avoid the costs associated with heifers that aren’t going to make good cows or produce progeny that gain and grade,” Andersen says.

That’s become a bigger concern for Stone, who has worked for Five Rivers for 14 years, the last seven as the Kuner general manager.

“We’ve really learned since we started feeding naturals,” he says. “We do mass sorting on the traditional cattle, but the natural cattle, we generally leave in their contemporary groups and they don’t receive the benefits of all the available technologies, so you see huge gaps in performance.”

Some 3,500 head come and go at the feedyard each week. As the traditional cattle come in, they’re individually weighed and stay in holding pens for 30 days while they’re stepped up to a finishing ration.

Although the Kuner Feedlot tracks performance, grade and profitability on every pen, the co-mingling makes it hard to relate back to individual ranches.

But the natural cattle are mostly kept together by source.

“Feeding them really made us realize the better cattle are worth more money,” Stone says. “We’re interested in cattle that have better genetics. We can’t just buy the best cattle, but if people understand we’re paying attention to it, maybe it will become more of a management style than it used to be when everything was just a commodity.”

A Monday Marketing Tip

If you glanced at the calendar over the weekend, you know we’re officially into the fall season, which means that along with weaning, calving and harvest, the fall cattle sales won’t be far behind. I spend a lot of time talking with producers who are considering different means to add value to their calves before marketing.

hfr as $ — You can add value to heifers that will stay with them for life.

Many turn to one method or another because they know buyers will pay more at the auction for cattle with those qualifications. However, I get a lot of questions about who is looking for cattle with added DNA-based genetic verification, and where can they be marketed.

Knowing how often I get that question, I wanted to share some information here about an opportunity for anyone looking to market heifers with genomic information. If you’ve been using GeneMax™ to learn more about the marbling and growth potential of your commercial females or you’re breeding to bulls verified by genomic technology, check out this flyer for a marketing outlet you may not have considered.

Happy sale season!

Kara

Good things going on in Arkansas

There are dozens of ways we find out about ranchers doing good things out in the country. Sometimes a feeder tells us that we should visit so and so, other times a bull supplier says there’s somebody we should meet, and sometimes they show up as a GeneMax purchaser.

Recently a few of those signs pointed Gary to Jimmie Moore of Charleston, Ark., where he visited earlier this week.

Here’s his report:

“A customer of longtime CAB partner Irsik and Doll Feed Yard, Jim has been feeding and collecting performance and carcass information for several years. In the early 1990s, Mr. Moore and his father, JC Moore, concluded that they weren’t reaping all the benefits of their genetic selection decisions. A neighbor first agreed to partner with them on his steers one year, and the rest is history.

With about 300 head of commercial Angus females, and planned matings with superior Angus sires, Jimmie routinely reaches 50% CAB acceptance, double the national average.

In the past, Jimmie based his selection criteria on EPDs, but he’s recently incorporated the use of GeneMax to aid him in his keep and cull decisions.”

We love to hear stories like this as they unfold!

Tiny house, big dreams

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Doing what works

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Restarting a legacy

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Building fences, cowherd, beef demand

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GeneMax expands quality in Texas

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Sale time

Resources for both commercial and seedstock ranchers

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Filling pens to create supply

Kuner Feedlot named CAB 2013 Progressive Partner

by Miranda Reiman

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A Monday Marketing Tip

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Good things going on in Arkansas

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