June 28, 2007

In this issue …
Animal transfers now can be done online
Is it time for a new password?
Some notes from Performance Programs
LIMS fall inventories due July 15
Heifer-exposure data will aid pregnancy evaluation
2 days left to nominate judges
Add to your NJLSC checklist
NALF helps state associations, breeders with marketing
Promotional materials available
Denver to host industry conference
What’s news?
Limousin sales, events

North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) members who can access the secured, members-only portion of the association’s Web site now can go there to submit transfers for their and their linked members’ recorded animals. Find the new tool in the “Recording” section of the member site’s home page. Contact Mary Zilk in the NALF office for more information.

Transfers are the lifeblood of NALF’s commercial programs. They provide NALF with contact information so it can keep breed information before Limousin users throughout the year in the Bottom Line newsletter (which recognizes you – the seller – on the mailing panel), Limousin World commercial cattleman’s issue and other vehicles. The LimMark tagging program also depends upon properly transferred bulls. Submit your transfers in a timely fashion so NALF can add value to your seedstock sales.

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If you activated your secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site more than a year ago, it probably is a good idea to change your password now. Changing online passwords every 12 months or so offers added protection against hackers.

The best passwords are a combination of letters, numbers and symbols that appear to be a random string of characters. Microsoft Corp. offers some great suggestions for creating passwords.

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In April, the NALF Board of Directors voted to increase the fee for “performance only” recordings to $10 per head effective Sunday, July 1. The first adjustment to the fee since January 2000 is meant to put performance-only recording on more equitable footing with the Limousin Inventory Management System (LIMS), which encourages reporting all data for all animals all of the time. Breeders still can credit their performance-only fees for unregistered animals recorded with NALF toward later registration.

When NALF members use online registration via the secured, members-only portion of the Web site, it is to their advantage to submit registrations after all animals have been entered rather than one animal at a time. That will help keep contemporary groups intact.

For those participating in a state beef-cattle-improvement tobacco program, make sure you have current expected progeny difference (EPD) profiles for the animals you are interested in purchasing. NALF recalculates EPDs twice a year – in November and June. The new numbers are released in early January and early August, respectively. You can find an animal’s current EPDs on the NALF Web site by clicking the “Animal EPD Search” button at the top of every page, or you may contact the NALF office to request current performance records.

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If you want your fall-born calves to be part of LIMS, you must finalize your fall-cow inventories by July 15.

To enroll in LIMS, find the sign-up page by first accessing the secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site. Once you are logged in to your own member site, click the LIMS button at the top of the page. From there, you can link memberships and join LIMS.

Once you have enrolled in LIMS, you no longer will see the “Join LIMS” icon. Clicking the LIMS button at the top of the member site’s pages will take you directly to your active LIMS pages, where you can update your cow inventory. When doing so, make sure to update the calving season. The fall season runs from July 1 through Dec. 31, and the spring season runs from Jan. 1 through June 30.

Members not enrolled in LIMS still can update their inventories online from the member site’s home page.

Active NALF members have the option of conducting business using the Web-based LIMS. Those choosing to do so will pay an annual fee of $15 per active cow and, in turn, will be entitled to record, register and transfer her calf for that year. LIMS can help NALF members lower their costs of doing business with their association. At the same time, they contribute more complete and comprehensive production information that will lead to EPDs that are more accurate.

Members can request LIMS literature from the NALF office.

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The heifer-retention reporting tool now is available for LIMS participants. To access the tool, log on to the secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site, then click the LIMS button in the upper right corner of the screen. Once on the LIMS home page, scroll down the list of options and click “Heifer Retention Tool” to display your current heifer inventory.

LIMS participants have until Aug. 15 to report heifer-exposure information. The optional reporting will give NALF the data it needs for genetic evaluation of heifer pregnancy. It also will help ensure active LIMS inventories accurately reflect incoming replacement heifers and eliminate the need to report disposal codes for culled heifers later.

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The NALF Show Committee will accept nominations for the approved-judges list until Saturday, June 30. Active annual and lifetime members can send them via mail, fax or e‑mail. Provide your member number or herd prefix and the nominee’s address and phone number. The Show Committee will vote on the nominees at its July meeting, which will be in conjunction with the National Junior Limousin Show and Congress (NJLSC).

Direct all MOE questions to Lorrie Taylor in the NALF office.

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For those heading to the NJLSC, which will be July 22–27 in West Monroe, La., the NALF office offers some reminders.

• Check tattoos before you leave home. Tattoos must be legible, and re-tattooing will not be allowed.
• Steers must be registered.
• Cattle check-in will begin at 8 a.m. Monday, July 23, and it will go by states. The exact order will be announced at the show.

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NALF encourages all state associations to take full advantage of the funds available to help them promote Limousin genetics through print and radio advertising, direct mail, displays at industry events, and other marketing tactics. The key provision to getting reimbursements from NALF is that the project communicates directly to commercial producers.

Participating state associations need to develop detailed marketing budgets and schedules and submit the completed forms to NALF by Aug. 1. State-coop contacts should have received the 2007–2008 guidelines and application form by now. If not, they should call the NALF office or see the bottom of the “State Associations” page on the NALF Web site.

In addition, groups of two to six breeders can join forces with NALF by applying to be part of the Breeder Cooperative Advertising Program, which is entering its third year. Groups of active breeders can submit applications that specify their desired national advertisements, regional publications and publication dates through Aug. 1 for priority consideration. NALF will have approved advertisements customized with the breeders’ logos or names, Web or e‑mail addresses or phone numbers, and sale dates or private-treaty information if applicable. The home office then will handle all insertion orders and mechanical requirements.

NALF pays 25 percent of the cost for placing the “breeder coop” ads. The cooperating breeders will divide equally the remaining placement costs and all of the customization costs. (The publications will bill NALF, which will bill the members’ accounts in turn.) As a result, breeders can leverage their partnerships into multistate advertising for a fraction of the usual cost. Complete details are in the “Programs” section of the NALF Web site. Contact Brad Parker in the NALF office with questions or to request an application.

Approved at the Board meeting in April, breeder and state coops now have the option of using the NALF trade dress (the red and black bulls) in their approved print advertising.

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Marketing should be a year-round activity to maximize sales, and NALF can help.

Limousin literature, including the latest Bottom Line newsletter, is available upon request and has proven effective in soliciting new customers. NALF also will add your prospective customers to the Bottom Line mailing list if you complete a simple form providing their contact information.

Customizable posters, print advertisements and promotional merchandise keep your name before customers throughout the year while increasing the frequency and consistency of the breed’s unified marketing message.

Call the NALF office or visit the “Promotional Merchandise” section of the NALF Web site for more information.

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NALF encourages its members to participate in the Cattle Industry Summer Conference, July 16–20, in Denver, Colo. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has mailed the preregistration brochure to all of its members, but you do not have to be an NCBA member to participate. If you have questions or would like additional information about the conference or NCBA membership, call (303) 694-0305.

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NALF has issued the following news releases since the last issue of Partners:

• June 19 – Iowa Hosts Heartland Regional Junior Limousin Show
• June 26 – Eastern Regional Junior Limousin Show Returns to Murfreesboro
• June 26 – 82 Head of Limousin, Lim‑Flex Parade at Southeast Summer Classic
• June 28 – Limousin Juniors Gather at Western Regional Show
• June 28 – Klamath Falls Is Site of Western Limousin Exposition

Limousin news releases are archived in the Web site’s “What’s New” section. NALF encourages its members to share them with their local news outlets.

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July 13–14 – Georgia Field Day, Athens, GA
July 14 – Tennessee Field Day, Shelbyville, TN
July 22–27 – National Junior Limousin Show and Congress, West Monroe, LA
July 25 – Sale of Sales, West Monroe, LA
July 27 – All-American Limousin Futurity, West Monroe, LA
Aug. 2 – Belldoon Farms All About Females Sale, Iona Station, ON
Aug. 3–5 – Canadian National Junior Show and Annual Convention, London, ON