September 12, 2008

In this issue …
Nominating Committee releases slate of candidates
Plan to attend Annual Meeting, national sale
Board funds cooperative programs
1st new ad set to debut this spring
Penny for your thoughts not enough?
Bottom Line schedule changes
Kansas City to host NALF conference
Feeder Calf Classifieds open for fall run
LimMark tags gain credit where due
Prepare to collect weaning data
Updated inventories, other tips make life easier
Password security is important
A few ultrasound reminders
Carcass information always needed
Fees facilitate services
What’s news?
Limousin sales, events

The Nominating Committee has slated its candidates for the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) Board of Directors:

• Harley Coleman, Montana (second term);
• Mike Smith, Kansas (second term);
• John Goodish, Pennsylvania;
• Mat Lewis, Colorado; and
• Charles Linhart, Iowa.

NALF members can send at-large nominations to the NALF office until Oct. 15. For at-large nominees to qualify, signed letters of support from at least 15 different founding, lifetime or active annual members are required. (An example form letter is available in the “Limousin Library” section of the NALF Web site.) Identification of all nominees by Oct. 15 will enable NALF to publicize their candidacies and include their names on the official ballot.

Those unable to attend the Annual Meeting in Denver, Colo., Jan. 12, 2009, may write the NALF office to request absentee ballots until Dec. 1. The office will not issue any after that date. Once members complete and sign their absentee ballots, they will mail them directly to NALF’s official accountant.

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The Doubletree Hotel Denver at 3203 Quebec St. will be the Limousin breed’s headquarters during the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) and for the NALF Annual Meeting (Jan. 12, 2009). Rooms are available for $81 per night if you mention the “North American Limousin Foundation” when you make your reservations before Dec. 7. Call (303) 321-3333 or 1‑800-222-TREE. Book ahead to ensure a room near the breed’s main events.

At its April meeting, the NALF Board appointed the National Limousin Sale management team. Contact American Cattle Services, (580) 597-3006; KK Seedstock Consultants, (804) 353-2220; or R&R Marketing Co., (615) 791-8982, to consign cattle. All cattle in the national sale must be parent-verified and proto-tested before Dec. 1; and all embryo-transfer (ET) calves must be registered, which requires completed parent verification, by Dec. 1. Because MMI Genomics, the DNA-typing laboratory, operates on a limited holiday schedule, it is critical that members submit samples before Nov. 15 to meet the show and sale requirements.

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State associations that are receiving marketing assistance in 2008–2009 soon will receive notification from the NALF office concerning their funding allocations. That information went out via fax or certified letter today. To receive their reimbursements, state associations must provide copies of the original invoices, tear sheets or broadcast schedules, and copies of their payments. NALF will accept split bills only when arrangements are made with the home office at least 60 days before the marketing event, publication date or first broadcast.

The Board budgeted $16,000 for the State Cooperative Marketing Program. Another $4,000 was set aside for the Breeder Cooperative Advertising Program.

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The Commercial Marketing and Advertising Committee budgeted $30,000 for national ad placements in the coming year, and the full Board approved that number.

The Board also agreed to work with an agency in developing a new series of commercially oriented advertisements. The agency will present its first concept at the January Board meeting in hopes of having it approved in time for spring placements by state associations and breeder cooperatives. The Board then will review another advertisement or two in April. NALF will begin using the new advertisements for its own national placements in fall 2009.

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The commercial marketing committee is gathering information for NALF’s ad agency with a survey to Limousin breeders and other cattle producers. It will help guide the association’s marketing priorities and strategies from summer 2009 through spring 2012 – and beyond. A link to the online survey is available on nearly every page of the NALF Web site.

As a way to thank them for their time and input, NALF will enter everyone who shares their contact information at the end of the survey into an Oct. 16 drawing for $50 cash.

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The NALF Board approved a new approach to the Bottom Line newsletter. It will take effect with the winter 2009 issue, which is set to mail in early January.

Distribution will go from four to three times per year (early January, late April and late August). While the new spring and fall issues will be the same format as the current Bottom Line, the new winter issue will offer at least twice as many pages and full color. Those who have “Breeder Spotlight” advertisements in the spring and fall issues will have the option to upgrade to full- or half-page advertisements in the winter issue for an additional charge.

The Board also approved adding more than 8,000 addresses to the newsletter’s mailing list. Those names represent current nonusers of Limousin genetics who have at least 500 cows. That move will bring the total mailing list to about 19,000 cattle producers.

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The Board voted to conduct a leadership and breed-improvement conference Dec. 12–13 in Kansas City, Mo. Entitled “Vision in Action: Preparing for the Next 40 Years,” the conference’s tentative agenda includes adapting to change, decision-making, overcoming sales resistance, understanding the best uses of straightbred and hybrid seedstock, data analysis, and sire selection.

More details will be in the November “NALF News” column and upcoming issues of Partners.

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As the fall feeder-cattle–marketing season approaches, Limousin breeders and their bull customers should work together to market Limousin-influenced calves through the Limousin Exchange. Go to the NALF home page, click the Feeder Calf Classifieds link, then follow the directions to list calves for sale. Whether consigning to an auction market or video auction or selling by private treaty, the online classifieds are a free, easy way to help make sure every bidder possible competes for those high-quality, Limousin-influenced calves.

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One of the lessons from the Limousin Visions Symposium was to build the breed’s brand equity. Part of that is getting Limousin-influenced animals recognized when they perform well in commercial settings. To that end, NALF has teamed with Allflex USA to provide a simple, flexible marketing program for Limousin-influenced feeder calves and replacement females.

The LimMark tagging program aids Limousin customers in identifying their cattle and positioning themselves for greater returns by coupling reputable genetics with documented information. Guidelines and the enrollment form are available in the “Programs” section of the NALF Web site or by contacting Frank Padilla in the NALF office.

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Fall is an important time for gathering critical information. Weaning weights, docility scores and group data drive expected progeny differences (EPDs) for weaning weight, milk and docility and are required for adjusting ultrasound measurements. Plan ahead to determine the optimal weigh dates so the most calves possible are within important age limits for calculating adjusted weights and EPDs.

Weigh cows, too, and record their body condition scores to contribute to genetic evaluation of maintenance-feed requirements. That promises to position the breed for more widespread industry recognition for its leading efficiency.

Your best calves and cows will look even better if all animals, not just the top end, routinely have data reported. Complete production information also facilitates more accurate breeding and marketing decisions.

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NALF members, before requesting preprinted cow-inventory birth-report forms or using the online animal-recording tool, you should update your active-cow inventories. Keeping inventories up-to-date contributes valuable culling information to the NALF herdbook and minimizes the number of unwanted animals in search results. Update inventories using the online tool or the multiple-application form, then return culled animals’ registration certificates to the NALF office.

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

Do not send payments for any DNA-testing services to MMI Genomics. That causes a lot of trouble for your NALF staff members because the billing for those services is done through the association office.

Finally, for those participating in a state beef-cattle–improvement tobacco program, make sure you have current 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 can contact the NALF office to request current performance records.

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If you activated your secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site more than a year ago, it is a good idea to change your password now, especially if you have shared your current one with someone else. Changing your password every 12 months or so is important in protecting against hackers.

The best passwords are a combination of letters, numbers and symbols that appear to be a random string of characters. Visit the Microsoft Web site to check your password strength.

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Order your barnsheets from the NALF office at least two weeks before your scanning session. A barnsheet is a preprinted form, provided free of charge, that lists all of the animals you intend to scan. It gives identification (ID) information for each animal and has blank spaces to record weight and management data chuteside. The ultrasound laboratories require barnsheets to process scan data so failure to obtain them before your scanning sessions can result in processing delays.

Keep the following things in mind, too.

• Thoroughly check the ultrasound summary report you receive from NALF. Occasionally, the ultrasound laboratories will return results to NALF with incorrect animal IDs or missing scan data.
• The acceptable age range for scanning is 300 to 450 days.
• NALF cannot provide adjustments, ratios and EPDs for animals that are not in the NALF herdbook (either registered or recorded for performance only).
• NALF cannot provide adjustments and ratios for animals with missing weaning dates and weights because the calculation process uses that information.
• For NALF to use an animal’s ultrasound data in the computation of its carcass EPDs, the animal must be in a contemporary group with at least one other animal. NALF forms ultrasound contemporary groups using an animal’s yearling contemporary group (or weaning contemporary group if yearling information has not been recorded), plus scan-lot date and scan-management code.

For additional information regarding ultrasound, refer to the Guide to Ultrasound.

To request barnsheets, call the NALF office.

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To remain competitive with other breeds, NALF must expand its carcass database. Harvest data from pedigreed animals play a vital role in providing high-quality genetic evaluations of carcass traits. Breeders should collect and submit actual carcass data whenever possible, and NALF will process it free of charge. For more information about reporting harvest data, contact Lauren Hyde in the NALF office.

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Those who participate in the annual member-service plan may register animals at half the inactive-member rates; enjoy free access to the secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site; and activate complimentary subscriptions to the Bottom Line newsletter for their bull customers and themselves. While those who have not paid this year’s assessment yet have had those benefits suspended, they may reactivate them by submitting their fees anytime during the plan year.

To generate additional resources for commercial marketing, the NALF Board established a voluntary checkoff in 2006. NALF automatically will bill $4 per head to participating members’ accounts when they register animals. Enrollment is easy – just mark the space on your member-service–fee notice. You may change your checkoff-enrollment status at any time by contacting the NALF office.

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NALF has issued the following news release since the last issue of Partners.

• Sept. 3 – NALF Calls Attention to Teat, Udder Scoring

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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Sept. 13 • Deatsman Limousin & Sennett Cattle Co. Fourth Annual Private Treaty Sale, Leesburg, IN
Sept. 14 • Jones–Benson & Friends Annual Sale, La Monte, MO
Sept. 20 • Arkansas Fall Select Sale, Ozark, AR
Sept. 20 • Lonely Valley Limousin Female Sale, Creston, NE
Sept. 27 • Vorthmann Limousin Focus on Family Values VI Sale, Treynor, IA
Sept. 27 • Riverdale Ranch Inaugural Sale, West, MS
Sept. 27 • On the Mark Sale, Nevada, MO
Sept. 27 • Tulsa State Fair Open Limousin Show, Tulsa, OK
Sept. 28 • Heart of Oklahoma Limousin Ass’n Annual Fall Sale, Shawnee, OK
Oct. 1 • Highland Stock Farms Sale 14, Olds, AB
Oct. 2 • Tulsa State Fair Junior Limousin Steer Show, Tulsa, OK
Oct. 3 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, Pierre, SD
Oct. 4 • Keystone Int’l Livestock Expo Open Limousin Show, Harrisburg, PA
Oct. 4 • Top Meadow Farms Female Production Sale, Clarksburg, ON
Oct. 4 • Tubmill Creek Farms Production Sale, New Florence, PA
Oct. 4 • Third Annual SEE Performance Genetics & Feeds Genetic Improvement Sale, Clinton, NC
Oct. 5 • Tulsa State Fair Junior Limousin Show, Tulsa, OK
Oct. 6 • Express Ranches Annual Fall Bull Sale, Yukon, OK
Oct. 10 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, Pierre, SD
Oct. 11 • Fall Preview Limousin Sale, Flatwoods, WV
Oct. 11 • Missouri State Limousin Sale, Springfield, MO
Oct. 11 • Olson–Deitz Limousin Annual Club Calf Sale, Russell, KS
Oct. 13 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Faith Livestock Commission, Faith, SD
Oct. 13–15 • Deiter Brothers Dispersion, Faulkton, SD
Oct. 14 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Philip Livestock Auction, Philip, SD
Oct. 14 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, McLaughlin Livestock Auction, McLaughlin, SD
Oct. 17 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, Pierre, SD
Oct. 18 • Eastern Regional Limousin Sale, Abingdon, VA
Oct. 18 • TLA’s Heart of Texas Fall Limousin Sale, West, TX
Oct. 18 • Minnesota Beef Expo, Minneapolis, MN
Oct. 19 • Seedstock Bonanza Limousin Sale, Marietta, OK
Oct. 19 • Heart of Missouri Limousin Sale, Lebanon, MO
Oct. 20 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Faith Livestock Commission, Faith, SD
Oct. 23 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Centennial Livestock Auction, Fort Collins, CO
Oct. 24 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, Pierre, SD
Oct. 26 • P Bar S Ranch Limousin Production Sale, Sand Springs, OK
Oct. 28 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Philip Livestock Auction, Philip, SD
Oct. 29 • American Royal Junior & Open Limousin Shows, Kansas City, MO
Oct. 30 • Guthmiller Limousin Dispersion, Bismarck, ND
Oct. 30 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Napoleon Livestock Auction, Napoleon, ND
Oct. 31 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Fort Pierre Livestock Auction, Pierre, SD