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 www.NALF.org North American (303) 220-1693 |
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NALF News The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) announced the winners of its prestigious commercial marketing awards during the Limousin pen and carload shows at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS). There were eight nominees for 2008 Commercial Producer of the Year: Todd and Kelly Frank, Colorado; Leland Richards, Kansas; Avery and Harrington, Missouri; Vanisko Ranches, Montana; Steve and Kay Shafer, Nebraska; L7 Ranch, North Dakota; 3-C Ranch, Oklahoma; and Broken Arrow S Ranch, South Dakota. The Franks won, and you can learn more about their enterprise from the news release on the NALF Web site (www.nalf.org) and the upcoming feature in the spring Bottom Line newsletter. Schott Limousin Ranch of South Dakota was the Commercial Marketing Booster of the Year. Harlan Ritchie, distinguished professor emeritus of animal science at Michigan State University, will receive the Limousin Promoter of the Year award at the Cattle Industry Annual Convention, Feb 6–9 in Reno, Nev. Expected progeny differences (EPDs) from the spring 2008 international Limousin genetic evaluation are available on the NALF Web site. You can use the Sire Selector to specify EPD-selection criteria in searching qualified U.S. and Canadian Limousin and Lim‑Flex® bulls. The pedigree and EPD lookup allows you to search for information about a particular animal. The new EPDs also are available for animals listed for sale on the Limousin Exchange. The site’s “Genetic Evaluation” section includes the spring 2008 EPD statistics, percentiles and trends; sire summary qualifications; general sire listing; trait leaders; and downloadable sire summary. The NALF office also can mail a printed copy or CD-ROM version for $10. Active NALF members can view their whole-herd EPDs via the Web site’s secured, members-only portion. They also can request EPDs from the NALF office free of charge. New performance records are available for $2 per head or $25 for a whole herd. Find your future herd sires and replacement females with the Limousin Exchange Bull Listing Service and Females for Sale components on the NALF Web site. The services enable queries and sorts of Limousin and Lim‑Flex bulls and females for sale from searchable databases. When used with the site’s member locator, the Limousin Exchange is an efficient way to find bulls and females that match your selection criteria. Registration and transfer fees make possible the growing number of Web-based services. One of the lessons from the Limousin Visions Symposium was to build the breed’s brand equity, including recognition for Limousin-influenced animals when they perform well in commercial settings. Thus, NALF offers the LimMark tagging program for Limousin-influenced feeder calves and replacement females so customers can couple reputable genetics with documented information. Only qualified, properly enrolled cattle may wear LimMark tags. Producers first must complete a LimMark agreement and send it to NALF. Guidelines and the enrollment form are on the NALF Web site, or contact Bo Sexson in the NALF office. When you buy registered and transferred Limousin and Lim‑Flex bulls, you gain access to NALF’s programs, services and expertise. Registrations and transfers open the doors to technical support and marketing assistance for your next calf crop. NALF’s member and commercial relations department helps commercial customers obtain top prices for their Limousin-influenced cattle. Services include complimentary subscriptions to NALF’s quarterly Bottom Line newsletter, free use of the Web-based Limousin Exchange Feeder-Calf Classifieds, and the opportunity to consign cattle to special feeder-calf sales. Limousin breeders and their customers benefit from collaboration in collecting, submitting, processing and utilizing each other’s performance data to facilitate dependable selections based on trustworthy EPDs. Buying, selling and transferring registered seedstock supports genetic progress and service after the sale. Adjusted weights and measures, ratios, and EPDs are critical for identifying profitmaking seedstock. One of NALF’s primary functions is to use the best technology available to process data and provide reliable EPDs. Only registered Limousin and Lim‑Flex animals have EPDs and accuracies computed through NALF’s international genetic evaluation. Documented, accurate pedigrees facilitate genetic management. They are essential for reaping the benefits of heterosis (hybrid vigor), managing inbreeding and calculating reliable EPDs. NALF authenticates pedigrees though its DNA-based parentage-verification program. Highly propagated Limousin animals, including all bulls used in artificial insemination (AI), must have their sires and dams verified. Random tests check the accuracy of reported pedigree data for animals entering the herdbook. Limousin has one of the most extensive parentage-verification programs in the beef industry to help ensure reliable and profitable selection. Registration papers authenticate pedigrees, and credible EPDs appear on each registered animal’s performance record. If profitable genetic management is important to you, look for registered bulls to ensure integrity. Because weight affects net return, most progressive producers buy bulls with high levels of growth. To achieve that goal, NALF encourages producers to select Limousin and Lim‑Flex seedstock with acceptable weaning- and yearling-weight EPDs. When selecting for increased growth, producers also must balance genetics for other traits, including birth weight, calving ease, calf survival, frame size, mature weight and maintenance-energy costs. Disciplined selection on both ends of the growth curve is required. High-ranking, high-accuracy EPDs for birth, weaning and yearling weights and direct calving ease (CED) are the most powerful tools for improving growth and minimizing the potential for calving problems. Without birth, weaning and yearling weights, it is impossible to identify unique outlier sires and individuals with high growth yet sensible birth weight, calving ease and mature size. Achieving improved growth hinges on first having animal weights, adjusted weights and measures, and associated EPDs. In addition, commercial producers should place selection pressure on improved carcass traits. The mainstream market most generously rewards carcasses that grade at least Choice and Yield Grade (YG) 2. Selection of Limousin and Lim‑Flex bulls with above-average EPDs for both marbling and yield grade (or ribeye area) will help set the genetic stage to hit those targets. There is no doubt calmer cattle are more desirable than nervous ones. They are easier and safer to handle. They also are associated with higher feedyard gains and more desirable meat quality. Not only does the Limousin breed offer superior muscle-growth efficiency, but it also has been the leader toward improved docility. NALF developed the industry’s first temperament-scoring system and docility EPD. The NALF database shows a substantial increase in the proportion of calmer animals in recent years. Those scores provide the foundation for Limousin docility EPDs, which indicate genetic differences in the likelihood that offspring will inherit genes for calm behavior. Greater EPDs indicate higher likelihood for calm behavior in progeny. Like EPDs for other traits, docility EPDs rank animals. Greater accuracy values associated with docility EPDs indicate more reliability. NALF advises producers to check the accuracy values for docility EPDs to assure prospective herd sires are from proven bloodlines for calm behavior. Effective Dec. 31, NALF has given up its post-office (PO) box and now is using its physical address: NORTH AMERICAN LIMOUSIN FOUNDATION, 7383 S ALTON WAY STE 100, CENTENNIAL CO 80112-2339. The Italian association of Limousin breeders invites all U.S. Limousin producers to participate in the 18th International Limousin Conference (ILC), May 20–28. ILC participants will explore some of Italy’s most beautiful places, experience Limousin production amid the country’s history and culture, and discuss the breed’s growing success around the world. Visit www.anacli.it on the Web for more information and to register. Herds enrolled in the voluntary Limousin Inventory Management System (LIMS) commit to annual reporting of calving or culling data for every cow. By submitting such complete, comprehensive production information, they contribute to inventory-proven genetics with more accurate EPDs. Participants pay an annual fee of $15 per active cow and, in turn, can record performance for, register and transfer that year’s calf crop. To enroll, click the “LIMS” button at the top of any page in the NALF Web site’s secured, members-only portion. Breeders must enroll spring-calving cows by Feb. 15.
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