Barzona_Bulletin_Winter_2021

www.Barzona.com

Winter 2021

Barzona Bulletin A Publication of the Barzona Breeders Association of America

By Matthew Heinz, Golden Hz Farm, BBAA President President’s Message G reetings and Happy New Year to each and every one of you! I do hope this edition of the Barzo- na Bulletin finds you all well. My

stood by anyone who may think we need to change the breed characteristics. Our cattle were developed for very specific reasons by Francis Bard in the 1940s. Those reasons and char- acteristics are why we sought out Barzona cattle and why oth- ers seek Barzona cattle. That core can and will always stay the same, so all who see a quality purebred Barzona know exactly what they are getting. As an association, we must be willing to adapt and modify as markets change to meet the current and future demands of our cattle. As producers, we all can alter our marketing strategy for our regions like Raymond did to get a better price for our animals when we sell them. Another option is to educate and be ambas- sadors of the breed. We have young individuals showing Barzo- na at fairs and cattle shows in Texas, Alabama, Kansas and Iowa to name a few. Each individual is an ambassador of the breed. You all can be ambassadors without being a promoter. As long as you are honest speaking about your experiences with the Barzona cattle on your own ranches and farms, the cattle can sell themselves. At the Iowa State Fair, several people asked us about the breed, and each contact led to more questions. Our social me- dia contacts for the association and farm pages went up con- siderably just by talking to people and running a video of the cattle show. This is just one example of marketing that had a positive im- pact on social media, phone and person-to-person contact. A couple of producers have YouTube channels to help market an- imals. Each producer in each region can adapt and morph our marketing process to meet the current market climate and help maximize your dollar at the time of sale. I wish you all well as we begin 2021. I believe our future can and will be bright. Lots of wonderful things are ahead in 2021, including a cattle sale. As always, my door is always open either through email, Heinz.Matthew57@gmail.com , or phone (515) 480-9916. Please feel free to contact me. We will all get there “one step at a time.” God bless you all. BB

wife and I were discussing what each of us should write for the Bulletin that could sum up the highs and lows of this year and, hopefully, start our members and readers off on the right foot for 2021. I thought long and hard about the advice I would like to give and figure I can sum it all up with “one step at a time.” Our currentmarket outlook as of today (Dec. 18) indicates live cattle are selling between $110 and $120 per hundredweight, and feeder cattle are $143 per hundredweight. I would say our future markets look volatile and, unfortunately, over-saturated due to the pandemic and current supply and demand. But it has opened up more demand in the private sales of animals and to lockers in whole, halves and quarters. Around Iowa, our local lockers are booked for 2021 and book- ing dates in 2022. With all of the information I just provided, as producers we need to get the best price for our Barzona cattle when we decide to market them. As with any type of market, there has to be demand. As seedstock producers, there is pure- bred demand out there, we just have to balance having quality stock available when potential buyers arrive and making sure we are taking care of our end without going broke. Each region in the United States has a different formula for cattle marketing that works for them. What works in Iowa may not work in Arizona, just as what works in Alabama might not be suited for Oregon. Last time we were out to visit Gary in Or- egon, he had a couple of nice young men come and talk at our association meeting. The biggest takeaway from each speaker was a different perception or point of view from what our pro- gram was currently doing. Alecia and I did not run home and wholeheartedly implement what they said, but we did tweak it and make changes to fit and become part of our cattle and farming operation. At Raymond’s in Alabama, we all learned how he was putting more polled ge- netics in his herd to meet the demands of his region. I could go on with each visit and each conversation with Barzona produc- ers, but my point is I hope each member takes away something they can use from each meeting and conversation to adapt into their program. As an association, we must be willing to adapt and modify as markets change to meet the current and future demands of our cattle. As an association, we can adapt for the ebb and flow of the market without losing our core. I do not want to be misunder-

Colostrum First

M any cow-calf producers are aware of the importance of colostrum – the first form of milk available to new- borns following delivery – and that colostrum con- tains antibodies that need to be absorbed into the bloodstream to protect against disease. According to Brian Vander Ley, DVM, assistant professor and veterinary epidemi- ologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Great Plains Vet- erinary Education Center, several factors go into the successful transfer of that colostrum to the newborn calf, including cow management, calving conditions and colostrum absorption. “If we’re proactive starting long before that calf is born and continuing up until the point of birth, we’re going to have a big impact on the transfer of colostral immunity,” Vander Ley stat- ed. Cows start making colostrum up to 16 weeks before the calf is born by moving antibodies from their bloodstream to their udder. This movement continues right up until parturition. The movement of these antibodies is why some vaccine protocols used on cows are for the benefit of the calf – they’re designed to put a lot of antibodies in the cow’s bloodstream while they’re going through this process. “This process can go wrong in severe cases when we don’t have enough groceries for the cow,” Vander Ley said. “If the cow By Micky Burch, Contributing Writer

doesn’t have adequate nutrition, her colostrum can suffer in quality.” Cows with body condition scores (BCS) of less than 5 are two times more likely than cows with BCSs of 5 or greater to experi- ence a dystocia event at calving. “Cows that are in good condition give birth more quickly, make better colostrum, have calves that get up and nurse bet- ter because they’re stronger, and tend to have a better immune function and produce better antibodies for their calf’s immuni- ty,” he reiterated. Vander Ley said there’s research showing that cows that are nutrient restricted during gestation may produce calves that are less capable of absorbing colostrum after they’re born. In cases where producers have a dystocia, calves go through metabolic upset because of the length of time they spend in the cow and the reduced amount of oxygen they receive during parturition. “The longer a calf spends in anerobic metabolism without oxygen, the lower its blood pH goes, so the calf is in a state of acidosis,” Vander Ley explained. Acidosis in calves is a direct effect of depressing their brain function. “So, if you have a dull, depressed newborn calf, the most likely reason for that is his blood pH is low,” Vander Ley said. “If they’re dull and depressed when they’re born, they don’t get up and nurse very well, and that’s one of the principal reasons why we get into trouble with colostral transfer.” He also said a study conducted at the University of Calgary by Elizabeth Homerosky, DVM, showed that when a birth was assisted – even an easy pull – it significantly increased the risk of the calf not nursing by four hours of age. To assess the vigor and likelihood that a calf is going to take a colostrummeal in the first four hours, researchers checked the suckling reflex of the calf by putting two fingers in its mouth. “If it nurses vigorously, that’s a reflex and they’re probably going to be OK,” Vander Ley explained. “If you assist a calving and they have a weak suckling reflex, there’s about a 98 percent chance they won’t nurse colostrum in the first four hours, so go one extra step and make sure it gets colostrum.” Vander Ley reiterated there’s no other meal that has as much impact on a calf as the first one. Colostrum contains many vital nutrients that aren’t available again until the calf is eating for- age. It’s also potent with a lot of energy, fat and protein. “Essentially, colostrum is a loan of immunity from the cow to maintain the calf’s health until it has time to build immunity of its own,” Vander Ley explained. Calves are born with a functioning immune system, but no antibodies. They do have the capacity to make antibodies and colostrum contains the antibodies that a calf needs while it builds its own immunity. “If a calf doesn’t receive that transfer, it’s without protection for about two weeks,” he explained. The damage that can happen in that two-week period when they’re not protected can result in dead calves and poor doers if sick calves survive. With proper cow management and ideal calving conditions, colostrum absorption in calves is set up to succeed. BB

Golden Hz Farm Barzona: The breed for busy people

These cows take care of themselves!

Breeding Stock Available

Matt & Alecia Heinz 2432 250th St Greenfield, IA 50849 smartace007@yahoo.com (641) 745-9170

Alvin & Karen Havens 2429 Orange Ave. Greenfield, IA 50849

www.barzonas.com

REGISTERED, PUREBRED BARZONA Breeder since 1986

Raymond Boykin, Jr. (334) 430-0563 • etheldozierboykin@yahoo.com 8727 Lydia Lane • Montgomery, AL 36117

2 | BARZONA BULLETIN

From Our Association Secretary

By Alecia Heinz, Golden Hz Farm, BBAA Secretary

H appy holidays everyone. I person- ally hope 2020 leaves even faster than it showed up. This has defi- nitely been an “adapt and over- come” year, and I hope all of the business

Purebred Barzona Bulls Virgin 2-year-olds and yearlings, perfect for improving your herd by crossbreeding with Angus, Hereford, Limousin and Charolais. Hybrid vigor resulting in superior-preformance calves with LBW and rapid growth. Heat tolerant, disease resistant, hardy with gentle dispositions, guaranteed. Will work with you on delivery terms. Walking Stick Ranch Ron & Peggy Erjavec (719) 947-3645 • www.walkingstickranch.com Boone, Colorado As always, there are benefits of advertising on our Facebook pages and website, so if you are searching or selling, always look to those resources! I know of several herd bulls and other seed- stock that are available. Don’t hesitate to call, text or email me with questions, concerns or just updates on your operation! BB I will be sending out an email and meeting invite to those who want to market animals in the upcoming Barzona Breeders Sale in the winter of 2021-22. It looks more promising every time I do research, and it will be simple for both buyers and sellers. The BBAA will need to develop rules and requirements for the sale, determine advertising expense and select an auctioneer.

changes you are making are working out. Budgeting, advertis- ing, marketing and many other aspects of your farm or ranch have been looked over, I’m sure. This year has been a good one for the Barzona Breeders Association of America (BBAA), and I certainly don’t want to lose any of the speed we have gained. We now have multiple youth showing Barzona stock in 4-H and FFA. I’d like to send a shout out to those kids (and parents for footing the bill)! I know we have two lead heifers going to Kan- sas (they also showed one last year) and a pen of three breeding heifers that were shown in Texas. We have gained new breeders and gotten recommitments from ones that had slipped out of active status. John Luc of Florida is our most recent. For current and past issues of the Bulletin , as well as up-to-date information on Barzona cattle and the Barzona Breeders Association of America, go to Barzona.com or visit our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BarzonaBreeders/ Raising Quality Barzona Cattle for 46 years. Bulls & Females Available Two-Year-Old Bulls Available Now F & F Cattle Company Mike & Pat Fitzgerald 130 Fitzgerald Lane, Mosquero, NM 87733 (575) 673-2346 ffcattleco@plateautel.net Hampton Cattle Company Breeding Purebred since 1973 Fertile Range Cattle Steve Hampton P.O. Box 134 • Kirkland, AZ 86332 (928) 442-3438

Weichman Feedyard, L.P.

We have more than 30 years’ experience finishing cattle and more than 10 years’ experience finishing Barzona cattle. We offer a value-based marketing systemwith a history of premiums for Barzona cattle. Give us a call (620) 874-5231

4030 Highway 83 North Scott City, KS 67671

WWW.BARZONA.COM • WINTER 2021 | 3

Barzona Breeders Association of America P.O. Box 154 Greenfield, IA 50849

PRESORT MKT. US POSTAGE PAID GUNNISON, CO PERMIT #154

If you’d prefer to receive the Barzona Bulletin by email,

please contact Alecia Heinz at

(614) 745-9170 or barzonabreeders@ gmail.com

Wild N Grazy Farm

FOUNDATION HERD BREEDING STOCK Since 1974

(254) 205-0360 • bobbydodd12@hotmail.com Bynum, Texas Dodd & Sonda Carmichael

Selling bulls private treaty. Yearling bulls available now.

ADVERTISING RATES The Barzona Bulletin is published four times per year by the BBAA and is mailed to more than 800 Barzona enthusiasts. Full-Page Ad.................................. $350 per issue Half-Page Ad. ................................$200 per issue Third-Page Ad. .............................. $165 per issue Quarter-Page Ad. ...........................$135 per issue Eighth-Page Ad. .............................. $75 per issue

Semen available for a number of older bulls. Females available periodically private treaty. Foster, OK 73434 (217) 649-5616 Bard Cattle Co. Nancy Bard Nunn 18800 E. County Road 1603

4 | BARZONA BULLETIN