Prime Time Summer 2018

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Prime Time is the official publicatin of the American Akaushi Association. Read all about the Akaushi breed and the cattlemen and cattlewomen who raise and reproduce these cattle.

THE NEWS OF THE AMERICAN AKAUSHI ASSOCIAT ION

SUMMER 2018

AKAUSHI

www.akaushi.com

The Akaushi Advantage

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP

Akaushi Field Day

Consumer Demand For High-Quality Beef

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

SUMMER 2018 | VOL. 1 NO. 3

AKAUSHI

Features

18 AAA 7th Annual Convention Schedule and Registration Form The Annual Convention boasts a full schedule of dynamic speakers and events. 20 Environmental Stewardship These three Akaushi breeders are dedicated to improving conservation strategies on their operations. 22 Consumer Demand for High-Quality Beef Growing demand for high-quality beef is a great opportunity for Akaushi breeders. 26 The Akaushi Advantage Improved performance and profitability are key advantages to raising Akaushi. 30 Bar 73 Ranch Hosts Akaushi Field Day Attendees learn about the Akaushi breed, association programs and more. 32 The Value of AAA Membership AAA offers various programs and services to members.

ON THE COVER Akaushi-cross heifers graze in the Colorado Rockies. Photo courtesy Willie Fender, Deadwood Ranch, near Basalt, Colo.

In Every Issue

32 New Members 33 Ad Index

6 Around the Campfire 8 Akaushi Matters 10 Calendar of Events American Akaushi Association P.O. Box 487 | Flatonia, Texas 78941 (361) 238-7218 office | www.akaushi.com Executive Director Bubba Bain

12 Beef Matters 14 Untangling the Helix 16 Irons in the Fire

Prime Time Publisher

BluePrint Media P.O. Box 427 | Timnath, CO 80547

info@blueprintma.com Editor | Lisa Bard

(361) 238-7218 | bbain@akaushi.com Executive Assistant/Office Manager Janie Bain (361)238-7218 | jbain@akaushi.com

Akaushi Prime Time The News of the American Akaushi Association is published quarterly and distributed digitally to all interested parties. To recieve Prime Time, call or email the AAA office.

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

Around the Campfire Bubba Bain | Executive Director | bbain@akaushi.com EXECUT I VE DIRECTOR’ S MESSAGE

T raceability – the capability to trace something. The ability to verify the his- tory, location or applica- tion of an item by means of documented recorded identification. Updates

program – Certified Akaushi Beef/Heart- Brand® – is already built around official animal ID and traceability components. Animal identification and traceability has long been discussed and debated. Many cattle producers have expressed frustration for nearly 25 years over traceability discus- sions, which have lead virtually nowhere, while others have continued to wipe their brows and are satisfied with the status quo. Individual animal ID traceability systems across the beef community are designed to equip the industry to effectively manage a disease outbreak while enhancing both domestic and global markets and ensuring greater access to U.S. beef. “Part of the challenge relates to differ- ent aspects and applications of livestock traceability,” said John Maday, Drovers managing editor. “For the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state animal health of- ficials, a functional traceability system can help contain disease outbreaks and protect our livestock industries.” “For producers, traceability can facilitate birth-to-plate records for improving live- stock productivity and animal value. For processors, food companies and retailers, traceability helps verify value-added fea- tures of animal foods across the production chain, protects food safety and improves access to export markets.” As far as the financial sector is concerned, a robust traceability approach would cer- tainly add to an operation’s profile and supplement the traditional measurements that drive agricultural lending decisions. While obstacles vary by industry seg- ment from cow-calf producer to packer, cost and liability are a common thread. Discussions about traceability always come back to costs and returns for producers and other participants. Advancements in technology continue to reduce the costs of ID systems and data management but

 U.S. Meat Export Federation News Re- lease: “March beef exports set new value record. Asian and Latin American mar- kets drive big jump in beef export value.”  83 million Millennials (one-quarter of the U.S. population) now outnumbers the 75 million Baby Boomers by 8 million. The Millennials are spending, on average, 2.4 percent of their food budget on red and white meat, and they are the ones lead- ing the charge on the “how and where our food is raised” movement. With these changes in the marketplace “what is evi- dent is that the cost to producers will not be measured in the tools to implement an animal ID/traceability system but in missed opportunities and lost customers,” Greg Henderson, editor, Drovers.  “We can’t tolerate to be out of the fastest growing market in the world,” said Joel Haggard, senior vice president, U.S. Meat Export Federation. China’s first-quarter beef imports were up 85 percent over last year. China’s population is approximately 1.3 billion. An 85-percent increase in beef imports into a country with 1.3 billion people – you do the math! The United States can’t be left on the sidelines. U.S. beef producers collectively and individu- ally will need to adjust to some new, strict protocols: no beta agonists, no implants and traceable cattle. If these updates don’t get your atten- tion, you need to read the above para- graphs one more time. The American Akaushi Association mem- bers already adhere to these criteria. Our

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Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

Once you’ve had a taste, it’s hard to go back. And you don’t have to. Just keep adding Akaushi for proven, consistent, higher grading sustainable quality, with every new generation. Our path to prime is distinct and different than other Beef breeds. It’s the proven right way for many breeders, feeders, packers, retailers and consumers that follow. Now that’s real sustainability. Certified Akaushi Beef with naturally occurring health benefits offers more integrity through DNA Source Verification from The American Akaushi Association. Breeders build herds confidently and profitably, consumers achieve healthier lifestyles. We’re here and ready to help you achieve the sustainable “Power of Prime” with The American Akaushi, Nature’s Healthy Beef ® . Call today.

We are the sustainable Power of PRIME MORE PRIME. ORE PROFIT.

Member Since 2009 National Assn. Animal Breeders (NAAB) National Pedigreed Livestock Council (NPLC)

2018 Annual Membership Directory Available by request.

7th Annual Convention 10/26-28, 2018 Embassy Suites - San Marcos, Texas

361/238-7218 • www.Akaushi.com

Akaushi Matters Janie Bain | Executive Assistant/Office Manager | jbain@akaushi.com AMERICAN AKAUSHI ASSOCIAT ION UPDATE

Whole-Herd Reporting – This

24 months of age or a male reaches 30 months of age. The annual assessment pay- ment on a bull allows for the subsequent registration of calves sired by the bull dur- ing that year of service, provided all other registration requirements have been met. Major benefits of WHR include: Simplicity – one fee covers the most com- mon breeder expenses, rather than mul- tiple fees for routine transactions. Quality – complete reporting will improve the reliability of expected progeny differ- ences (EPDs) on all AAA cattle by remov- ing the effects of reporting bias. Improved customer service – no extra fee for calf transfers ensures more complete reporting of transfers. Improved bull owner identification – in- creases the likelihood of participation in commercial marketing programs, which will improve demand for AAA seedstock. New selection tools – Whole-herd report- ing makes it possible to estimate fertility and survivability EPDs and to calculate herd-average reproduction and production management measures for within-herd use. These calculations are meaningless with incomplete reporting. Fee Structure and Registration Regulations Assessment age is defined as males and females at least 24 months of age. The spring herd assessment will include full- blood or purebred cattle born Jan. 1-June 30. The fall herd assessment will include fullblood or purebred cattle born July 1-Dec. 31. Payment of the annual assess- ment makes that animal “active” for the following 12 months. Progeny may only be registered to dams that are “active” during the birth year of the progeny and sires that were “active” during the year the progeny was conceived.

term probably generates more questions and frus- tration than anything we do as an association. In general, associa- tions exist to promote the organization and provide services to members. In order to stay in business,

associations must charge fees for the ser- vices performed. For a breed association, one of the main services is the registration and transfer of animals, as well as record- ing and maintaining each animal’s weights and measurements. Historically, breed associations charged separately for each of these services. With the development of whole-herd reporting (WHR), the assess- ment paid on the adult animal covers these fees for much less than the traditional calf- based fee structure. The American Akaushi Association (AAA) whole-herd reporting system is designed to improve the collection of performance information on all active animals in the breed and to spread the costs of promoting the breed equally across all active animals in the breed. Rather than the traditional calf-based registration fee structure that discourages the reporting of complete con- temporary group information, WHR uses an inventory-based fee structure, or annual assessment charge, on all reproductively mature animals instead of charging sepa- rately for registering, and then transfer- ring a calf. Under WHR, members will pay a single, annual assessment on each animal of “as- sessment age.” Payment of the annual assessment on a cow entitles the owner (breeder) to register one calf born to the cow during that 12-month period and a sin- gle transfer of that calf to a new owner if the transfer occurs before a female reaches

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Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

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CATTLE akaushi

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CALL JIM OR KATHY MOORE AT 254-723-2977 OR 254-379-5064 JMKCATTLE.COM INFO@JMKCATTLE.COM

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

JULY 20-21 Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention, Norman, Okla. AUG. 6-7 Texas A&M Beef Short Course, College Station, Texas SEPT. 6 WHR Fall Invoices mailed SEPT. 6-7 Superior Livestock Auction, Fort Worth, Texas OCT. 26-28 7th Annual American Akaushi Association Convention, San Marcos, Texas The spring herd inventory date is March 1. The fall herd inventory date is Sept. 1. At least 30 days prior to each in- ventory date, breeders will receive an inventory report for the appropriate (spring or fall) inventory identifying all animals of assessment age in that herd. The breeder will identify animals to be removed from their inventory or add new animals of breeding age not found on the inven- tory report before returning the completed report to the association office prior to the inventory date. Breeders can update their inventory in writing or electronically by log- ging in to the DigitalBeef website, https://digitalbeef.com. Transfers made prior to the inventory date will automati- cally remove and/or add animals to the breeder invento- ries when the transfer is processed. Note: Embryo transfer (ET) calves born to the same donor dam during the 12-month period are charged the equivalent fees. The assessment fee must be paid for each ET calf unless the recipient dam is “active” (i.e., current year assessment already paid). If the annual assessment on the donor dam has been paid, the donor dam owner is allowed one natural calf registration. In the case of a mul- tiple birth (twins, triplets, etc.) no additional assessment beyond the cow’s annual assessment will be incurred on AKAUSHI MATTERS Continued from page 8

the dam in order to regis- ter the resulting calves. For questions regard- ing whole-herd reporting or any other service we provide, please contact the American Akaushi Asso- ciation office. PT

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

AKAUSHI BEEF Beef Matters T he trend for a fit and healthy lifestyle has in- in the Dal- las market.

Brooke Young | Marketing and Customer Relations, HeartBrand ® Beef Inc. | brooke@akaushi.com

Kroger is currently ordering

creased dramatically in recent years. Consum- ers are searching for a healthy, appetizing product to add to their weekly menus. That’s exactly where Heart-

HeartBrand products for their meat counter,

including ri- beyes, strip- loins, tenderloins, top sirloins and ground beef. The HeartBrand team and Kroger are working together to educate buyers about our Akaushi beef and HeartBrand’s history. We also set up product sampling for shop- pers before they purchase. We have re- ceived excellent feedback from the custom- ers. It is truly inspiring to see a person take the sample and continue walking, before quickly turning around to come purchase this great-tasting beef. We look forward to expanding our relationship with Kroger. Dallas, we are coming your way. In addition to Kroger, working with One World Beef has opened the door to new frontiers for HeartBrand’s Akaushi beef. Located in California, this processor is able to utilize the entire carcass, allowing us to seek new markets. This June, we were able to send our first sets of beef to China. They ordered our HeartBrand reserve product and our HeartBrand product lines. The group that we are working with is very interested in our top-grading scale and believes the product will excel in their mar- kets. We hope that Certified Akaushi Beef continues to expand in the Chinese market. The HeartBrand Beef brand is growing and expanding to new frontiers with Certi- fied Akaushi Beef. With new relationships, both domestically and internationally, we can only imagine what the future of Heart- Brand Beef and the Akaushi breed will hold. PT

Brand® Beef steps up to the plate. Not only is our beef an all-natural, no-hormones- added product, but it also contains a higher concentration of monounsaturated fat relative to saturated fat. It is also a natural source of oleic acid, which is a compound found in olive oil that the U.S. Department of Agriculture says is good for your heart. Every mouthwatering bite of tender Heart- Brand Beef offers a healthy red meat op- tion. That irresistible buttery beef flavor that also offers health benefits is a true grand slam.

I know what you’re thinking: where can I get this delicious beef? HeartBrand is ea- ger to announce that, in April, we began our new relationship with Kroger. This is the start of a growing project. HeartBrand Beef is available at the Kroger location at Buffalo Speedway and Highway 59 in Kingwood, Texas, and soon to be available

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY Untangling the Helix

Elisa Marques, Ph.D., MBA | Founder, AgFRONT | emarques@agfront.com

How to Use Genomics to Sell More Genetics F or many years now, we have mainly talked about ge-

Despite the title of this article, the main fo- cus of using genomics is not for marketing and promotion. We use genomics to create a system for a breed improvement program. Notice that I said system. Genomics is in itself a system, rather than a technology. It’s a system because the use of genomics requires the collection of phenotypic data, the correct genotyping service provider, the correct genetic evaluation method and the training of end-users. One of the many advantages of using ge- nomics is that it increases the accuracy of selection, because by knowing an animal’s DNA profile we can get to the true genetic merit of that animal. If you are a seedstock producer and you use genomics, you are not just selling ge- netics. You are selling peace of mind. You need to ask your customer how much he/ she values their peace of mind. How much is it worth for a commercial customer that buys a bull that has been genomically profiled, that they are taking the guessing game out of the equation? How about your international customers? How much is it worth to them that when they buy a bull from you that has been genomically profiled, they can also receive parentage markers that will help them beef up (pun intended) their breed improvement program? As producers, you make selection deci- sions every year. What to keep and what to breed. So, when you have a system that allows you to make the right selection deci- sions, you must use it. And, you have to allow your customers to use it too. Always remember. You sell genetics with peace of mind. Nobody can beat that. Editor’s note: This article was originally published on AgFRONT’s Blog, www.agfront.com . PT

nomics as a completely separate word and pro- cess from genetics. The thing is, we can’t

talk about genetics without talking about genomics, and vice versa. They go togeth- er like peanut butter and jelly. So, let’s start by defining them. In the context of animal breeding, we talk about genetics being the product that seedstock producers sell. When they say “I sell genetics” we know that they are talk- ing about either live animals, semen or embryos. For geneticists, we think in terms of ge- netic merit. So, when someone says “genet- ics,” we think of estimated breeding values (EBV) or expected progeny differences (EPD).

Genomics, on the other hand, is a term that has gone mainstream in the last decade or so. It often gets tangled up with the term genet- ics. But it’s different. Genomics describes the molecu- lar element of animal breeding. The DNA part. So, when someone says “genomics,” think of DNA or DNA tests. It took us a long time to find out how to correctly combine genomics and genet-

ics. It wasn’t easy. In the beginning, the in- dustry thought it could just have “one size fits all” for those genomics predictions. But we saw that wasn’t the case. So, we went back to the drawing board, got more samples, revisited our calculations and, over time, each breed released their own predictions that fit their own genetic evalu- ation process.

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

Are your cattle producing the high-quality beef that consumers are demanding more and more of? Dove Creek Wagyu Cattle Co. wants to help you generate the maximum profit dollars possible on your beef and significantly increase the value of your entire herd.

CAT TLE COMPANY Dove Creek Wagyu

Introducing Akaushi bred cows …Wagyu, Japanese Brown, RedWagyu -- all synonymous with elite, high-quality, sought after, healthy, and exceptionally delicious beef. Our Akaushi cattle genetics are some of the purest that can be found outside of Japan, where, seen as a national treasure, these cows or their offspring are no longer exported. We have painstakingly selected our sires and females on their ability to produce the ultimate in marbling and carcass quality, as well as to maintain size, structure, and productivity. One cross of Akaushi genetics can significantly raise the carcass scores and quality of your current herd and subsequently increase the value of the offspring. We have bulls suitable for starting an F1 or full blood breeding program. We can also create customized embryo packages that will be excellent crosses with your choice of bull for full blood production.

We would love to hear from you – all questions are welcome.

In an exclusive offering, we will be contracting 50-75 head of quality Angus cows bred Akaushi for Fall delivery. These will be young cows mostly 3-5 years of age. 60 day calving period starting January 15, 2019. Cows bred to top carcass quality producing Akaushi sires that are free from any genetic defects. Female offspring will be suitable for replacements.

DoveCreekWagyu.com Call us at: 402-741-1631 Michelle@DoveCreekWagyu.com

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

REFLECT IONS AND RECOLLECT IONS

Paul Marchant | Rancher/Columnist | idahomarchant@gmail.com Irons in the Fire

Enough Rope I was sure glad when summer finally ar- rived this year. She certainly took her sweet time on her trek to the Marchant place from wherever she spent the winter. There is a pleth- ora of reasons why I ea-

often find it easier to leave the ropes hang- ing after I’ve loaded the hay. It’s easy to tell myself I’ll get to it as soon as I finish feed- ing. This, in turn, leads to another round of procrastination. “It’ll be fine until tomor- row,” is too often my mantra – famous last words, which inevitably haunt too many of my tomorrows.

gerly anticipate the arrival of summer each year. Many of those reasons are obvious:  I don’t need to dress in muck boots and 17 layers of coats, vests and shirts.  I don’t have to fight eight inches of sloppy, muddy crap with every step.  There are more minutes and hours of daylight in which to finish every last tedious chore. Other reasons are perhaps subtler, but no less meaningful:  The beauty of the high desert and moun- tain country that I call home is never more sublime than when the valleys, enhanced by the snowcapped peaks in the background, transform from green to brown.  My demeanor transforms from crabby, if not borderline mean, to occasionally pleasant.  The horses and cattle shed their drab win- ter hair in favor of a sleek, shiny, look.  I can finally quit feeding hay. And, on that note, I was reminded of, and re-taught, a couple of hard lessons this spring as my haystacks diminished. In order to maintain some respectable hay quality, we cover the stacks with huge tarps that are tied down to keep them in place. As the hay is fed, the tarps must be rolled back, and the ropes retied to prevent them from becoming a twisted and tangled rat’s nest – a potential residue of the relentless southern Idaho springtime wind. In my role as the consummate procrastinator, I

As the last stack of hay had dwindled to just a few bales, I arrived at the stack yard one morning to find five or six pieces of 10-foot-long rope twisted and wrapped around each other in a mess that would have caused a nun to cuss. As I stood in the morning Idaho zephyr and gazed at the witch’s broom that required my attention sooner, rather than later, I wondered aloud, in proper convent-cussing language, how in the world I would ever get the motley maze untangled. The more I looked at it, the more I cussed, and the more I cussed, the more bewildered and frustrated I became. Somehow, I talked myself down from the ledge and determined that this particular mess was not going to undo itself. The job had to be done and, if it was to happen, I was the only one who could make it so. I started by finding the end of one rope. My

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Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

Going for Quality? Go For Akaushi!

• 1/2- and 3/4-blood Akaushi bull calves and steer calves • 15-20 1/2-blood, 2- and 3-year-old bred females due to calve in the spring • Consultation by Aaron Cooper and J.D. Russel • Bulls and semen available MELLOTT RANCH OFFERING THIS FALL

FULLBLOOD AKAUSHI COWS 100% PURCHASED FROM MCC AND DAUGHTERS OF: Big Al Shigumaru Joe H0518E Hikari Tamamaru B 3455B B 0066M KC T 53135 Others

HERD SIRES V7130W / AF 8478 7A011 / AF 33641 7B615 / AF 44960 7B604 / AF 44950

MELLOTT RANCH FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT Mike and Phyllis Mellott • Hugo, Colorado 80821 • 719-740-0403 • phmellott@esrta.com

Ame r i can Akaush i Assoc i a t i on 7 th Annua l Conven t i on

OCTOBER 26-28, 2018

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Friday, Oct. 26  Certified Akaushi Beef Distributor Tour (lunch included)

 Break

Elisa Marques, Ph.D., AgFront Ronald Beeman, HeartBrand ® Beef Inc.

 Akaushi Steak Dinner  Awards Presentation Securing the Legacy Prime + Akaushi Hall of Fame  Paul Marchant  Live and Silent Auction

 HeartBrand Ranch and American Akaushi Association (AAA) Educational Sessions  Trade Show  Taste of Akaushi Dinner Saturday, Oct. 27  Morning General Session Collin Woodall, NCBA Bubba and Janie Bain, AAA  Break Stephen Smith, Ph.D., Texas A&M University Lisa Bard, BluePrint Media  Akaushi Lunch and Dessert Social  Afternoon General Session John Genho, Livestock Genetic Services Matt Spangler, Ph.D., University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Headquar ters Hotel

Sunday, Oct. 28  Country Church

(512) 392-6450

Embassy Suites Hotel, Conference Center & Spa 1001 E. McCarty Lane, San Marcos, Texas 78666 Rate: $154/night Group Code: American Akaushi Association Reservation cut-off: Sept. 28, 2018



REGISTRATION FORM

Complete registration includes: All sessions and meals for Fri.-Sun.

Name:

Phone:

Email:

Address:

City:

State:

Zip:

$225.00/person x $300.00/person x

= $ = $

If received BY Oct. 1, 2018 If received AFTER Oct. 1, 2018

Payable to and mail registration to: American Akaushi Association, P.O. Box 487, Flatonia, TX 78941 or FAX to (361) 333-8589

$100.00/child (ages 5-12) x

= $

$50.00/Junior member = $ If you are NOT purchasing a full registration (above) the individual meal events are priced as follows: Trade Show Reception and Taste of Akaushi Dinner $100 per person x = $ Saturday Lunch $100 per person x = $ Saturday Evening Meal and Entertainment $125/person x = $ From Ranch to Table – Akaushi Beef Distributor Tour $25/person (with full convention registration) x = $ $35/person (without full convention registration) x = $ TOTAL $ Check No. : Credit Card :  Visa  Mastercard  American Express  Discover Credit Card No. : Expiration Date : Card Holder Name : Card Holder Signature : x

Make name tags as follows: Name:

Ranch/Company:

City:

State:

Fun Auction Item:

(Proceeds from the Fun Auction will go to the Research Fund and the Junior AAA)

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP BY HANNAH JOHLMAN, FREELANCE WRITER

It’s one thing to be a rancher who is conscientious about being a steward of the land, but it’s a whole different ball game when the land you care for is drying up, and your cattle are hungry and thirsty. F or ranchers in drought-laden Texas, raising Akaushi beef requires more work than caring for and selling cattle. The Griffin, Sterling and Lays- “It’s just always been a focus,” Tom Grif- fin says. “In the last few years, there’s been more assistance, more accessible means of doing more than just trying to save grass and water. The last 10 years we’ve done a lot more as far as managing grub and trees.”

sard families know that it is nobody’s re- sponsibility but their own to care for the land that, in turn, provides for their fami- lies. The Griffin family has been in Bordon County, Texas, since 1926 and, today, the sixth generation of Griffins is being raised on the roughly 30,000-acre ranch by Tom Griffin and his brother, Dan. Ever since they can remember, the brothers have been led by the example of their father and grandfather to take care of the land.

Years ago, Griffin says, his grandfather rarely saw the mesquite trees that now plague the ranch, and it was Griffin’s fa- ther who first began to realize the threat of the invasive plants. Today, the Griffin’s “grub” the trees, using an excavator to re- move them by their roots, and they imple- ment aerial and hand spraying to minimize growth. The brothers have been working closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to improve the ranch’s conservation efforts. NRCS awards incentives to young farmers and ranchers who would other- wise need a loan for projects such as creat- ing more water sources for cattle, building fences to prevent over-grazing and devel- oping a water storage system in prepara- tion for drought – something Texans are all too familiar with. 

Will-Acres Farm WE RAISE AKAUSHI/RED ANGUS CROSS CATTLE AND SELL FARM-TO-FAMILY CUSTOM BEEF STEVE & TANYA WILLIAMS 21221 FINCH DRIVE, NEOSHO, MO 64850 (417) 529-8316 • WILL-ACRES@HOTMAIL.COM

The Sterling family works together on the ranch with one common goal: to leave the land better than they found it.

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

“Up north, they got four inches of rain in one night about 10 days ago,” Griffin says. “Be- fore that, they had a drought since Thanks- giving. Down here, we don’t have any ground water and our windmills all went bad. We’ve been

blessed with a couple good showers the last two to three weeks, but it doesn’t take long when it’s windy and hot to dry that up.” Although drought and fire don’t seem to mix, the Griffins have learned to use NRCS-recommended prescribed burning techniques to help with brush control and to create healthier pas- tures with more productive grasses. “We’ve done a few other things,” Griffin says. “We put [in] wildlife

ABOVE: The Griffins have raised Angus cattle on their Bordon County ranch for many years; however, they began crossing Akaushi bulls with Angus heifers three years ago. LEFT: Tom and Dan Griffin work closely with USDA NRCS to improve conservation efforts on their families 30,000-acre ranch.

Continued page 24

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

Consumer Demand for

mium Choice, Low Choice, Select and Standard quality categories is 97, 93, 82, 66 and 55 percent, respectively. Alternatively, the odds of having a negative eating experience were roughly 1 in 34, 14, 5, 3 and 2 for Prime, Premium Choice, Low Choice, Select and Standard, respectively. Last, the paper detailed the effects of upgrading from a lower quality grade to a higher category. Each step up in quality grade results in a better chance of having a positive eating experience. For instance, moving to Premium Choice from Low Choice enhances the odds of a satisfactory eating experience by nearly 3 to 1 (see illustration be- low). Moreover, the further the upgrade, the greater the improvement. Meanwhile, the market is telling us the same story and reinforcing those findings. For instance, during the 

HIGH

-Quality Beef

BY NEVIL SPEER, PH.D., INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT

T he principle is or product, the key to suc- cess for any business is gen- erally derived by providing a quality product. It’s always the lasting differentiator in the marketplace and the driving force behind creat- ing loyal customers. When it comes to protein, consumers gravitate to beef because they like it. Beef’s primary advantage in the marketplace is taste. It’s the ultimate factor that enables the beef industry to garner the biggest share of consum- straightforward. Whatever the service

satisfaction and consumer perception. Several years ago, Daryl Tatum, Ph.D., Colorado State University, and Certified Angus Beef ® published a comprehensive review of USDA Beef Qual- ity Grades. The analysis re- vealed that marbling serves as a very effective tool for sorting beef carcasses with respect to quality and value. Increased marbling im- proves the odds of purchas- ing a favorable product. Specifically, the probability of a strip loin steak produc- ing a positive eating experi- ence within the Prime, Pre-

er spending – beef gets about 48 cents of every dollar spent on protein. The more the in- dustry can stack the deck in terms of its market advantage (quality, taste), the bigger the spend- ing gap can become. The most effective and efficient way to do that is to increase marbling. That’s because U.S. Department of Agri- culture (USDA) Qual- ity Grade scores re- ally do matter when it comes to eating

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

that Prime and Branded weekly sales averaged just $76 million five years ago). Those dollar values mean Prime and Branded sales are consistently grabbing market share from the bottom-end of the market (i.e., Select). May’s sales results had the categories accounting for better than 25 percent of all boxed beef

revenue. That’s also a new high-water mark. But perhaps most impor- tant, Prime, the very top end of the market, reflects the strong association be- tween quality and demand. Consider that 10 years ago, the industry was selling between 25 and 50 loads of

Continued page 29

THINK OF THEM AS THE ONE-AND-DONE EAR TAGS

first part of May, the boxed beef market witnessed some meaningful new milestones. For example, the total value of Prime and Branded sales surged to establish a new weekly record ($160 mil- lion). Then, just several weeks later, at the end of the month, that record was surpassed with sales of $185 million. Consumers are sending the signal that they desire beef at the high end of the market. As a result, the beef industry is able to clear greater quantities of that product. That’s a trend that doesn’t need to stop here. And from a longer-run perspective, bigger dol- lar values now have the Prime + Branded catego- ries averaging $115 million on a weekly basis. In other words, May’s action was a strong seasonal surge, but it wasn’t just a flash in the pan – that’s been a strong, enduring trend (consider

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ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP Continued from page 21 escape ramps and artificial water troughs, rotational grazing, stuff that makes sense for us but, honestly, things we’d be doing wheth- er we were in the NRCS program or not.” That sentiment is re- flected by Tom’s cousin and neighbor, Tara Sterling, whose family runs Akaushi cattle on 11,550 deeded acres and nearly 200,000 leased acres in Coahoma, Texas. For the Sterlings, there is no difference in how the leased land and deeded land are cared for.

Sterling Cattle Co. was started by JM Sterling in 1954. Today, JM’s son, Jimmy, (right) runs the ranch with help from his three daughters and their families.

“That’s just the way we were raised – to be responsible and take care of the prop- erty that was handed to you,” Sterling says. “My granddad taught my dad and my dad taught me and now I’m teaching my kids.” Over the years, the Sterlings have grubbed mesquite on 4,000 deeded acres; grubbed and sprayed more than 21,000 acres of leased land; sprayed prickly pear

on 570 deeded acres and 2,000 leased acres; and re-seeded back to native grasses 3,300 acres of deeded land and 6,900 acres of leased land. That’s only the beginning of their list of improvements. They have put up more than 20 miles of fencing, drilled new wells and installed solar-powered pumps on 18 water troughs. Because water is sparse in Andrews County, the Sterlings have added new water lines and troughs that allow them to spread cattle farther out and better manage graz- ing, but with the current drought, they are forced to walk a fine line between manag- ing available forage and overgrazing. “We’ve had to move some cattle around and we’re having to sell yearlings before we normally would have done so,” Sterling says. “We also have limited grazing, so we had to keep cattle longer on grass than we normally would have, but we do try to move cattle away from areas where they could overgraze and avoid long-term issues we could have.” Sterling Cattle Company was selected as one of six regional honorees of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Environmen- tal Stewardship Award Program.  LEFT: Sterling Cattle Co. was one of six regional honorees for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Environmen- tal Stewardship Award Program. The award recognizes the operation’s outstanding stewardship and conservation efforts in Coahoma, Texas.

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

In southern Texas, James Layssard has also been forced to sell cattle to avoid overgrazing on his small ranch near Alice, Texas, where he considers himself to be aggressive in his pas- ture management approach. “If it doesn’t benefit my cows, it goes,” he says. Layssard has worked with his local NRCS office in Jim Wells County to drill a new water well that runs on solar panels. He has laid pipelines to add tanks for rotational grazing and, in one pasture, he has planted Cyprus trees around a well that had par- ticularly high evaporation issues. And like his fellow Texans, he has been actively trying to rid his pastures of mesquite trees and re-plant native grasses. For Layssard’s efforts on grazing management, brush control and his many inno- vative approaches to conser- vation, the Jim Wells County Soil and Water Conservation District honored him as the 2017 Rancher of the Year.

On the Griffin, Sterling and Layssard ranches, fam- ily tradition includes an attitude of stewardship to- ward the land and continu- ally improving conservation strategies. “If we don’t take care of it, nobody’s going to. And if I don’t teach anybody behind

me to take the property, if I don’t set an example, the people behind me don’t know how they are sup- posed to act,” Sterling says. “My family is of the opinion that this is God’s property; we’re just managing it for him.” PT

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In recognition for his conservation efforts, the Jim Wells County Soil and Water Conservation District honored James Layssard and his wife, Jane, as 2017 Rancher of the Year.

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

The Akaushi Advantage Commercial Cattlemen See Profitability with Akaushi Influence

BY MACEY MUELLER, FREELANCE WRITER

A three-quarters Akaushi cow and her seven-eighths calf are part of Jim Dyer’s growing Akaushi-influenced herd.

W ith a reputation for improved mar- bling and palatability, commercial cattle producers are turning to Akaushi genetics as they strive to meet con- sumer demand for more flavorful beef and look for ways to add value to their calf crops. In addition to more dollars for better beef, producers also appreciate Akaushi’s adaptability to a variety of climates and terrains, making it a no-brainer no matter the locale. Three cattlemen – from the high deserts of Idaho and West Texas, all the way down to the hot and humid grasslands of north-central Florida – explain how the Akaushi influence has made a major im- pact on their herds’ performance and their operations’ bottom lines. Jim Dyer, Texas While Jim Dyer’s family has a history of raising quality Limousin cattle in the arid, rough country near Fort Davis, Texas, he set out to cross the high-yielding breed to improve overall marbling in his beef. His daughter, Amanda, first suggested Akaushi after seeing a set of cattle in a feed- lot during her time in the Texas Christian University Ranch Management Program. “These cattle looked like Limousins, but they had come over from Japan, and we were told they could grade Prime on grass,” she says. “But at the time, we couldn’t access the genetics in the United States.”

Two years later, the Dyers toured the Heartbrand ® Beef processing plant in Yoa- kum, Texas, and were excited about the unique flavor and health benefits of the beef. “They had made hamburgers for us and drained the drippings into a glass. After a couple of hours touring the facility, we came back and the grease had not con- gealed like usual,” Dyer says. “We learned how the Akaushi beef is full of monounsat- urated fat and closer to that of olive oil. “We had once raised Limousin cattle for Laura’s Lean Beef, so we knew there was a strong consumer demand for healthier beef.” Dyer began breeding up his original Limousin cattle, using half-blood heifer calves as replacements in his herd. He says the Akaushi genetics have been especially noticeable in the conception rates. “We keep 100 to 200 first-calf heifers to breed every year, and with the Limousins we were fortunate if we got 55 to 60 per- cent bred-up,” he says. “But with more Akaushi influence, this last fall we pregnancy tested 151 first-calf heifers and only had four open.” In addition to building his Akaushi cow- herd, he also produced the first certified polled 15/16 Akaushi bull in the United States and now raises the bulls used to breed his nearly 1,000 Limousin and Akaushi-cross commercial cows. 

Akaushi Prime Time • Summer 2018

varies from 6,200 to 9,000 feet in elevation and requires an athletic type of cow. “Our cattle have to be able travel,” he says. “Sometimes it’s several miles between water sources.” The Oakley, Idaho, rancher says he was “skeptical” when he first learned about the benefits of using Akaushi genetics, but now five years later, Marchant says he wished he would have “jumped in faster.” “I vetted the idea pretty hard before AI’ing our first 100 cows,” he says. “It honestly looked too good to be true, but we have had nothing but success with the Akaushi cattle.” After seeing remarkable improvements in his calves the first year, Marchant was a believer. He purchased two Akaushi bulls from Heartbrand ® Beef and then added four more to his battery the following year. Marchant has marketed his calves to Heartbrand for the last several years and has been especially pleased with their performance. Carcass data shows his cattle have routinely graded 65-70 percent Prime since introducing the Akaushi genetics in 1/4 Vertical, 4 color Prime Time Comanche Cattle Company Summer 2018

Dyer re- tains owner- ship of most of his cattle and then sells them to Heartbrand Beef before processing. Because the Akaushi cattle are all-natural,

Jim Dyer’s “El Padrino” is the first certi- fied polled 15/16 bull in the breed and is now available for semen purchase.

they can take longer to reach an optimal marketing weight in the feedyard, but Dyer says the Limousin’s feed efficiency has helped keep his Akaushi-Limousin cross- breds’ cost of gain (COG) at or below that of the purebred Limousin cattle he has fed. Low COG combined with Akaushi’s excel- lent carcass traits have made Dyer’s profit- ability especially impressive. “If you’ve got a Prime carcass versus a Select carcass, you have a lot more market- ing options,” he says. “We average a $15- to-$20 per hundredweight premium for the fat cattle we market to Heartbrand Beef, so there is definitely some real advantage to using the Akaushi genetics.” Paul Marchant, Idaho Paul Marchant has been running cattle in south-central Idaho for 23 years. His 400 commercial cows, primarily Limousin crossed with Red or Black Angus, graze on a combination of U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management ground during the summer. The rugged rangeland

Continued page 28

Comanche Cattle Company Proven Akaushi Genetics Selling registered, full-blood Akaushi cattle through private treaty.

Paul Marchant’s cowherd and Akaushi bull graze south- central Idaho’s rugged terrain.

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

The Live Oak, Fla., rancher runs about 250 Beefmaster and Red Angus cross cows, and since introducing the Akaushi genetics five years ago, has noticed a drastic differ- ence in the palatability of the beef he pro- duces.

THE AKAUSHI ADVANTAGE Continued from page 27

2013. In addition, he has very few Yield Grade 5s, which can be a concern with cattle grading Prime. “These cattle are going to grow, and they’re going to grade,” he says. “The people who brought the Akaushi to the United States really did their homework and identi- fied only the best genetics to use here. “I really do feel that a slow and cautious approach has positioned the Akaushi breed to revolutionize the beef industry.” Marchant’s success with Akaushi has encouraged him to begin keeping some of his half-blood heifers to breed, and he has been impressed with their ability to fit in with his existing herd. “They travel well, they’re fertile and we haven’t had any disposition problems,” he says. Don Garrison, Florida When Don Garrison started looking for an opportunity to improve his cattle’s car- cass value, he turned to Akaushi’s strong marbling traits.

Don Garrison’s cowherd and Akaushi-influenced calves run on Bahiagrass in north-central Florida. “We all need to be concerned about the quality of beef we sell to consumers,” he says. “We want them to have the best eat- ing experience possible, and the rich taste and health benefits of the Akaushi beef help set it apart.” Garrison says parasites and heat stress in north-central Florida make adaptability key in his cattle, especially in the bulls he purchases from Heartbrand Beef, located in a much drier Texas climate. “They just don’t have the same parasite pressure we have here in hot and humid Florida,” he says. “I don’t see any parasite problems with the cattle we raise here and with the older bulls that have been around awhile, so once the bulls acclimate here, they seem to do well.” Garrison generally backgrounds his yearlings and then markets the cattle to Heartbrand, where he says the premium programs have made his decision to use Akaushi genetics very worthwhile. “I am always impressed when I see the carcass data on my Akaushi cattle,” he says. “They grade better than most any other breed, and producers are going to see the most money in the cattle that grade well on the rail.” For more information about the advan- tages of using Akaushi genetics in a com- mercial cowherd, please contact American Akaushi Association Executive Director Bubba Bain at (361) 238-7218. PT

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IRONS IN THE FIRE Continued from page 16

1/4 Vertical, 4 color Prime Time Broken Winds Cattle Co. Summer 2018 First of all, don’t procrastinate. (Did I really need to mention that one?) More important, however, I believe my hour with the ropes led me to more meaningful introspection. No matter how hopeless a situation may seem, there is probably a solution and a way out. It most likely won’t be easy, and it won’t be the answer that you’d like. But, you have to start somewhere. You have to start with the first rope, or the first string or fiber, the first day or minute or sentence or word. You can do hard things. You can start with the problem that’s at your feet right now and you can follow it from one knot to the next. Eventu- ally, I promise, you’ll run out of rope. PT here. Beef producers have great opportu- nity in the future to increasingly solidify market share and drive revenue growth for the industry. Beef quality is the founda- tion to that occurrence. PT Registered Akaushi Cattle Percentage Blood and Purebred BROKEN WINDS CATTLE COMPANY discovering the light bulb or, at least, the invention of the Internet. The lessons here are blatantly obvious.

HIGH-QUALITY BEEF Continued from page 23 Prime product per week. The weekly aver- age didn’t surpass 50 loads consistently until late 2010. Starting in 2012, the beef industry started piling on. Since then, the momentum seems to be gaining speed. In fact, the last week of May set a new Prime record at 236 loads – and May averaged more than 210 loads on a weekly basis. Meanwhile, conventional wisdom would tell us the premium for Prime (versus Se- lect) would decline over time given the in- creased availability of product. That hasn’t occurred. In fact, the premium in May hovered around $27 per hundredweight – that’s $2 better versus May 2008, while selling more than five times the amount of product. The premium dynamic defies laws of quantity and price. In general, as a product (e.g., high-quality beef) becomes less scarce, it should be worth relatively less over time. But the industry continues to produce more high-end product – and premiums for that product have remained surprisingly stable- to-stronger. Demand is the differentiator. Consumers are sending the signal that they desire beef at the high end of the mar- ket. As a result, the beef industry is able to clear greater quantities of that product. That’s a trend that doesn’t need to stop After more than an hour – an hour that could have, and should have, been put to- ward more meaningful tasks, like finding the cure to shingles or cancer – I eventually reached the end of my rope, literally. And, as my brain was released from the mind- numbing tedium of the task, I felt as though I may have accomplished a feat as great as only option was to follow it to a knot, twist and turn it out of the first labyrinth, follow it to the next knot and repeat the process until finally I was able to free a single rope from the snarl. I then started the whole thing over again with the second rope and then the third and the fourth rope. It was an exercise that stretched my patience to its limits. But it had to be done.

Joe Beltz Canyon, Texas ● (806) 683-7329 cowhand@me.com

www.akaushi.com • Summer 2018

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