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THE NEWS OF THE AMERICAN AKAUSHI ASSOCIAT ION

WINTER 2019

AKAUSHI

www.akaushi.com

2018 Annual Convention Coverage

Carrales to Lead AAA

Genetic Selection Principles

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

WINTER 2019 | VOL. 2 NO. 1

AKAUSHI

44 28 Securing the Legacy Award, Rancho Espuela Cattle Co. Texas ranch recognized for its commitment to Akaushi genetics and dedication to beef industry.

Features

16 Carrales Joins American Akaushi Association Welcome the association's new executive director. 18 Genetic Selection Principles Use available tools to help with bull selection decisions. 22 The Beef with the Best Team Members, leaders play key role in the breed's continued growth. 24 Momentous Occasion American Akaushi Association announces inaugural Hall of Fame inductees. 26 Convention Coverage Highlights from the 2018 American Akaushi Association Annual Convention.

ON THE COVER In January, HeartBrand Ranch displayed King David, a heterozygous polled 15/16 purebred Akaushi bull, at the 2019 National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colo. Photo courtesy of Alexis O'Boyle, Rockin' A Photography.

In Every Issue

6 Cattle Tales 8 DNA Matters 10 Untangling the Helix American Akaushi Association P.O. Box 487 | Flatonia, Texas 78941 (361) 238-7218 office | www.akaushi.com Executive Director Kaci Carrales (361) 238-7218 | kcarrales@akaushi.com

12 Irons in the Fire 14 Beef Matters 27 New Members

27 Ad Index 29 Calendar of Events

Prime Time Publisher

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

info@blueprintma.com Editor | Lisa Bard

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

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

We are the sustainable Power of PRIME MORE PRIME.MORE PROFIT. ANNUAL CONVENTION 10/10-13, 2019 Hyatt Regency Lost Pines and Spa Cedar Creek, Texas

Once you’ve had a taste, it’s hard to go back. Fortunately, 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. Now that’s real sustainability. With its naturally occurring health benefits, Certified Akaushi Beef 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 American Akaushi, Nature’s Healthy Beef ® .

Member Since 2009 National Association of Animal Breeders (NAAB) National Pedigreed Livestock Council (NPLC)

COME SEE US IN 2019 Cattle Industry Convention

and NCBA Trade Show: Booth #2506 Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association Convention: Booth #1421

CALL TODAY Kaci Carrales | Executive Director (361) 238-7218 | www.akaushi.com

Cattle Tales Kaci Carrales | Executive Director | kcarrales@akaushi.com EXECUT I VE DIRECTOR’ S MESSAGE H appy New Year! I hope 2019 is off to a great start!

fers, which makes everyone’s production system more efficient. We want to grow breed awareness through factual data and then use that data to create information for members to make breeding decisions. By doing this, Akaushi breeders worldwide will continue to grow; however, we must remain committed to the fundamentals that brought us integrity – DNA verification of every animal that gives our customers the ability to buy with confidence. Seeing Akaushi on the menus of the greatest steakhouses in America, as well as other restaurants that demand better prod- uct, shows us that Akaushi is not just a niche or a fad but is a proven product that our beef consumers demand. Since the very beginning, growing the breed has been a true team effort, and it will take each and every one of us working together to continue that momentum. The membership is who the association serves, but the association is only as strong and progressive as its members. As a staff, we are committed to pro- cessing DNA in a timely fashion. We are also available to answer questions, sup- port field days, attend industry events to

Allow me to introduce myself – I’m Kaci Car- rales, the American Akaushi Association’s (AAA) new executive director. It is such a won- derful opportunity to lead

such a strong and progressive beef breed association and develop lifelong friends in the process. I would like to personally thank our outgoing executive director Bubba Bain and office manager Janie Bain for the tremendous amount of time and effort they dedicated to establish Akaushi as a breed and promote Akaushi to the cattle industry. Over the last nine years, they have done an excellent job getting our breed association started and headed in the right direction. I would like to acknowledge them for believ- ing in this breed and running a successful breed association. Before joining AAA, I worked for Heart- Brand® Beef where I oversaw the com- pany’s fullblood herd and was committed to learning about the Akaushi breed, genetics and how the cattle performed in different environments. Additionally, I learned how the cattle excel in carcass quality traits while maintaining functional production traits. I was responsible for logging all our cattle in DigitalBeef, so I am well-versed in how the program works and the value it provides to individual breeders and the association. It is my hope that you also rec- ognize DigitalBeef’s value and continue to utilize all of its features. I am so excited for the opportunity to continue moving this breed to its great- est potential. It will take all of us working together to make this happen. I want the association to be the best service provider to its members by providing timely and accurate DNA results and registry trans-

Continued page 14

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

DNA Matters Tim Kozelsky | DNA & Data Service Analyst | tkozelsky@akaushi.com AKAUSHI BREED GENET ICS

H appy New Year! DNA submissions. Since the convention, you have kept the association very busy. We have processed more than 3,400 samples 2018 ended with a bang concerning

twins are fraternal – not identical – with distinct DNA. The twins share blood when they share the same placenta. Microchi- merism is the primary cause of freemartin heifers. Blood and hormones are shared between the bull and heifer calf, which af- fects the heifer calf’s reproductive system development. Microchimerism also has an impact on DNA testing if blood samples are submitted on twins. Normally, the samples

during these past two months. New calf sub- missions in 2018 will end very comparable to 2017. We should finish with around 18,000 samples. For those of you who are interested in how you stand with the number of samples you sent in, the average submission con- tained about 45 samples; 151 members sent DNA samples this year. Forty members were first-time submitters this year. The average time it takes to get results from the lab has been 25 days. This month, I thought I would address some possible causes of verification fail- ures. First, it is absolutely imperative that accurate records are included with DNA submissions. Yes, DNA can determine par- entage, but we need to have a list of sires to work with. While we are in the transi- tion period of switching from STRs to SNPs DNA testing, there are animals with only one type of DNA profile. If a bull does not have the same DNA testing as its offspring, there will be failures. It is very easy to check the DNA status of your herd. You can simply log into your DigitalBeef account. Each tab under the “Herd” tab has a column that indicates what type of DNA testing each animal has. If you need help logging in or navigating around your DigitalBeef account, please call the office at (361) 238-7218. The next area to look at is microchime- rism – a common term we have all heard I am sure! Actually, it is the scientific term for the blood sharing that takes place in a cow’s uterus between twins. Most bovine

will fail, but there can be instances where the DNA results could be a combination. Oddly enough, microchimerism is only an issue when blood samples are used. Tissue and hair samples are not impacted. Usual- ly, the blood sample will fail the DNA pro- filing process. If you think you have twins, or if you have submitted a blood sample of a calf that is having verification troubles, sometimes a change in sample type will solve the issue. Finally, I would like to explain the pro- cess of DNA verification. DNA is referred to as an exclusionary process. All sires and dams are potential parents until they can be excluded by DNA. To understand exclu- sions, we need to understand how the DNA

Continued page 30

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

Going for Quality? Go For Akaushi! MELLOTT RANCH WILL CELEBRATE 115 YEARS APRIL OF 2019

Reg. # AF 33641

15-year-old cow on eastern Colorado range

Mellott Ranch is excited to have purchased all of the Matador Ranch cows and are offering the following genetics for sale:

6 2-year-old bulls 1 18-month-old bull 20 bull calves 75 half-blood steers Percentage females

Full-blood 5-, 6- and 7-year-old red cows that are out of the following sires: Big Al Shigemaru Tamamaru Hikari Joe HO518E KC Others

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

www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY Untangling the Helix

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

How to Develop Agrigenomics Products and Get the Best Prices

F or more than 10 years, we have heard of countless agrigenomics products hitting the market, in- cluding Angus 384 (re- tired), Clarifide®, Gen-

chip. Over time, technology has improved (and become more cost-effective), so we’ve selected more animals to genotype. We made some more predictions and those pre- dictions made better products. We are now weeding out the old mark- ers and making room for new real estate. That’s the process of creating new genom- ics products. As more animals are geno- typed and selection decisions are made using those products, there is a need to ag- gressively replace the markers that become fixed (no variation) in a population. We use that product until it comes time to add new markers for existing and addi- tional traits. Those are the same traits that took years of data collection efforts – feed efficiency, fertility, basically any trait that affects the producer’s bottom line. That’s how you create genomics products. This new shift is also the result of the new methodologies used for incorporating DNA information into genetic evaluation. The new methodology renders breed as- sociations more independent and no lon- ger bound by having to receive molecular breeding values (MBVs) from genomics companies. The consequence? You run your own evaluation with your own product and your own markers. There is another lesson here. When you create your own product, you also have leverage on a very important item – price. Purchasing power works. You look at your database, make estimates for what you need to genotype in the future and bring that number into the discussion. Here is a little exercise for anyone in the indus- try buying genomics tests. Look at your numbers for the past five years and make

eMax® and Igenity® Silver or Gold. We have also heard of the i50k, GGP-LD, GGP- HD, 150k and others. All of those products were created by genomics companies using knowledge gained from the very first chip – the Illumina Bov50k. Over the years, those companies poured their own research and development money into acquiring samples from the top indus- try bulls, as well as on genotyping and analyzing the data to create a specific prod- uct that filled a gap somewhere in the seed- stock or commercial sectors. But we are now seeing a shift. We are now entering an era where breed associa- tions are creating their own products. For years, breed associations have encouraged their members to collect phenotypic data and now, with their increased genotypes database as well as from their members’ routine genomics, the database keeps growing. Naturally, the question becomes, what do we do with all of this data? The answer: let’s create our own genomics product, and we will give it our own name. This is a trend that will continue as long as those in- vesting in genotypes also continue to invest in data collection. Product development will never go away because the need for products will never go away. For as long as we have problems, the products that promise solutions will continue to be in demand. In the begin- ning, we had little knowledge of what was important, so we threw everything on a

Continued page 17

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

Paul Marchant | Rancher/Columnist | idahomarchant@gmail.com REFLECT IONS AND RECOLLECT IONS Irons in the Fire

Horse Poor and Spare Parts

W ay back, two or three decades ago, I spent the summer between semes- ters at college working on a ranch for a couple with five kids. I remem- ber the parents lament- ing to me one day about

funny little cowboy witticism, depending on my ultimate reaction to the statement. “You know, you can’t keep him for spare parts,” he deadpanned. As much as I know he’s right, it doesn’t make life’s hard choices any easier. There isn’t much joy that accompanies the task of getting rid of an old or crippled horse, or putting down your old dog. I’m not particu- larly fond of sorting off the open cows into the cull pen or sending my kids off to col- lege or kindergarten. There’s often something blatantly incon- gruous with doing the right thing. That’s the bitter truth and a bitter pill to swallow. Why is the right choice so often the hard choice? Why is it that so often the payoff and reward for making the right decision is so far down the road? Wouldn’t an im- mediate payout be nice once in a while? Wouldn’t it have been cool to get an adren- aline rush and a pile of cash when you had to ground your son from the dance after the Friday night football game because you caught him skipping class and neglecting his chores? Instead of the sound of coins clanging from the slot machine, the only change you got was a hateful glare and a slam- ming door. In the moment, it’s pretty tough to come to terms with the hope, more than the fact, that this is a long-term investment. When, and if, payment on life’s momentari- ly crappy investment decisions comes, you may not even realize it. But doing the right thing and making the hard choice will pay for itself, even if you aren’t necessarily the one who cashes the check. I’m guessing, though, that when the daughter who argued with everything you ever said during her entire high school career gets a perfect score on her master’s thesis, and that former, compost-for-brains

their lack of good horses and how tough it was to keep all five kids adequately mounted. I secretly scoffed at the notion and told my new wife that I found it ri- diculous that they found it necessary to keep and service a remuda big enough to service a Custer-era platoon, just so their 5-year-old could spend an hour or two atop a horse every once in a while when they moved cows. It was only about 15 years later that my wife reminded me of that conversation as we scrambled to keep enough half-decent horses around the place so each one of my own five kids could be well-enough mount- ed to help push the cows on the mountain or pose for the annual Christmas card picture. We’ve been horse poor for as long as we’ve been parents. We either have too many poor horses or too few good ones. A couple weeks ago, I ran into a friend of mine. I’d bought a nice little gelding from him three years ago. A year ago, the horse somehow ripped the hide off his right hind leg, just below the hock. After months of attentive doctoring and TLC, all I have to show for it is a past due account with the vet and a three-legged horse. I knew quite a while ago it was a lost cause. The leg is never going to heal. My horse trader friend asked me if I’d “taken care” of the crippled pony, yet. I of course answered in the negative. I told him I hadn’t mustered up the heart or stom- ach to do what needed to be done. He then gave me some sage advice, or simply a

Continued page 17

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

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www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

AKAUSHI BEEF

Beef Matters A s we say goodbye to 2018, we can’t help but be ec- static for the New Year to

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

This past summer, we shipped our first container of beef to China. The customer purchased the product as full set, which includes HeartBrand and HB Reserve prod- ucts. They were very impressed

come and all of the great things the beef indus- try will accom- plish. By far, this past year has been

with the HeartBrand Reserve-grad- ed items and believe this category is the answer to expanding Certi- fied Akaushi Beef to China. We

look forward to crossing new borders in 2019. Our main focus this year is more cattle and more beef. Consumers are request- ing more of this mouth-watering beef each and every day. HeartBrand’s plan of attack consists of spreading the word about the Akaushi breed and educating consumers about the added health benefits of Akaushi beef. Since producers have the option to utilize our cattle buyback program, we be- lieve HeartBrand will be on track to supply hungry beef eaters. We could not have gone through this prosperous year without the continuous support of our customers and harvesting facilities. HeartBrand Beef is excited to see what the New Year has to offer our team. With new doors opening for the cattle and beef industry, we strongly believe that Akaushi is about to take off to a new level. Do you have your seat? PT They want to know why you started rais- ing Akaushi and the benefits you’ve expe- rienced as a result. Whether you raise five head or 200 head, your story matters. Who can you talk to about adding Akaushi genetics to their herds? Do you know someone who enjoys a good steak but hasn’t tasted the Akaushi difference? Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers – the list is endless. This year let’s work together to tell the Akaushi story because, together, we are Akaushi! PT

the largest for HeartBrand ® (HB) Beef. During the holiday season, we see a dra- matic increase in demand for Certified Akaushi Beef products. We are honored to work with Caviness Beef Packers as they do a phenomenal job of harvesting our cattle each week. Teaming up with Caviness has allowed us to deliver Akaushi beef all across the United States. The demand for Akaushi beef has risen greatly over the past year, and we anticipate 2019 will draw even more customers. We couldn’t have asked for a better time to find One World Beef and add them as another HeartBrand Beef harvesting facil- ity. This facility’s advanced technology al- lows us to really analyze Certified Akaushi Beef. The data that the camera grading system collects enables us to redefine con- sistency, which ensures we produce the highest quality beef.

CATTLE TALES Continued from page 6

promote the breed, and the list goes on. This year we also have exciting plans to enhance our promotion efforts, including launching a new ad campaign and boost- ing our social media presence. We’re ex- cited to continue telling the Akaushi story! I enjoy visiting with breeders about the advantages of adding Akaushi to their herd, but at the end of the day, they want to hear from you, an Akaushi breeder.

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

1/4 Vertical, 4 color Prime Time omanche Cattle Company Fall 2018

1/4 Vertical, 4 color Prime Time Brown Land & Cattle, LLC Winter 2019

Comanche Cattle Company Proven Akaushi Genetics Selling registered, fullblood Akaushi cattle through private treaty.

Yearling Akaushi F1 Heifers for Sale at the ranch in Beeville, Texas Beautiful heifers out of good Red Angus and Hereford cows. The top end of these heifers have been hand-picked for you as replacements. Call us and come by the ranch. Take a look at the pictures on our website: www.brownranchgroup.com

FULLBLOOD BULLS FOR SALE

For more information contact:

Joe Beltz Canyon,Texas 806-683-7329 cowhand@me.com www.comanchecattleco.com

Brown Land & Cattle, LLC 2050 Brown Ranch Lane ∙ Beeville, TX 78102

Austin Brown III 361-597-0373 aebrown70@gmail.com

www.brownranchgroup.com

www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

Carrales Joins American Akaushi Association

T he American Akaushi Association recently announced Kaci Carrales as the organization’s new execu- tive director. Carrales brings a wealth of knowledge about the Akaushi breed and almost a decade of experience working at HeartBrand ® Beef, where she oversaw the company's fullblood herd. “Kaci is well versed in the merit of the breed, as well as the cattle industry and the details that are important to the main- tenance and promotion of a breed associa- tion,” says Jordan Beeman, HeartBrand president. “Being involved with HeartBrand, she grew many relationships with American Akaushi Association members and was the obvious candidate for this position.” “I am so excited for this opportunity,” Carrales says. “The association has a duty to provide great service and leadership to its members. We strive to expand our mar-

ket by providing consistency, and the best tasting, most healthful beef in the world." "Publicizing Akaushi's advantage through facts and research will broaden our genetic influence around the world. Breeders that participate in Akaushi pro- grams receive the highest market premi- ums in the industry," she adds. Originally from Tilden, Texas, Car- rales did not grow up in agriculture. She helped her family run a successful hunting business. Her grandparents had a small herd of cattle, and that’s where Carrales’ passion for cattle started. She showed cattle and hogs as a youth. Carrales attended Blinn College, where she was a member of the livestock judging team. She then pursued a bachelor’s de- gree from Texas A&M University and was a member of the undefeated 2006 National Champion Livestock Judging team. Car- rales graduated in 2007 with an animal science degree. She is married to JoJo Carrales, Heart- Brand Beef vice president of cattle. They have two children: Adalyn, 6, and Joseph, 3. PT "Kaci is well versed in the merit of the breed, as well as the cattle industry and the details that are important to the maintenance and promotion of a breed association." -Jordan Beeman

Representing the breed at in- dustry events is something Car- rales (far right) looks forward to. In January, she attended the National Western Stock Show. Pictured here in the AAA booth, left to right, are: Kristy Wilson, Chicka- dee Cattle Co., Joe Beltz, Broken Winds Cattle Co., and

Bubba and Janie Bain.

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

Akaushi cattle than those collecting the data on them. The message is clear. If you want to be at the forefront of the industry: 1. Continue to develop ways to encourage and incentivize the collection of pheno- typic data. 2. Invest in internal processes that allow for the uptake of new technologies and offerings. 3. Look ahead to create your own product (for your membership and their cus- tomers) and promote your own brand. Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Ag FRONT’s blog, www.ag- front.com. PT gives his mother a hug, you’ll realize your account just may take you a little farther down the road than you ever thought it would. I think you actually can keep some spare parts. And, I think they just may be worth more than the original horse. PT

UNTANGLING THE HELIX Continued from page 10

predictions on what you will genotype in the next 18-24 months. When you go to a meeting with large numbers and the will to go somewhere else, you can negotiate. If you are a seedstock producer, you can look at your numbers and let your breed association know what you are planning to genotype. Have you genotyped all of your bulls? Have you genotyped all of your cows? Are you planning to genotype your entire calf crop? If you are in that position, make sure to leverage it. No one knows more about

1/2 page horizontal, 4C Prime Time Brown Land & Cattle, LLC Winter 2019

IRONS IN THE FIRE Continued from page 12

son calls you in the middle of the night to tell you you’re a grandparent, or when his equally knot-headed brother walks off the plane returning from basic training and

Producers of Red Angus and Hereford x Akaushi F1’s We have a great herd of Red Angus and Hereford

cows that we breed to Akaushi bulls to produce superb quality F1 Akaushi heifers.The Red Angus F1’s are solid red and mostly polled.The Hereford F1’s are red white-faced cattle and all have been de-horned.

These cattle are a cowman’s kind and will be productive for many years.They're moderately framed with great maternal characteristics and mothering/milking ability! They will produce tremendous “A4-eligible” ¾-blood females and feeder steers with yield and quality grades to compete with the top F1 Akaushi genetics in the breed.

Call us and stop by the ranch anytime! Brown Land & Cattle, LLC 2050 Brown Ranch Lane ∙ Beeville, TX 78102 www.brownranchgroup.com

Austin Brown III 361-597-0373 aebrown70@gmail.com

Austin Brown II 361-597-0377 firebrand1924@gmail.com

www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

Genetic Selection Principles BY MATT SPANGLER, PH.D., PROFESSOR AND BEEF GENETICS EXTENSION SPECIALIST, UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN

S ire selection does not need to be of data (information) available to make sire selection decisions and to clearly identify breeding goals. Basics of Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs) Too often seedstock producers and bull buyers get caught up in the actual weights, ultrasound data, etc., when selecting sires. EPDs provide a measure by which animals within a breed can be compared to one another for their genetic potential as par- ents for specific traits. EPDs incorporate multiple sources of information, including full pedigree, an animal’s own record and progeny information. As additional sources of information become available, the accu- racy of the EPD value increases. Why do “good” sires sometimes have “bad” calves? Why do full siblings some- times look and perform very differently? One potential reason is the phenomena of Mendelian sampling. Mendelian sampling arises because each parent passes a sample with half of its alleles to its offspring, and every allele has an equal likelihood of be- ing passed on. This effect can be quantified using contemporary group deviations and is a measure of how much better or worse an animal is compared to the average of his parents. One could envision a scenario in which an animal could receive only the most de- This effect can be quantified using contemporary group deviations and is a measure of how much better or worse an animal is compared to the average of his parents. overwhelming or complex. The key is to understand the various sources

sirable alleles from both parents, result- ing in a favorably large Mendelian sampling effect or the exact opposite, which could result in an unfavorably

2018 CONVENTION

large sampling effect. Perhaps the best ex- ample is a set of flush mates. Although all of them have the same pedigree estimate EPD, they differ considerably in terms of performance. Consequently, their EPDs, once they have a record, differ due to Men- delian sampling. Relatively recent advances in the use of genomic tools allow more accurate estimates of the relationships be- tween animals, thus capturing part of the Mendelian sampling variation. This is why the inclusion of genomic information into EPDs increases EPD accuracy, particularly for young animals. EPDs Compared to Raw Data and Ratios Many producers mistakenly place more emphasis on raw measurements than EPDs. Raw measurements include the confounded effects of genetics and environment, mak- ing it difficult to know an animal’s true ge- netic ability. Below is a very simplistic equa- tion describing an animal’s phenotype. P = G + E Where P is the phenotype, G is the genet- ic effect and E is the environmental effect. The phenotype is what is seen or mea- sured, such as actual weights or carcass measurement. Both genetics and the envi- ronment influence these values, and be- cause we are interested in identifying ani- mals based on their potential as parents, the environment should not be included in the tool used to select animals. Further- more, actual phenotypes (e.g., weights, 

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

ultrasound data, etc.) are not comparable from animal to animal since they have not been adjusted nor do they provide any clue as to how much better or worse an animal is compared to others. A contemporary group ratio does allow for comparison of animals and provides an idea of how much better or worse a partic- ular animal’s adjusted record is compared to others within the same contemporary group. The problem is that a ratio is not useful in comparing animals across herds or outside of the defined contemporary group. The genetic and environmental compo- nents of phenotype can be further divided into additive (A), dominance (D) and epi- static (I) genetic effects and both perma- nent (P) and temporary (T) environmental effects. P = G A + G D + G I + E P + E T Generally speaking, we only become concerned with permanent environmental effects when we think about the environ- mental influence a dam has on her off-

spring (e.g., a young dam develops mastitis and loses function in one quarter, resulting in reduced weaning weights of subsequent offspring). Contemporary groups account for some of the temporary environmental effects. In genetic evaluations we are able to predict the additive genetic component – the part related to EPDs. The heritabil- ity (h 2 ), which is simply the fraction of the variance in phenotype (0 2 P ) that is ex- plained or caused by variation in additive genetic values (0 2 A ). h 2 = 0 2 A /0 2 P Economically Relevant Traits Fundamentally, these are traits that are directly associated with a source of revenue or expense. Not all traits are economically relevant traits (ERT), but may be an indica- tor trait that is genetically correlated to an ERT, but is not an ERT itself. Classic examples of indicator traits in- clude ultrasonic carcass measurements, Continued page 20

BOLZ RANCH AKAUSHI CATTLE

We will be selling full-blood embryos, full-blood bulls, non-registered bred cows, half-blood bred heifers and cows to calve in March.

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www.akaushi.com • Winter 2019

counts) are applied to Qual- ity Grades. Birth weight is another great example of an in- dicator trait. Many com- mercial bull buyers select to decrease birth weight in an attempt to reduce the prevalence of dystocia. However, birth weight does not have a direct revenue

source or cost associated with it. The trait that does have a cost associated with it is calving ease (or diffi- culty). Although the two are related, the genetic correla- tion between calving ease and birth weight is only between -0.6 and -0.8, sug- gesting that birth weight only explains 36-64 percent of the genetic differences between animals for calving difficulty. Bio-economic Index Values An economic index is a collection of EPDs weighted by their economic value such that traits with greater impacts on profitability have a larger economic weight associated with them. The basic equation of an economic index is: I = EPD 1 x a 1 + EPD 2 x a 2 + EPD 3 x a 3 +… + EPD n x a n Where I is the index value; EPD n is the EPD for trait n; and a n is the eco- nomic weight associated with trait n. This basic form was first published in the early 1940s. Note that other species (e.g., swine, poultry) use indexes exclu- sively to select parent ani- mals. These tools have been available to the U.S. beef industry for close to a de- cade but have yet to reach the level of adoption that they should. How are the economic weights derived? Using historical averages of input costs and the value of sale weight and carcass premi- ums (and discounts), we use a simulated cow herd to ask the question “if all else is held constant, and 

birth weight and scrotal circumference. Ultrasonic carcass measurements are a non-destructive measure of traits, such as intramus- cular fat percentage (IMF). Producers do not receive premiums for IMF levels; rather premiums (and dis- GENETIC SELECTION PRINCIPLES Continued from page 19

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we change one of the traits by one unit, how does this change our profitability?” These values become the foundation for the weight- ings of the EPDs in the index. The weightings are then modified based on the genetic relationship between the ERT and the indicator trait for which we have an EPD. The majority of economic index values are rigid (i.e., not catered to individual enterprises) but have been shown to be very reliable tools and robust across production and market envi- ronments. A more desirable method would use individu- alized index values where the bull with the highest index value may differ from one herd to the next, de- pending on how the ani- mal fits the specific needs of each enterprise. This requires commercial bull buyers to have the requisite information needed to in- form such an index. Although decision sup- port software to enable user-defined indices has been attempted in the past (e.g., DECI) the amount of information needed to pa- rameterize the model was too cumbersome for most commercial producers. A more comprehensive ap- proach that contemplates across-breed sire selection, heterosis, and user-defined costs and returns, is the objective of a current U.S. Department of Agriculture- funded project, including team members from the University of Nebraska-Lin- coln, the U.S. Meat Animal

Research Center, Kansas State University and Theta Solutions, LLC. Summary When making selection decisions based on eco- nomic indices, it’s important to consider your particu- lar breeding objective and the traits that will achieve desired production goals.

Commercial producers have a lot on their plates simply running their ranches. Do not let bull selection become too time-consuming. Use the tools that science has proven, rely on experts in the field of genetics, and focus your time and energy on the tasks that you excel at. PT

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The Beef with the Best Team BY HANNAH JOHLMAN, FREELANCE WRITER

T he American Akaushi Association (AAA) has come a long way since its inception in 2010. “Twelve years ago, nobody knew what Akaushi was,” says Ronald Beeman, Heart-

“It gives the buyer confidence that when [they] buy an animal, it has been verified through the American Akaushi Associa- tion,” Beeman says. “It’s really important, buying with confidence.” According to Beeman, the

Brand ® Beef chairman. “We’re re- ally fortunate that as we grow our business, the demand for Akaushi beef grows. Once people get it, they love it and want more of it.” Thanks to such a close partner- ship with AAA, Beeman explains,

Caviness family of Caviness Beef Packers has been instrumental in HeartBrand’s growth over the past nine years of their partner- ship. Looking ahead, Beeman says

2018 CONVENTION

HeartBrand Beef has grown the Certified Akaushi Beef program more than 25 per- cent each year for the last 10 years. The purpose of Certified Akaushi Beef was to identify and market Akaushi genetics through DNA verification, rather than using phenotype to assess animals for harvest. “We want to take it a step further – and not just by hide color. We want to geneti- cally verify 50-percent-or-greater Akaushi calves going into our program,” he says. “We are the new [Certified Angus Beef ® ].” DNA verification is important to let cus- tomers know exactly what they are getting when they purchase Akaushi beef, whether it is half-blood or fullblood Akaushi, which is DNA-certified back to the original cattle from Japan.

the international market for Akaushi beef is continuing to grow as HeartBrand ex- ports beef to Taiwan, China and other countries. “Our goal is to continue to grow our busi- ness around 20 percent every year,” he says. At only one-third of the way through the current fiscal year, Beeman says Heart- Brand is already in excess of that growth. The association grows as HeartBrand grows, with more than 10,000 registered fullblood animals to date. Beeman recalls that back in 2010, the AAA had one mem- ber – HeartBrand Beef – and today there are more than 600 members. “We have a very active membership,” he says. “We have people who join both ways; people who hear about the cattle 

Ronald Beeman addresses the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Akaushi Association.

Janie and Bubba Bain have served the Akaushi Association since its inception in 2010.

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

and join for the cattle and the cattle performance, and we have had a lot of people who have eaten the meat at restaurants or bought it at a grocery store and taken it home. It’s the best beef they’ve ever had so they look it up and then they wind up buying cattle.” If trends continue, Bee- man expects AAA member- ship will likely double within the next five years as the breed becomes more popular and more people discover the beef’s quality and consis- tency, as well as the cattle’s superior performance. “We see a very bright future for the breed and the association,” Beeman says. During the AAA Annual Convention in October, Bee- man introduced the associa- tion’s new executive direc- tor, Kaci Carrales. She has taken over for Bubba and Janie Bain, who recently retired. Carrales has worked for HeartBrand since 2010, and Beeman says she knows the genetics and breed as well as anybody. That, com- bined with her passion for the beef industry and back- ground in ranching, makes her a big asset for the breed, although she does have some big shoes to fill in the office. Beeman met Bubba and Janie Bain shortly after acquiring HeartBrand Beef. At the time, Beeman knew that in order to create a suc- cessful marketing program, they would have to create a breed association to be- come the official registry of Akaushi cattle.

“As Bubba would say, ‘they drank the water,’” Beeman says. “Once they saw the Akaushi and everything they could do to change the cattle industry, Bubba and Janie signed on to head up the association.” For the past eight years, Bubba has served as the executive director and Janie

has worked in the office with him to help record animals, and build and pro- mote the Akaushi breed. “It took someone of their caliber and strength and [with] knowledge of cattle to be able to build and cre- ate this association from

Continued page 30

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Momentous Occasion

American Akaushi Association Announces Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees

2018 CONVENTION

BY JESSIE TOPP-BECKER, MANAGING EDITOR

I n 2018, the American Akaushi Asso- ciation (AAA) established the Hall of Fame to recognize and honor visionary men and women who have made outstand- ing contributions to the AAA and Akaushi breed. During the 2018 Annual Convention, the organization recognized five outstand- ing individuals for their positive impact on the association and breed. The first-ever inductees to the American Akaushi Asso- ciation Hall of Fame are Ronald Beeman, Bill Fielding, Lanny Binger, Elgin Breeding Service and Ernie Gill. Ronald Beeman Ronald Beeman, HeartBrand ® Beef chair- man, has actively built branded meat pro- grams across the United States for nearly 40 years. In 1998, he acquired Eddy Pack- ing, which was primarily a carcass kill facility, where he served as president until 2011. Ronald evolved the company into a leading branded meat business and suc- cessfully grew the company’s sales and profit margins.

In 2006, he purchased HeartBrand Ranch along with the Akaushi cattle, and the rest is history. Under Ronald’s watchful eye, the cattle continue to perform, the associa- tion continues to grow and the Certified Akaushi Beef program continues to expand to larger markets. Ronald’s leadership and tenacity have had a profound impact on the association and breed. Bill Fielding With more than 30 years of experience in the meat industry, Bill Fielding, Heart- Brand Beef CEO, brings his extensive expertise to the association. A 2012 Meat Industry Hall of Fame inductee, Bill has worked with nearly every leading red meat company. His past positions include president of Cargill’s meat division, presi- dent of ConAgra’s beef and pork division, Farmland Foods president, Meyer Natural Beef president, Creekstone Farms presi- dent and American Meat Institute presi- dent. 

Inductees into the American Akaushi Association Hall of Fame are honored at the AAA Annual Meeting. Pictured, left to right, are: Ernie Gill; Brenda Cardwell, Dillon Kvamme and son Caleb Kvamme and Brad Cardwell from Elgin Breeding Service; AAA Executive Assistant Janie Bain; Ronald Bee- man; Larry Binger and Bill Fielding.

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

Bill’s industry knowledge and numer- ous connections have helped him expand HeartBrand’s presence and sales. Lanny Binger Lanny Binger, Bovina Feeders co-owner, is a 60-year veteran of the beef business. He started his career at Armour and Co., where he worked for 10 years before spending 30 years with Excel. It was during his time at Excel that he met Bill Fielding, HeartBrand Beef CEO. In 2003, Lanny became co-owner of Bovina Feeders, Bovina, Texas. Lanny is well known in the beef industry, and has been a long-time proponent of sell- ing cattle on the grid and getting results to producers. He has dedicated his career to producing a more consistent, high-quality product. Elgin Breeding Service W.H. “Doc” Cardwell, DVM, founded Elgin Breeding Service (EBS), Elgin, Tex- as, in 1954. For more than 60 years, EBS has served cattlemen around the world through its custom semen collection.

EBS collected semen from the first Akaushi bull and continues to collect Akaushi bulls for domestic and internation- al members. AAA is proud to have worked with this family business for more than 20 years. Ernie Gill From its inception, Ernie Gill has played a pivotal role in the promotion and mar- keting of the American Akaushi Associa- tion. D signing ads, managing social me- dia, taking photos, writing press releases, recording testimonials, helping with Akaushi field days – he does it all. Ernie has made significant contributions to the growth and success of the AAA and Akaushi breed through his beautiful pho- tographs, and knowledge and expertise in promotion and advertising. AAA and its members offer Ronald, Bill, Lanny, Elgin Breeding Service and Ernie heartfelt congratulations for this well- deserved honor. The association is grateful for their many years of service to AAA and the Akaushi breed. PT

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Convention Coverage

2018 CONVENTION

Left: The Bain family all came to the annual con- vention to honor Bubba and Janie. Pictured, left to right, are: Justin, Julie, Janie, Bubba, Brandon, Marley, Logan, Eldora, Bridger and Griffin.

The S’mores the Merrier event at the annual con- vention was a hit with guests of all ages.

The tradeshow welcome reception included a sundae bar and great eats, as well as numerous trade show booths.

Colin Woodall, senior vice president of government af- fairs for National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, gives an update to the AAA conven- tion attendees. His presenta- tion included an overview of good news from the past year, as well as things to look out for in the coming two years from a national and international industry perspective.

Possibly the cutest kid at

Paul Marchant shares stories of hu- mor and life in the cattle business with those at the annual banquet.

the convention hams It up a bit.

The American Akaushi Asso- ciation honored TacoDeli with a Prime + plaque at convention. Pictured, left to right, are: JK Ha; Eric Wilk- erson, TacoDeli representative; Jordan Bee- man; and John Gallimore, TacoDeli repre- sentative.

John Genho, director of technical services for Neogen AgriGenom- ics, shares information relating to genetic evaluation and selection of beef cattle.

Akaushi Prime Time • Winter 2019

Convention Coverage

Upper Left: AAA Executive Assistant Janie Bain discusses the AAA DigitalBeef program with convention attendees. Upper Right: Steve Smith, Ph.D., talks about research done at Texas A&M University in regard to meat science. Bottom: Ernie Gill (left) and Bubba Bain (right) take bids dur- ing the live "fun" auction at annual convention while Julie and Marley Bain hold up the hand-made quilt being auctioned off.

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