PrimeTime spring 2018

THE NEWS OF THE AMERICAN AKAUSHI ASSOCIAT ION

SPRING 2018

AKAUSHI

www.akaushi.com

The A4 Advantage

Hybrids, On the Rail Replacements and

So You Want To Be a SEEDSTOCK BREEDER?

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3,000 sq ft Visitor Center Projected Complete 12/15/17

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SPRING 2018 | VOL. 1 NO. 2

AKAUSHI

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Features

22 The A4 Advantage AAA program helps Akaushi breeders add value to the beef cattle industry in one generation. 24 So You Want To Be a Seedstock Breeder Discover 10 tricks of the trade to become a successful seedstock producer. 28 Hybrids, Replacements and on the Rail New AAA program offers producers a unique way to market cattle and maximize profits. 32 BIF Celebrates 50 Years Annual event continues to thrive with a focus on research, innovation and education on issues facing the beef cattle industry.

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ON THE COVER Akaushi calves bask in the sunshine and enjoy lush grass. Photo taken at HeartBrand Ranch, Harwood, Texas. 20 Irons in the Fire 36 New Members 37 Ad Index Creative Director | Kathie Bedolli ( 540) 752-6143 | kbedolli@blueprintma.com Administration | Leslie McKibben (970) 556-9296 | lmckibben@blueprintma.com Copy Editor | Larisa Willrett Ad Design | Holly Holland & Kim Tappan Materials Coordinator | Megan Sajbel

In Every Issue

6 Around the Campfire 8 Akaushi Matters 12 Calendar of Events American Akaushi Association 128 East South Main | Flatonia, Texas 78941 (361) 238-7218 office | www.akaushi.com Executive Director Bubba Bain

14 DNA Matters 16 Beef Matters 18 Untangling the Helix

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

(970) 498-9306 | lbard@blueprintma.com Managing Editor | Jessie Topp-Becker (701) 307-0772 | jbecker@blueprintma.com Advertising Sales | Jessica Ebert (785) 477-1941 | jebert@blueprintma.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 • Spring 2018

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

M arketing cattle has been a task that some ranchers embrace, while others hate it. I’ve known those who produce and raise cattle well, but

at least 50 percent Akaushi. The influence of Akaushi within your existing herd cre- ates an increased market value with each new generation. DNA parent verification is mandatory with this program to assure the value of your product. GridMax™ – an Akaushi Composite/ Hybrid Program Using the strengths of multiple breeds, AAA breeders will be able to produce reg- istered hybrid seedstock with documented pedigrees and expected progeny differenc- es. Registered GridMax cattle are animals with 50 percent or more certified, DNA parent-verified Akaushi breeding, and 50 percent or less of other certified non- Akaushi breeding. This program expands the range of crossbreeding solutions that can now be offered to commercial cattle- men. There will now be genetic options to fit every need. GridMax™ offers producers the opportunity to use percentage-blood Akaushi males and females to simplify management and achieve maximum het- erosis, while also providing added confi- dence for producers who want to use the carcass grid pricing system. Superior Livestock Auction Partnership The American Akaushi Association and Superior Livestock Auction have joined forces to provide future marketing options for Akaushi genetics. New, competitive, nationwide auction avenues from Superior Livestock Auction for AAA members selling their DNA parent-verified Akaushi genetics opens the door for multiple opportunities. Using our membership logo will clearly des- ignate our members/cattle when consigning and marketing through Superior Livestock Auction. It also sends a signal to the buy- ers that these cattle have been DNA parent verified and are what they are said to be. Qualifications to use the AAA-member logo on each lot would be a member in good

couldn’t sell them if their life depended on it. And I’ve known those who aren’t very good at producing and raising beef, but can market with the best. Regardless of the category you fit into, we have to agree that marketing is the last and probably most important effort of your ranching business cycle. If you raise an ani- mal well but can’t get it sold properly … well you know what that feels like. We’ve all been there. That’s why the American Akaushi Association (AAA) has worked so hard to design and develop marketing programs that will fit any ranching operation and help maximize your return on investment. Designed with terminal, commercial and seedstock producers in mind, here’s a rundown of each of the AAA marketing programs. USDA Certified Akaushi Beef Program (HeartBrand ® Beef) This program is designed for all terminal Akaushi cattle, including fullblood, pure- bred and percentage Akaushi. These cattle need to be DNA parent verified through the American Akaushi Association and can range in age from weaning to finish. Contact HeartBrand Beef for a bid offer on your cattle, as well as an opportunity to ne- gotiate freight charges and reimbursement of DNA services. A4 Advantage Program This unique program offers today’s cat- tlemen the opportunity to add Akaushi to their replacement heifers and provides a clear path to becoming purebred Akaushi breeders. Participation in this program of- fers buyer assurance that your cattle are

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Allflex “One Source” has you covered with visual tags, electronic tags and tissue sampling genomic identification. We’re leading the industry with solutions for today’s demanding information needs. ID Matters and we’re committed to providing producers with the tools needed to efficiently produce today and in the future!

800.989.8247 • allflexusa.com

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

L et’s get started ALL Akaushi calves are recorded and DNA veri- fied, even the ones des- tined for the feedyard, we have a large number of calves in our database that are no longer active and need to be disposed with some spring cleaning! Because

been selected click “Make Updates.” If you are updating the status of a large number of calves, I would suggest updating 20 or so at a time. Don’t worry, these animals are not gone for good, they are just moved from your Active Herd to your Legacy Herd. If an animal is mistakenly moved, please contact the office and we can change it back to the correct status. DNA Testing – STR to SNP While you are updating the status of your herd, go ahead and check to see if your remaining animals have a SNP profile. Fol- low the directions above but look under each category that is applicable for your herd. The DNA column will display STR or SNP or both. If neither is present or if it only dis- plays STR, then you must retest that animal. You can submit a new sample for testing or another option would be to request a sample pull from the archived samples at the lab. With pulled samples there is always the risk that there would not be enough DNA matter to test. If that is the case it would be neces- sary to submit a new sample. We allowed two years for the conversion from STR testing to SNP. It has gone very well. SNP testing produces faster results and more accurate parentage determination. If you have

of. Updating the status of an animal is quick and easy. Log in to DigitalBeef using your member number and password: akaushi.digitalbeef. com. Click on the “Herd” tab. On the right side of the screen under “Terminal” choose either “Females” or “Bulls.” For calves that are no longer in your herd, click on the “Dispose” button on the right side of your screen. This will place the calves in the queue. In the “Work Menu” on the left side of the screen select “Herd Management > Update Status.” This will bring up a list of each animal you selected.

been putting it off, your time’s up. If you have adult animals to retest, please call the office and we can help you decide the best plan for the conver- sion. This is not optional. The

DigitalBeef example

lab is urging us to complete this transition due to the antiquated systems required for processing STR. Comparing the A4 Advantage Program to GridMax ™ Both programs were established to add value to your commercial herd by infusing

Indicate the reason for disposing of the calf by clicking the drop down arrow. Since the primary reason for disposing of percentage Akaushi calves is because they are sold to the Certified Akaushi Beef pro- gram, this screen defaults to that reason. However, there are many other reasons to choose from. Once the “New Status” has

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As I mentioned, your last duty/obligation is to market your cattle well. The American Akaushi Association has provided you with multiple, well-designed marketing programs that can get the job done. I encourage you to take advantage of one or more of these val- ue-added programs that will help you maxi- mize profits in your ranching operation. If you have questions or comments about any of our programs, please contact the of- fice and we’ll be glad to visit with you. Food for Thought DNA parent verification allows you to breed with confidence and your buyers to buy with confidence. That’s Akaushi! You need to know and trust (via accumu- lated data) your cattle before getting in- volved in retained ownership (grid market- ing). Grid marketing helps you realize and measure progress and setbacks in your cattle program. It’s never too early to start marketing your next calf crop. Breed smarter and market smarter. Until next time, vaya con Dios. PT

AROUND THE CAMPFIRE Continued from page 6

standing with the American Akaushi As- sociation and all consigned Akaushi cattle must be DNA parent verified. This is anoth- er solid marketing arm for our members. Akaushi CattleLog The American Akaushi Association has a fee-based, cattle-for-sale web page, http:// www.akaushi.com/akaushi-cattlelog/ , where members are able to list individual or groups of Akaushi cattle for sale. Con- signed cattle can be fullblood, purebred or percentage Akaushi. Consignments can be replacements or terminal cattle, both male and female. It’s a quick, easy and effective way to market your cattle. AgriClear AgriClear is a secure, online platform that allows you to buy and sell your Akaushi cattle on your terms with greater efficiency, while facilitating payment as- surance and transaction certainty. Sell any type of Akaushi (fullblood, percentage, replacements, stockers, feeders and fats).

Akaushi will be a fea- tured breed in the July issue of The Cattleman . While Prime Time reach- es a national audience of more than 8,000 cattle producers, feeders and allied industry partners, there is no such thing as too much exposure! Therefore, the American Akausahi Association has sanctioned the spe- cial section in the July issue of The Cattleman , which will include edito- rial on Akaushi cattle and breeders. It is exciting and encouraging to see increased interest in and promotion of Akaushi cattle in such a large cattle region.  PT AKAUSHI EXPOSURE!

AKAUSHI Field Day WHEN? June 16, 2018 - 9 a.m.-3 p.m. WHO? Broken Winds Cattle Co. WHERE? Bar 73 Ranch,

6.16.2018

southeast of Canyon, Texas Directions and map will be made available

SPEAKERS Ron Gill, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service – Low Stress Cattle Handling Cee Arnett, Bovina Feeders – Feeding Akaushi Ron Kershen – “The Triticale Man” and The History of Broken Winds Joe Beltz, Broken Winds Cattle Co. – How Cattle are Handled at Broken Winds Cattle Co. American Akaushi Association – Akaushi Breed Information and Programs Lunch will be provided by HeartBrand ® Beef (Certified Akaushi Beef)

HOTELS

Holiday Inn Express Canyon, Texas, (806) 655-4445

Best Western Canyon, Texas, (806) 655-1818

For more information, please contact Joe and Christina Beltz, (806) 683-7329, or the American Akaushi Association, (361) 238-7218. AMERICAN AKAUSHI ASSOCIATION APPROVED FIELD DAY

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BREEDING FOR PERFORMANCE USING THE BEST AKAUSHI GENETICS AVAILABLE!!!

CATTLE akaushi

WE ARE 100% FULLBLOOD AKAUSHI BREEDERS WITH SEEDSTOCK AVAILABLE FOR SALE. n HEIFERS n BULLS n SEMEN n EMBRYOS

WE ARE LOCATED OUTSIDE OF WACO AND YOU ARE WELCOME AT OUR RANCH ANYTIME! WE WOULD LOVE TO SHOW YOU OUR AKAUSHI!!

www.akaushi.com • Spring 2018 CONTACT JIM MOORE 254-723-2977, KATHY MOORE 254-379-5064 OR EMAIL INFO@JMKCATTLE.COM 11

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

APRIL 14 HeartBrand ® Ranch, “Story Behind the Steak,” Harwood, Texas APRIL 24-25 Hemphill County Beef Cattle Conference, Canadian, Texas APRIL 30-MAY 2 National Pedigreed Livestock Council Annual Meeting, Kansas City, Mo. JUNE 1 Convention Registration Information mailed JUNE 16 Broken Winds Cattle Co. Akaushi Field Day, Canyon, Texas JUNE 20-23 Beef Improvement Federation Annual Meeting and Research Symposium, Loveland, Colo. JULY 6 WHR Fall Inventory Reports mailed 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

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DNA Matters Tim Kozelsky | DNA & Data Service Analyst | tkozelsky@akaushi.com AKAUSHI BREED GENET ICS C ulling calves before they are born? What? That is pre-

mal ($2 per sample pull) you want to test. We also have the ability to determine the percentage of Akaushi genetics of an ani- mal without having to determine its par- entage. This $60 test was developed from almost 1,000 accumulated profiles of full- blood and percentage animals. It took more than two years to develop and test and was funded by research dollars raised during the fun auction at our annual convention. We are currently working on a plan to utilize DNA in breeding stock selection in ways other than just parentage verifi- cation. Neogen/Geneseek, our DNA lab, has developed a line of genomic tests that target specific areas in seedstock produc- tion to improve beef quality and maximize profitability through increased produc- tion efficiency. Their portfolio of products is called Geneseek ® Genomic Profiler™ or GGP, and includes the following:  GGP uLD (ultra low density test) – Evaluates approx- imately 30,000 genes and is designed to be useful in replacement heifer selection.  GGP 50K (50,000 genes) – Ideal for evaluating young bulls as potential herd sires. A short description of these and other Geneseek genomic products is available by clicking on the following link: GGP Prod- uct Portfolio Brochure. These products are not quite ready for the Akaushi breed. Remember that genet- ics is complex. Not every marker or inter- action between a set of markers has the same phenotypic outcome across all breeds. Each breed has its own unique data set for each of these products. Years of birth weights, weaning weights, feed consump- tion and carcass results have built up their empirically measured data set. This data was instrumental in associating phenotypic traits with the set of genes that influenced the trait. Hopefully, the increased number of fullblood breeders and A4 program breed- ers will help us gather the information we

cisely how far the cattle industry is progressing in terms of producing better seedstock for a rapidly changing indus- try. As mentioned in my inaugural DNA Matters

column, the move to single-nucleotide poly- morphism (SNP) DNA testing has unlocked the treasures of the bovine DNA sequence. No longer will ranchers have to wait two or more years to evaluate the results of a breeding program. Research is being done now to determine the DNA potential of an embryo before it is placed in a recipient fe- male. Embryonic genotyping, as it is called, is one of the many DNA innovations that are being utilized in the cattle industry. But, the Akaushi breed is not quite there yet. We are in the infancy phase of DNA. DNA is a complex science to say the least. Counter to conventional thought, most phenotypic traits are not determined by a single gene. Many traits such as coat color, horn/polled and genetic conditions, such as F11, are in fact, a single variation. Tests are available for those traits to determine if the animal is either homozygous-affected or a heterozygous-carrier. For those traits, the conventional thought is either the animal has the gene or doesn’t and testing for it is relatively easy. We currently offer F11, horned/polled, red/black coat color, BVD and SCD genetic testing for these simple traits. The fee schedule is as follows: F11 Genetic Testing: $37 Horn/Polled: $28 Coat Color: $24 Horn/Polled + Coat Color + Parentage: $50 BVD: $10 SCD – Tenderness: $47 You can submit a new sample of any type or request the archived sample of the ani-

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Dove Creek Wagyu Cattle Company is located in the beautiful Ozarks in Southern Missouri, where our cattle can enjoy the lush, green grass alongside the creeks and streams that are spring fed and crystal clear. Our Objective at Dove Creek Wagyu Cattle Co is to deliver Genetic Excellence ~ Maximum Performance in every one of our Akaushi offspring.

CAT TLE COMPANY Dove Creek Wagyu

Our Focus is to raise cattle that carry the most elite genetics as well as the ultimate in marbling and carcass quality. We have painstakingly selected our Akaushi sires and females based on these qualities and their ability to maintain size, structure and productivity. Our Goal is to help you build genetics in your cattle to positively affect performance, whether you concentrate your efforts on producing full-blood breeding stock, F1 production or a show program.

Embryos We have embryos for sale by Alford and Moose, as well as Big Al, Tamamaru, Shigemaru, Brady, Samsung, and Heart Brand Red Emperor, and out of original import daughters - Available Now!

Semen For Sale Both SOR 1083 (Alford) and SOR 1080 (Moose) are outstanding sons of Big Al and out of Kaedemaru 2. These bulls are genetically exceptional in marbling - being ranked #2 in the Legendary’s Proprietary Marbling Index, and scored .35 units higher than Big Al himself. These bulls also have excellent dispositions. • We currently have conventional semen available on Alford and Moose. • We have high concentration female sexed semen available on Moose.

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

AKAUSHI BEEF Beef Matters

Lauren Lowry | Marketing and Customer Relations, HeartBrand ® Beef Inc. | llowry@akaushi.com

S pring is in the air, and so is the long- missed aroma of steaks on the grill! Beginning in March, we see an increase in

genetics to your herd is a huge step in a positive direction. Producing an average carcass grade of 40 percent Prime with acceptable time on feed and feed efficiency – that’s the Akaushi advantage! With the steady growth in demand for Akaushi beef in the United States and inter- nationally, HeartBrand is eager to announce that we will be utilizing an additional har- vest and fabrication channel through One World Beef in Brawley, Calif., this spring. HeartBrand will send three loads of cattle to this state-of-the-art facility every other week to be harvested and shipped throughout the West Coast and internationally. This will open opportunities for HeartBrand to mar- ket Akaushi beef to additional Asian mar- kets such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and China.

beef sales that pulls strong through the

summer. With warmer weather comes backyard grilling, BBQ season and

Memorial Day’s big kickoff to summer. This spring, consumers are looking for healthier, higher quality beef, and Akaushi has stepped up to the plate. Over the past three

months, HeartBrand ® has purchased 2,936 head of DNA-verified calves to process through our branded- beef program. When people think Akaushi, they think intensely marbled, mouth- watering beef. The

truth is, the average American consumer is seeking a cut of meat with a marbling score in the 5 to 7 range that will bring the most bang for their buck. We have discov- ered that Akaushi will consistently produce these desired scores with F1 crosses and percentage cattle, while feeding timely and efficiently in the feedyard. In February, HeartBrand Beef harvested carcasses that graded 54.8 percent Prime, 44.7 percent Choice and only 0.5 percent Select. Achieving these impressive marks with crossbred cattle is a great example of what Akaushi genetics can bring to your existing herd through hybrid vigor. It can be difficult for a traditional cattle rancher to make changes from “the way we’ve always done things,” but change is a neces- sity when meeting consumers’ demands is part of your business. Introducing Akaushi

One World Beef, Brawley, Calif. As a beef marketing company, it is cru- cial not only to sell the most popular primal cuts, but the entire animal. One World Beef’s strategic location and export capabilities will help HeartBrand best utilize the entire car- cass and seek out new markets that pay the highest value for specific cuts every week. The 337,000-square-foot facility utilizes the most advanced technology in the industry,

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Elisa Marques, Ph.D., MBA | Founder, AgFRONT | emarques@agfront.com INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY Untangling the Helix If You Want to Create Real Value, Begin by Knowing Who Your Customer Is I recently advised a startup company that has big plans to dis- ducer needs to have in order to be success- ful. Fertility counts, calving ease counts, disease resistance counts and feed efficien- cy counts. If you have no bred cow and no live calf, you have no business.

rupt – in a good way – the beef industry. After a lot of back and forth, I asked who they built the

So, there are a lot of moving parts that are important. And, because there are so many traits that count, geneticists have created what we call selection indexes.

product for and the answer was “the cow- calf producer.” Well, there are many types of cow-calf producers. If you build some- thing for everybody, it’s likely for nobody. Cow-calf producers can be: seedstock producers who register their cattle; seedstock producers who don’t register; the commercial producer who behaves like a seedstock producer (doesn’t reg- ister but collects a lot of data); and the commercial producer who behaves like a typical commercial producer. In this article, I will discuss the seed- stock sector and its commitment to creating real value for the commercial producer. As a seedstock producer, you are committed to producing the best qual- ity genetics for your commercial producer. Remember, the commercial producer is looking for a product that works, that gen- erates profit for him or her. Because, as I once heard, if you are not in this business to make money, good luck with your hobby. Building a Product for the Commercial Producer So, let’s talk about creating a product the commercial producer wants. To get there, we must reverse engineer the final product to see what drives their creation. Quality Grade and gain are two of the criteria the commercial producer gets compensated for. The better the quality, the higher the pre- mium. The more pounds, the more money. But those are not the only traits the pro-

How do you build selection indexes? You build them by incorporating expected progeny differences (EPD) and economic weights. How do I generate EPDs? Simple Versus Complex Traits As a seedstock producer, you need to get to the heart of the matter for accurately figuring out what part of the phenotypic expression – what you see – is due to ge- netics or environment. Many of us struggle with the concept of estimated breeding values (EBV) and EPDs. That’s because they are not that intuitive and require understanding the differences between simple and complex traits. Simple traits are those that don’t require too much information other than knowl- edge of a few genes. They don’t get inter- ference from the environment, either. What

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REFLECT IONS AND RECOLLECT IONS

Paul Marchant | Rancher/Columnist | paul@progressivepublish.com Irons in the Fire

Second Chances B ack in the early 1990s, I was run- ning a ranch in the high desert and mountain country of cen- tral Utah. We ran a cou- ple hundred pairs on a Forest Service allotment on the Fishlake National

At the head of the canyon, the only way to get to the other side was to follow a trail that gradually side-hilled for about a half mile up over the top. This was the most treacherous part of the move. The coun- try was so steep that a cow or horse could barely keep its footing if it stepped off the trail. At that point of the drive, the cows were trail savvy and tired enough that they would just follow each other single file along the trail. If you didn’t get in too much of a hurry, but kept the cows moving, things generally worked out okay. At least that’s the “perfect world” scenario. We had a big-framed, red, two-year-old heifer that was worn out from the climb up the bottom of the canyon. She was get- ting pretty woozy and was walking like Ken Stabler at a post-Super Bowl Bourbon Street party. I decided to leave her behind and let her find her way after she had a chance to rest. My Marchant luck was in play that day, however, and after I got around her, she decided to step off the trail. From where she was on the trail to the bottom of the hill was about 300 yards. She rolled, tail-over-tea kettle, about 150 yards through the brush, until she got wedged between a pair of stray quaking aspen trees. We hobbled the horses on the trail and made our way to where she was stuck. She was a little roughed-up, but still in one piece. With the way she was wrapped around the tree, and in her worn out state, the only chance we had to save her was to use the saw blade on Landon’s new Swiss army knife and cut through a three-inch quaky branch to free her so she could stand up. After 45 minutes of sawing, the branch finally snapped. I knew if she would just stay where she was for a few minutes to rest and regain some strength, Continued page 30

Forest, east of Fillmore, Utah. There was usually pretty good grass in the high coun- try, but it was mean, steep, rough country. I did quite a bit of riding to keep the cattle distributed and from spending too much time in the creek bottoms. If I needed to do a big gather and move cattle from one side of the allotment to the other, I could usually find some day help or a friend or two from town who wanted to keep his mounted sheriff’s posse horse legged up for the sum- mer. Sometimes the boss, who lived three hours to the north, would send his kids down to the ranch to help for a few days. On one particular move, besides myself and a dog I couldn’t keep track of, my crew consisted of the boss’s nine-year-old son, Landon, and his friend, Jonathan, who was visiting from Wyoming. We had to gather and move a herd to the head of a canyon and up over the top and down into a canyon on the other side of the mountain. The kids were both pretty fair hands and provided good company and good help. Although it was a tall order for such a short-handed crew, we managed to gather about 100 pairs and get them headed in the right direction. It was an overcast day, so, once we got the lead cows headed in the right direction, the herd moved surprisingly well. Most of the cows knew the country, and once they got the idea where they were headed, they didn’t put up too much of a fight.

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AKAUSHI SPECIAL SECTION If you have Akaushi bulls or females for sale, The Cattleman will take your message to more than 18,000 readers in July. Be part of the Akaushi special advertising section in the July issue of The Cattleman magazine.

Contact Shawn McCoy 800-242-7820, ext. 121 Cell: 817-929-8597 smccoy@tscra.org to be part of The Cattleman’s Akaushi Special Advertising Section

DEADLINE TO RESERVE SPACE IS MAY 31

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The A4 Advantage Adding Value to the Beef Cattle Industry in One Generation BY KELSEY POPE, FREELANCE WRITER

“We created this program as a value-added pathway for both small and large commercial herds to pro- duce purebred, A4 Akaushi replacement females while gaining higher quality car- casses,” Bain says. “Today, this program has been one of the main catalysts for our association’s success. We plan all of our programs, both current and future, to spring 2010, approximately 3,000 Akaushi-sired females from A1 to A4 breeding have already been certified in the A4 Advantage Program.  Building up from the Base Herd When starting out, par- ticipants must be a member of the American Akaushi Association and enroll in the program. A herd inspec- tion by an approved breed inspector is recommended, but not mandatory, until the A4 cross. Base females must be en- rolled so the association has a record for the A4 Advan- tage Program. This base cow herd can come from any breed of cattle and can be registered, purebred or non-registered. There is no charge for enrollment of base females in the pro- gram. These base cows must then be crossed with certi- fied fullblood Akaushi bulls or semen to produce the first generation in the pro- gram, called A1. Multiple sire matings are acceptable, but all bulls must be listed on applications for progeny certification.  benefit our breeders.” Since its inception in

I n today’s beef cattle indus- try, branded programs are a headlining topic of dis- cussion. American Akaushi cattle are known in the industry for producing high- grading, quality carcasses for increased profitability. Known as “Nature’s Healthy Beef ® ,” American Akaushi have a higher concentra- tion of oleic acid as well as a higher ratio of monounsatu- rated to saturated fats. Con- sumers want the great taste of Certified Akaushi Beef and the health benefits for their active lifestyles. “The advantages of the Akaushi breed is that we put producers in positions they’ve never been in before by providing marketing options and allowing them to use crossbreeding with Akaushi to build up the ul- timate traits in their herds,” says Bubba Bain, American Akaushi Association execu- tive director. Because of the advantages of Certified Akaushi Beef, the association created and im- plemented the A4 Advantage Program. It’s like a branded program for Akaushi re- placement females to benefit breeders and encourage producers to use American Akaushi genetics. This unique program of- fers producers in the entire beef industry – with any

breed of cattle – the oppor- tunity to add Akaushi to their replacement heifers, assuring buyers that these cattle are at least 50 per- cent, or halfblood, Akaushi. Fullblood Akaushi cattle are direct descendants from Japan. However, through the A4 Advantage Program, producers can breed up to purebred Akaushi in just four generations, increas- ing market value with each new generation. How Does the A4 Advantage Program Work? First, breeders should know the different classifi- cations of Akaushi cattle:  Certified fullblood: a fullblood Akaushi animal for which an American Akaushi Association Cer- tificate of Registration has been issued.  A1 is a halfblood, which is an Akaushi bull bred to a base female that is a pure or crossbred female of any breed.  A2 is a 3/4-blood, which is an Akaushi bull bred to an A1 female.  A3 is a 7/8-blood, which is an Akaushi bull bred to an A2 female.  A4 is a 15/16-blood, or

93.75 percent, which is an Akaushi bull bred to an A3 female. An A4 is considered a purebred Akaushi.

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Each generation – A1, A2 and A3 – must also be bred to certified fullblood Akaushi bulls, with the ul- timate goal resulting in the generation of A4 purebred Akaushi, or 15/16 (93.75 per- cent) breeding. The association breed reg- istry requirement includes a mandatory DNA source and parent verification of every animal to receive purebred certification. “No other beef breed as- sociation utilizes this unique DNA testing for every animal in its registry,” Bain says. “This assures breed- ers, feeders, packers and consumers of DNA-verified American Akaushi genet- ics at every marketing level from the ‘gate to the plate.’” There are minimal fees for verification and certificates issued for percentage A1, A2 and A3 females from the American Akaushi Associa- tion. Breeders involved in the A4 Advantage Program will have access to the GPS system, which will allow them to record and track all of the data on their cattle and compare it with infor- mation from other breeders. Adding Value to the Herd Having a branded program is providing the beef industry with just what it wants – a higher quality, more consis- tent product. And this can be achieved in just one genera- tion with Akaushi cattle and the A4 Advantage Program. “The ultimate goal is for breeders to work up to A4 purebred Akaushi. But if a producer’s goal is to raise halfbloods, this program will still work for them,” Bain says.

The A4 Advantage Pro- gram adds value to females whether a producer is keep- ing them for replacements or marketing them. “Producers earn a premi- um on their Akaushi-sired cattle,” Bain adds. “Each generation will provide added value, so by retain- ing your replacement fe- males and embedding the

influence of Akaushi within your existing herd, you will create an increased market value with every new gen- eration.” To learn more about enrolling in the A4 Advan- tage Program, visit www. akaushi.com or call the American Akaushi Associa- tion at (361) 238-7218. PT

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www.akaushi.com • Spring 2018

SO, YOU WANT TO BE A Seedstock Breeder? WITH BOB KROPP, PH.D.

BY HANNAH WINE, FREELANCE WRITER

R aising seedstock is not for the faint of heart. Last fall at the American Akaushi Association Annual Convention, Bob Kropp, Ph.D., retired Oklahoma State University professor, spoke about successful seedstock business tricks of the trade. Kropp has more than 50 years of experience in the cattle industry, and has observed the strug- gles and trials of many seedstock produc- ers. He is passionate and excited about the potential for Akaushi genetics. “The potential infusion of Akaushi genetics into the

tion leadership, poor breeder leadership and an inability to produce the product in volume for the customers. It depends on you as breeders to make this happen.” Kropp emphasized the breed’s remark- able meat quality and palatability. He said he has not seen a breed that can do any- thing near what Akaushi can in terms of meat quality. The average life of a seedstock opera- tion in the United States is fewer than five years. Kropp associates this with the lack of demand and, consequently, a lack of a customer base, as well as operators without any marketing experience or ability. “To survive, you have to convince some- one to purchase your product,” Kropp explained. “I don’t know anyone who goes into a business and tries to breed bad cat- tle. Some of them do, but they don’t try to do that. But that creates a major problem, and that problem is: are you breeding these cattle to satisfy yourself or to satisfy the wants, needs and desires of the people who want to own these cattle? A lot of seedstock producers fail because they breed what they like, with total disregard for whether anyone else wants those or not. The buying public is who you have to satisfy to survive and succeed.” The buying public is a critical component to your success. They also determine your value by telling you what your cattle are 

The seedstock business is a people business, and it’s critical to keep your customers happy and coming back. The two most important words are, repeat customer.

beef industry is the biggest thing that I’ve personally seen in 50 years,” Kropp said. “There have been major things in the beef industry that have evolved over the years, one of which was in the

1950s, when European cattle were import- ed. Nothing has happened since to make that big of a mark on the industry – but Akaushi genetics [will].” “It’s important for you, as Akaushi breed- ers, to realize it’s going to take you to make it happen. Other breeds have tried, but they’ve all failed because of poor associa-

Akaushi Prime Time • Spring 2018

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worth. “The price will fluctuate, but you’ve got to be able to produce quality, predictable genetics that will meet the needs of the buy- ing public,” Kropp said. “When you can do that in volume, you will have arrived.” The seedstock business is a people busi- ness, and it’s critical to keep your custom- ers happy and coming back. “The two most important words are, repeat customer. When you have repeat customers, you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll sell your product, because they’ll be there,” Kropp said. “Reputation, personality and customer service are essential. You are no different than a car dealer. People will go to a certain grocery store or pizza par- lor because they like the business and the product. It’s no different with the seedstock business. “Anyone can buy success, but not just anyone can maintain it. Becoming success- ful requires a solid plan,” Kropp explained. According to Kropp, these are the 10 steps to becoming a successful seedstock producer:

Develop a written plan for this year, and one for the next five

No. 1

years – and use them. Assess the plan ev- ery year. Ask yourself, How did I do? What changes do I need to make?

Develop a strong relationship with people you trust who can

No. 2

give you some guidance and insight into the business. Keep in mind the importance of building relationships with people you can trust, even if they’re your competitors. Understand without any ques- tion what the people in this industry want to buy. Who are your po- tential customers? What are their needs? What do they want to buy? These particu- lars are critical for you to be able to tailor your program to fit your customers’ needs. Consider asking yourself these questions: How big a herd do you need? What are these customers going to expect in terms of customer service? How much money will they want to spend? No. 3

Continued page 31

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www.akaushi.com • Spring 2018

blood Akaushi bulls will be 15/16 (93.75 per- cent) and considered a purebred Akaushi. At each level of this program, the

AKAUSHI MATTERS Continued from page 8

Akaushi genetics into your breeding pro- gram. There are differences in the programs though. The A4 program allows you to breed up to purebred status in four generations by using fullblood Akaushi bulls on each generation. Start with your existing com- mercial cow herd to produce halfblood calves. You will love these calves; they are healthy and hardy. They tend to mimic the dam’s visual traits, but the carcass traits are greatly increased. The rule of thumb is that using an Akaushi bull will double the grade and improve the yield in just one generation. How is that for increasing the quality and consistency of beef! You have the option to stop at the first generation and market all of the calves for a premium, or retain your heifers and breed them back to Akaushi to produce a 3/4 calf. The higher the percentage of Akaushi, the higher the carcass quality will be. The next generation will be 7/8 Akaushi, and these heifers bred to full- 1/4 Vertical, 4 color Prime Time Landair Winter 2018

calves must be parent verified through DNA testing. There is a $12 certification fee for each upgraded calf. The purebred (15/16) males and females will need to be in- spected to determine breed conformity. In- spections can be done one of two ways: by a representative of the American Akaushi

Photo from Dove Creek Wagyu Cattle Company, Mountain Grove, Mo.

Association or by submitting photographs of the front, back and both sides of the animal as well as a photo of their perma- nent ID – either the brand or tattoo. If the animals are inspected in person, travel expenses could apply. All certified ani- mals will receive a Certificate of Breeding, which indicates the percentage of Akaushi. The GridMax program is different in that you can use the Akaushi genetics on the male or female side to produce a percent- age-blood calf. Now you can retain your Akaushi percentage-blood bulls in your breeding programs but not be locked in to a certain percentage. This will be very useful in creating the three-way composite that is so popular in today’s beef industry. Keep in mind that in order for the calves to be eligible for the Certified Akaushi Beef program, they must be 46.875 percent Akaushi. The difference is that you have a lot of options to get to that percentage. Non-Akaushi cattle enrolled in this pro- gram must be certified by their breed as- sociation. Akaushi genetics will still be verified through DNA testing. Certification at each level will be $12. Purebred require- ments are the same as in the A4 Advantage Program. Both of these programs were designed to add value to your herd by using Akaushi genetics. Give them a try. For more infor- mation go to www.akaushi.com and click on Programs. PT

Landair, Inc. Beeville, Texas CUSTOM CATTLE PRECONDITIONING Bull and Heifer Development Programs Corn silage-based growing rations for stocker/feeders calves and for seedstock bull and heifer calf development. • Prepare your stocker cattle for turnout of the feedyard! • Prepare your replacement heifers for breeding and /or special sales! • Prepare your seedstock bulls for the commercial cattleman or for the special sale ring! • Private treaty sales at the ranch! • Tailor-made programs to fit your needs – BIG or SMALL! • We now offer PI (Persistently Infected) testing upon request! Let us do what we are good at – FOR YOU!

Brown Ranches has been in operation in South Texas since 1924. Five generations of the Austin Brown family have worked very hard to be the best stewards of the land and livestock that have been so graciously entrusted to us. Landair, Inc. 2050 Brown Ranch Lane ● Beeville, Texas Austin Brown III: 361-597-0373 (cell) Ranch Office: 361-358-1093 aebrown70@gmail.com www.brownranchgroup.com Photo courtesyofRossHecox,WesternHorseman Proud supportersof the BeefCheckoff and TexasBeefCouncil.

Akaushi Prime Time • Spring 2018

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BEEF MATTERS Continued from page 16

DNA MATTERS Continued from page 14

including a fully equipped camera grading system to ensure the highest accuracy in quality evaluation. The camera has the ability to provide us with a more detailed grade than the basic U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) stamp by including ribeye area, Yield Grade and marbling score information. This USDA-inspected plant is set up with a Temple Gran- din-inspired system, which stands behind our high expectation for humane handling and care for the animals. “We are excited to work with an additional plant to increase our numbers and be close to additional geographic regions that appreciate natural, highly marbled beef just as we do,” says HeartBrand Beef President Jordan Beeman. HeartBrand will start out harvesting 225 head per month at One World Beef, with plans to increase in the future. The HeartBrand team is ecstatic to see the knowl- edge and recognition of the breed grow among cattle producers and beef consumers. We stand firmly be- hind this breed’s potential and its capabilities to ex- ceed standards in all aspects of the beef industry. It is a pleasure getting to work with each of you and we look forward to what the future holds for Akaushi. PT

need to complete our DNA- training process in order to make the new Geneseek GGP available for use soon. To wrap up, we are progress- ing with our conversion to SNPs. Approximately 65 per- cent of our breeders have fully converted or are in the process of bringing their herds up to date. We are processing SNP DNA submissions at a rate of 2 to 1 to the older STR DNA test. If you haven’t submitted new samples of your fullblood herd sires and dams and/or per- centage-blood Akaushi dams, please collect DNA on those an- imals while doing your spring herd work. We are entering a busy time of the year for DNA. We hope to continue our trend of setting new DNA submission records. PT

1/2 page horizontal Prime Time Bright Sun Farms Spring 2018

R U E S H AW II Bull & Semen for Sale

• Rueshaw II has become one of the best marbling Red Wagyu/Akaushi bulls in the breed. He is dual registered with the AWA and the American Akaushi Association. • 2,100 lbs. at 2½ years of age • 312 of his calves harvested to date. 90+% graded high Prime or better. • Sired the Grand Champion Black/Red Female at Denver and Houston, as well as the Reserve Get-of-Sire at Denver.

For sale private treaty, contact Rod Solar. Bright Sun Farms • Kingsbury, TX • (210) 488-3700 • brightsunfarms@hotmail.com

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www.akaushi.com • Spring 2018

Hybrids, REPLACEMENTS and ON THE RAIL BY HANNAH JOHLMAN, FREELANCE WRITER

T he pursuit of maximizing profit is always the aspiring goal in the back of any cattleman’s mind. It is also the first and foremost goal of the Ameri- can Akaushi Association (AAA). For this reason, the association launched a new program, GridMax™, at the Cattle Indus- try Convention earlier this year. This new program is a registry, recording and com- putation service for hybrid cattle possessing Akaushi genetics that will offer producers another way to market their cattle. “The program has been in the making probably one and a half or two years now,” says Bubba Bain, AAA executive director. “I’ve been watching our cattle and how they perform in the industry, on the rail as well as in the feedyard, and I was just totally impressed.” Over the years, Bain has tried to come up with ideas to help members market their cattle in ways that would increase pro- ductivity and profit, and ultimately their bottom lines. This project, he says, was all about the data and knowing what Akaushi cattle could do. Akaushi cattle have been bred to 13 dif- ferent English, Continental and American breeds since the association’s inception in 2009, meaning a lot of varied information has been collected to this point. “We found that they don’t deter any other traits people have been working for or working hard on in their herd. But what the Akaushi cattle can do is elevate the pro- ducer in the final stages,” Bain says. “We all have to market the beef eventually, and the final stage is trying to get those cattle mar- keted and on the rail, to produce a product for the consumer that the consumer will like, or they won’t be coming back.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture recorded data on 20,852 DNA-parent-veri- fied Certified Akaushi Beef carcasses that

achieved Quality Grades of 44.6 percent Prime and 51 percent Choice with an over- all mark of 95.6 percent Choice or higher. The carcasses included 3,708 full Akaushi, 16,241 half Akaushi, 849 three-quarter Akaushi and 54 seven-eighths Akaushi. Notably, 85.2 percent of the carcasses achieved Yield Grades of 1, 2 or 3. The goal of the program is to get the AAA membership to concentrate on pro- ducing Choice, Yield Grade 3 or higher carcasses at the packing plant, something that would do nothing but bring them higher premiums and more bottom line dol- lars. In this scenario, the program would be used to market terminal cattle that are going to be directly involved in the grid.

Photo from Dove Creek Wagyu Cattle Company, Mountain Grove, Mo. “The other side of the program is market- ing composite, replacement-type males and females that have Akaushi genetics in them to where we can get everybody involved in marketing Akaushi genetics, which will in turn produce premiums for the folks as well,” Bain says. “If you want to get involved in producing anything that’s 50 percent or higher on the male or female Akaushi ge- netics, then we can start marketing those 

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