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LOGIST ICS  NE I L EFFERTZ

Nutrition and Cooperation

Y ou might be wondering – what on earth do nutrition and cooperation have to do with each other? They are key ingredients to mar keting quality Aberdeen genetics as breeding stock. Remember, if you are interested in selling breeding stock for more than “beef price,” you have to start with quality Aberdeen genetics. Your reg istration paperwork must be in order or you are just fooling yourself and your customers. There is a distinct difference between selling beef cattle and selling breeding stock. Given that analysis, two of the most important factors are nutrition and cooperation. Nutrition According to the Applied Animal Nutrition text, for normal growth of 1.6 pounds of gain per day, a 400-pound bull or heifer calf requires dry matter intake of 12.17 pounds per day that contains about 11.7 percent protein and 53 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN). As the animal grows, that rate of consumption should gradually increase, gaining about 250 pounds between weaning (205 days of age) and yearling (365 days of age). The ultimate goal would be fullblood and high-percentage Moderator cattle with excellent muscle development and market-acceptable levels of con dition. However, at many of our consign ment sales we see cattle that sell below the average price by as much as $1,000 per head because they lack proper nutrition. Generally speaking, the top-selling calves in the $2,500- $6,000 price range are in good body condition, reflecting proper nutrition. Those selling at the lower end of aver age are generally not in ideal condi tion, reflecting a nutritional deficiency. Many Aberdeen producers think that, because these cattle do well on grass, you don’t have to concern for quality Aberdeen breeding stock if we work together – breeders helping breeders. There is a virtually unlimited market

yourself with nutrition. That is not true! There are times when your grass does not contain enough nutri tion (protein, TDN and minerals) to support the excellent growth and de velopment that buyers are seeking. This is especially true during calves’ growth phase (5-16 months of age). You can supplement your sale cattle with a number of feedstuffs to sup port their nutritional requirements. Contact your local feed representa tive or a successful breeder whose calves generally top the market for advice and suggestions. Cooperation That brings me to the next part of the equation – breeders helping breeders. This breed is small when you compare its footprint to other breeds. That said, it has the most potential for growth in improving ef ficient beef cattle production of any breed in America. Unbiased data proves that one cross of Aberdeen genetics can increase pounds of beef per acre over any other breed.

To get this message across, we have to unify, help each other and cooperate. The spirit of cooperation at the recent Aberdeen Supreme Sale was evidence of that with many, many examples of breeders helping breed ers. It was fun to see and very edu cational to the inexperienced as well. This spirit of breeders helping breed ers should be our theme for 2019. There is a virtually unlimited mar ket for quality Aberdeen breeding stock if we work together – breeders helping breeders. TL

PAUL MOYA TO SPEAK AT AAA ANNUAL MEETING THE AMERICAN ABERDEEN ASSOCIATION is excited to announce that Paul Moya will be the keynote speaker for the 2019 Annual Meeting. Global business strategy expert Paul Moya is best known for his role as CEO of Millennial Labs – a full service consultancy serving the world’s leading public and private sector clients across the Americas, Asia and Europe. Over the last decade, his discoveries have impacted leaders and helped to increase profit ability at some of the most well-respected organizations in the world, ranging from Syngenta and PayPal to Acura Motors and the U.S. Department of Defense. Nicknamed “The Harvard Cowboy” by clients and friends, Paul blends Har vard strategy with cowboy practicality to present viable solutions that deliver quantifiable results. His research takes insight from psychology, neuroscience, behavioral economics and plain old fashioned “cowboy wisdom” to turn big data and predictive analytics into no-fluff solutions and lasting economic and organizational change. Paul is a fourth-generation agriculturalist who grew up in New Mexico on his family’s alfalfa farm, learning that roots in agriculture are a tremendous foundation for success and opportunity. He is a former National FFA president and Harvard Student Government Association president, and today serves as a mentor and trusted advisor for national and international leaders in business, education and government. Join us Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, as Paul speaks at the 2019 AAA Annual Meet ing. His presentation is titled “Forces of the Future: Preparing American Agricul ture for the Next 100 Years.” Paul has impacted leaders from many of the biggest, most admired organiza tions on earth, and we are excited to see the positive impact he will have on AAA and its members. TL

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