October 29, 2007

In this issue …
Board elections proceed without at-large nominations
Submit data for EPDs by Nov. 15
New fees for ‘additional’ services
Save at least $12 per calf by joining LIMS
2,500 feeders now on Limousin Exchange
LimMark tags gain credit where due
Some friendly reminders from Member Services
Request barnsheets 2 weeks in advance
Exhibitors, enthusiasts make plans for Louisville
NWSS just around the corner
Dec. 1 is important date for national sale consignors
Doubletree is site of big events in Denver
NALJA Board to meet Sunday
Give Limousin cards, gifts this holiday season
ILC 2008 to offer cattle, culture, history
Fort Collins workshop dropped
What’s news?
Limousin sales, events

The at-large nomination process did not add any candidates to the ballot for the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) Board of Directors; therefore, the Nominating Committee’s slate of candidates stands as the complete list. Look for the following five candidates’ biographies in the December issue of Limousin World.

• Lance Sennett, Waynetown, Ind. (second term)
• Jerry Wulf, Morris, Minn. (second term)
• Mike Hall, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
• Brian Skaggs, Lexington, Okla.
• Tom Vaughn, Cavalier, N.D.

The Board members invite ongoing input as they evaluate the current election cycle before deciding whether to replace permanently the former system of nominations from the floor and proxy votes.

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The deadline to submit data for the next international Limousin genetic evaluation is Nov. 15. Without breeders’ submissions, the new “Performance” section of an animal’s pedigree page will display many blanks and “N/As,” which detract from marketing efforts. The deadline also is important for producers of Lim‑Flex® progeny from Angus or Red Angus parents that are not in the NALF herdbook yet. Without the data, their expected progeny differences (EPDs) will not be available for winter show programs or spring marketing materials.

Birth, weaning and yearling performance data are necessary for reliable EPDs, and breeders’ data are the raw material from which NALF computes genetic predictions. Members with carcass or ultrasound data for groups of pedigreed Limousin or Limousin-influenced cattle are encouraged to submit them, too. The breed’s competitive advantages, genetic improvement and ability to meet commercial customers’ needs all depend on breeders’ data collection and submission.

To facilitate reporting, preprinted forms are available free of charge by calling the NALF office. Active members also can use the online recording tools. When you use online recording, do not enter and submit one animal at a time. Keep contemporary groups intact by submitting registrations after entering all of the animals.

Before requesting preprinted cow-inventory birth-report forms or using the online animal-recording tool, it is best if members update their active-cow inventories. Keeping inventories up-to-date contributes valuable culling information to the NALF herdbook and minimizes the number of unwanted animals in search results. Update inventories using the online tool or the multiple-application form, then return culled animals’ registration certificates to the NALF office.

New EPDs will be available around Jan. 1, 2008. NALF will post the spring sire summary in the “Genetic Evaluation ” section of its Web site soon after.

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Due to escalating business costs and the effort to balance the 2007–2008 budget, the NALF Board approved several fee increases for miscellaneous association services, effective Sept. 1.

• Sale downloads for catalog production went from $1 to $2 per animal.
• Duplicate certificates went from $5 to $10. Members can request duplicate certificates with a valid animal identification by mail, fax or e‑mail.
• Processing other breeds’ pedigrees and unrecorded cows now costs $10 per head.
• Rushed paperwork now costs $25 per head.

The Board also approved a “show certificate service” through which members can request immediately faxed copies of registration certificates. NALF will accommodate those requests for $10 per copy to offset the cost of reprinting registration papers solely for faxing them to show offices.

In addition, the Board voted in April to increase the fee for “performance only” recordings to $10 per head, effective July 1. The first adjustment to the fee since January 2000 is meant to put performance-only recording on more equitable footing with the Limousin Inventory Management System (LIMS), which encourages reporting all data for all animals all of the time. Breeders can credit their performance-only fees for unregistered animals recorded with NALF toward later registration.

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The voluntary LIMS helps NALF members lower their costs of doing business with their association. LIMS participants pay an annual fee of $15 per active cow and, in turn, are entitled to record performance for, register and transfer that year’s calf crop. That compares to the least costly registration ($15 for 0–120 days from birth) and transfer ($12 for 0–60 days from sale) of $27 per animal.

Meanwhile, LIMS herds contribute more complete and comprehensive production information that leads to inventory-proven genetics backed by more accurate EPDs.

To enroll in LIMS, access the secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site. Once you log in, click the LIMS button at the top of any page. From there, you can link memberships and join LIMS. Breeders must enroll spring-calving cows by Feb. 15 and fall-calving cows by July 15 each year.

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At last count, the Limousin Exchange included more than 2,500 feeder steers and heifers. Are your and your customers’ calves among them? Go to the NALF home page, click the Feeder Calf Classifieds link, then follow the directions to list calves for sale. Whether consigning to an auction market or video auction or selling by private treaty, the online classifieds are a free, easy way to help make sure every bidder possible competes for those high-quality, Limousin-influenced calves.

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One of the lessons from the Limousin Visions Symposium was to build the breed’s brand equity. Part of that is getting Limousin-influenced animals recognized when they perform well in commercial settings. To that end, NALF has teamed with Allflex USA to provide a simple, flexible marketing program for Limousin-influenced feeder calves and replacement females.

The LimMark tagging program aids Limousin customers in identifying their cattle and positioning themselves for greater returns by coupling reputable genetics with documented information. Guidelines and the enrollment form are available in the “Programs” section of the NALF Web site or by contacting Bo Sexson in the NALF office.

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• Medal of Excellence (MOE) show coordinators must submit their show results as soon as possible. Those shows listed in the NALF Web site’s “Programs” section already are included in the points calculations.
• MOE exhibitors must submit performance data by Dec. 1 to retain their MOE points.
• MMI Genomics closes for several weeks during the holidays so do not wait until the last minute for DNA, polled or coat-color tests.

Direct questions about those matters to Lorrie Taylor in the NALF office.

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Order your barnsheets from the NALF office at least two weeks before your scanning session. A barnsheet is a preprinted form, provided free of charge, that lists all of the animals you intend to scan. It gives identification (ID) information for each animal and has blank spaces to record weight and management data chuteside. The ultrasound laboratories require barnsheets to process scan data so failure to obtain one before your scanning session can result in processing delays.

Keep the following things in mind, too.

• Thoroughly check the ultrasound summary report you receive from NALF. Occasionally, the ultrasound laboratories will return results to NALF with incorrect animal IDs or missing scan data.
• The acceptable age range for scanning is 300 to 450 days.
• NALF cannot provide adjustments, ratios and EPDs for animals that are not in the NALF herdbook (either registered or recorded for performance only).
• NALF cannot provide adjustments and ratios for animals with missing weaning dates and weights because the calculation process uses that information.
• For NALF to use an animal’s ultrasound data in the computation of its carcass EPDs, the animal must be in a contemporary group with at least one other animal. NALF forms ultrasound contemporary groups using an animal’s yearling contemporary group (or weaning contemporary group if yearling information has not been recorded), plus scan-lot date and scan-management code.

For additional information regarding ultrasound, refer to the Guide to Ultrasound.

To request barnsheets, call the NALF office.

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The Limousin events at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Ky., will run from Nov. 9 to 14. The Hilton Garden Inn, (502) 637-2424, and the Executive Inn East, 1-800-626-2706, will serve as the breed’s headquarters hotels.

The barn will open to arrivals at noon Thursday, Nov. 8. Check-in for junior-show cattle will be Friday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m.; check-in for the remaining open-show cattle will be Saturday, Nov. 10, at 11 a.m. The junior show will be after noon Sunday, Nov. 11, and the open show will start at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14. Terry Burks of Bowling Green, Ky., will judge the open show.

“The Sale – Louisville” will start with a social at the Executive Inn East at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 13. Bidding will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the inn’s Dover Room. Contact Randy Ratliff, (615) 791-8982, for sale information.

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Check-in at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) begins at 8 a.m. Jan. 11, 2008. The Limousin sale-cattle parade starts at 3 p.m. Jan. 13. The junior show begins at 2 p.m. the next day, and the Limousin sale follows at 6 p.m. The Limousin open show starts at 8 a.m. Jan. 15. The pen and carload shows are the day after that, beginning at 8 a.m., with the Lim‑Flex female-pen sale to follow.

The entry deadline is Nov. 20. The NWSS will accept late entries until Nov. 30, and late-entry fees will be five times the regular fees. The substitution deadline is Dec. 15. Junior exhibitors must be 9 to 21 years of age as of Jan. 1, 2008, and they must have their heifers in their own names by Nov. 1.

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American Cattle Services, KK Seedstock Consultants and R&R Marketing Co. are the National Limousin Sale management team. Contact Ken Holloway, (580) 597-3006; Keith Kissee, (804) 353-2220; or Randy Ratliff, (615) 791-8982, to consign cattle. All cattle in the national sale must be parent-verified and proto-tested before Dec. 1; and all embryo-transfer (ET) calves must be registered, which requires completed parent verification, by Dec. 1. Because MMI Genomics, the DNA-typing laboratory, operates on a limited holiday schedule, it is critical that members submit samples before Nov. 15 to meet the show and sale requirements.

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The Doubletree Hotel Denver at 3203 Quebec St. will be the Limousin breed’s headquarters during the NWSS. Single, double, triple and quad rooms are available for $79 per night if you mention the “North American Limousin Foundation” when you make your reservations. Call (303) 321-3333 or 1‑800-222-TREE. Book ahead to ensure a room near the breed’s main events.

• NALF social and “Genetics on Ice” auction to benefit the North American Limousin Junior Association (NALJA) and the All-American Limousin Futurity (AALF) – 6 p.m., Jan. 13
• NALF Annual Meeting – 9 a.m., Jan. 14

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The NALJA Board of Directors will meet Sunday, Nov. 4, in Oklahoma City, Okla. If you have input for the Board, share it with NALJA President Cori Harrison.

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Show your Limousin colors to family, friends, colleagues and customers this holiday season. Visit the Boelte-Hall Web site to order Limousin greeting cards. Several cover designs and inside greetings are available. A portion of the proceeds from each order will benefit NALJA.

Find great gift ideas for family members, employees and customers in the “Promotional Merchandise” section of the NALF Web site, which now includes monogrammed Limousin luggage from the Limi Boosters. Other products, including farm signs and business cards, also are customizable.

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The Italian association of Limousin breeders [Associazione Nazionale Allevatori delle razze bovine Charolais e Limousine (ANACLI)] invites all NALF members to participate in the 18th International Limousin Conference (ILC), May 20–28, 2008. ILC participants will explore some of the most beautiful places in Italy: Rome, Florence, Piacenza and the countryside. The event will allow them to appreciate Limousin breeding in a historic, cultural environment where agriculture and cattle production are important.

ANACLI is proud to host such a unique event so it can demonstrate the quality of Italian Limousin cattle and the professionalism of its breeders. The ILC will be an opportunity to discuss the breed and its growing success around the world with representatives from many nations.

For more conference information and the registration form, visit the ILC Web site. Early registration ends Nov. 30.

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NALF has canceled the “Master Breeder” workshop it was planning in conjunction with the Range Beef Cow Symposium (RBCS) due to insufficient interest.

The association still encourages its members to attend the RBCS, which will be Dec. 11–13 at the Larimer County Fairgrounds outside Fort Collins, Colo. The event includes two and a half days of educational programs, bullpen sessions with the speakers each evening, and a trade show. Nearly 1,000 producers and allied-industry representatives already are registered.

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NALF has issued the following news releases since the last issue of Partners:

• Oct. 16 – Limousin Exchange Offers Online Marketplace for Feeder Calves, Females, Bulls
• Oct. 17 – NALF Announces Year’s Top 10 Limousin Sires
• Oct. 17 – NALF Recognizes Its Top Producers
• Oct. 17 – Limousin, Lim-Flex Parade in Kansas City

Limousin news releases are archived in the Web site’s “What’s New” section. NALF encourages its members to share them with their local news outlets.

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Nov. 1 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Missoula Livestock Exchange, Missoula, MT
Nov. 2 • Canadian National Limousin Sale, Brandon, MB
Nov. 3 • Express Ranches Fast Forward XV Sale, Yukon, OK
Nov. 3 • Canadian National Limousin Show, Brandon, MB
Nov. 4 • Heritage In The Homeland Sale, Seminole, OK
Nov. 5 • Special Limousin-Influenced Feeder-Calf Sale, Winter Livestock, La Junta, CO
Nov. 7 • Express Ranches Customer Appreciation Sale, Apache, OK
Nov. 7 • Farmfair International Limousin Pen Show, Edmondton, AB
Nov. 8 • Farmfair International Limousin Bonanza Gold Show, Edmondton, AB
Nov. 9 • Express Ranches Feeder Calf Sale, Apache, OK
Nov. 9 • Deer Valley Farm Angus Production Sale, Fayetteville, TN
Nov. 10 • Deer Valley Farm Fall Limousin & Angus Bull Sale, Fayetteville, TN
Nov. 11 • North American International Livestock Expo Junior Limousin Show, Louisville, KY
Nov. 13 • The Sale – Louisville, Louisville, KY
Nov. 14 • North American International Livestock Expo Open Limousin Show, Louisville, KY
Nov. 22 • Canadian Western Agribition Open Limousin Show, Regina, SK
Nov. 23 • Canadian Western Agribition Limousin Sale, Regina, SK
Nov. 24 • Bosch Limousin Private Treaty Sale, Indianola, IA
Nov. 25 • Polled Positive Limousin Sale, Strafford, MO
Nov. 28 • Schuppe Farms Red Angus Cow Herd Dispersion, Sterling, CO
Dec. 1 • Oklahoma Select Bull Sale, Durant, OK
Dec. 1 • Posthaven Limousin Autumn Cattle Drive Sale, Listowel, ON
Dec. 1 • Etherton Farms Inaugural Production Sale, Dawson, IL
Dec. 1 • Maternal Building Blocks Sale, Brush, CO
Dec. 8 • East Central Limousin Futurity Heifer, Junior Heifer & Open Bull Show, Stillwater, OK