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 www.NALF.org North American (303) 220-1693 |
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NALF News The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF) office has a new telephone system, which offers several helpful directory features that help guide callers to the correct information or staff member. The improved voice-mail system is much more reliable than the old one so do not hesitate to enter anyone’s extension and leave a message. The Nominating Committee has slated Lance Sennett, Waynetown, Ind. (second term); Jerry Wulf, Morris, Minn. (second term); Mike Hall, San Luis Obispo, Calif.; Brian Skaggs, Lexington, Okla.; and Tom Vaughn, Cavalier, N.D., as candidates for the NALF Board of Directors. The NALF office also has been collecting at-large nominations, which were due Oct. 15. The December Limousin World will identify all nominees. Those unable to attend the NALF Annual Meeting (9 a.m. to noon, Jan. 14, 2008, in Denver, Colo.) may write the home office to request absentee ballots until Dec. 1. Once members complete and sign their absentee ballots, they mail them to NALF’s official accountant. The Board members invite their constituents’ input as they evaluate the trial nominations and voting processes. With nearly 40 percent of NALF paperwork now submitted electronically and with the increased costs associated with forms, printing and postage, NALF has discontinued automatic printing and distribution of weaning update, yearling update and yearling summary reports with returned paperwork. Those documents still are available by request, free of charge, from the NALF office. The deadline to submit data for the next international Limousin genetic evaluation is Nov. 15. That deadline is especially 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. The breed’s competitive advantages, genetic improvement and ability to meet commercial customers’ needs all depend on breeders’ data collection and submission. New EPDs will be available around Jan. 1, 2008. NALF will post the spring sire summary on its Web site in mid-January. Call the NALF office to request barnsheets, which the ultrasound laboratories require to process scan data. Not obtaining the sheets before scanning will result in processing delays. As the last of this year’s Medal of Excellence (MOE) shows approach, NALF reminds exhibitors that they must submit all performance data by Dec. 1. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the MOE year-end recognitions. It is the breeder’s or owner’s responsibility to submit that information; NALF will not request it. You can find the complete MOE rules on the NALF Web site. The junior show at the North American International Livestock Exposition (NAILE) in Louisville, Ky., will be the evening of Nov. 11. The open show will begin at 8 a.m. Nov. 14. The Limousin sale-cattle parade at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) starts at 3 p.m. Jan. 13, 2008. The junior show begins at 2 p.m. the next day, and the National 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. Entries for the NWSS are due Nov. 15. Make sure your animals meet each show’s requirements. Direct all MOE questions and data to Lorrie Taylor in the NALF office. The Doubletree Hotel Denver at 3203 Quebec St. will be the Limousin breed’s headquarters during the NWSS and for the NALF Annual Meeting. Rooms are available for $79 per night if you mention the “North American Limousin Foundation” when you call (303) 321-3333 or 1-800-222-TREE to make your reservations. Each year, NALF honors a Commercial Marketing Booster of the Year, a Commercial Producer of the Year and a Limousin Promoter of the Year during the NWSS pen and carload shows. Download nomination forms from the NALF Web site, or request copies from the NALF office. Nominations are due in the NALF office Dec. 5. The NALF Board has appointed American Cattle Services, KK Seedstock Consultants and R&R Marketing Co. as the National Limousin Sale management team. Call 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 parent verification, by Dec. 1. Because MMI Genomics (the DNA-typing laboratory) operates on a limited holiday schedule, members must submit samples before Nov. 15 to meet those requirements. The NALF Board has given free registrations to all of the natural calves born to the 2008 Corner Post Genetics Package female, which Counsil Family Limousin is donating to sell at the NWSS. CFLX Cheerleader 002T is a Jan. 9, 2007, daughter of Carrousels Peak Power out of Logan’s Cheerleader 280G, the dam of multitrait leader JCL Lodestar 27L. The North American Limousin Junior Association (NALJA) still is securing other items and services for the package. Prospective donors should contact Bret Begert, director of junior activities. Once it reaches a suitable principal, the Corner Post Fund will facilitate additional activities and scholarships for Limousin juniors. Show your Limousin colors to family, friends, colleagues and customers this holiday season. Visit www.boelte.com/cards on the Web to order Limousin greeting cards. Several cover designs and inside greetings are available. A portion of the proceeds from each order benefits NALJA. Also check out the “Promotional Merchandise” section of the NALF Web site. Farm signs, business cards, jackets, koozies and caps are just some of the great gifts available. As the fall feeder-cattle–marketing season advances, help your bull customers market their calves through the Limousin Exchange. 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 a video auction or selling by private treaty, the online classifieds are a free, easy way to help make sure every bidder possible competes for your customers’ calves. NALF also has arranged a number of special Limousin-influenced feeder-calf sales at auction markets around the country. The fall Bottom Line newsletter included a list of sales, which also is in the “Sales & Events” section of the Limousin World Web site, or contact Bo Sexson in the NALF office for the information. The LimMark tagging program helps recognize Limousin-influenced calves when they perform well in commercial settings. The sky-blue tags are available from NALF, and complete details are available on the association’s Web site or by contacting Sexson. The voluntary Limousin Inventory Management System (LIMS) helps NALF members lower their costs of doing business with their association. Meanwhile, they contribute more complete production information that leads to inventory-proven genetics backed by more accurate EPDs. To join LIMS, find the sign-up page in the secured, members-only portion of the NALF Web site. Breeders must enroll spring-calving cows by Feb. 15 and fall-calving cows by July 15 each year. The Breeder Cooperative Advertising Program helps breeders share a cohesive Limousin message across the nation. In the program, NALF cost-shares 25 percent of qualifying ad expenses with groups of two to six breeders. Find the program guidelines and application form on the NALF Web site, or contact Brad Parker in the NALF office. Copies of the Bottom Line newsletter are available by calling the NALF office. The publication is a great giveaway to potential customers because it provides current information about the breed and beef industry. If you want to add someone to the Bottom Line mailing list, call NALF for a subscription card. Due to escalating business costs and the effort to balance the 2007–2008 budget, the NALF Board increased the fees for several miscellaneous association services, effective Sept. 1.
In addition, NALF created a “show certificate service” through which members can request immediately faxed copies of registration certificates. NALF will accommodate those requests for $10 per copy. The NALF Web site’s EPD and pedigree lookup now includes more details:
NALF is providing free producer-outreach webcasts on DVAuction.com. Each one begins at 7 p.m. (Mountain Time).
Find instructions for participating in the webcasts on the NALF Web site, which also offers an archive of the slides, audio and write-ups from previous webcasts. Anyone interested in sponsoring a NALF webcast should contact Frank Padilla in the NALF office. NALF has cancelled the “Master Breeder” workshop it was planning in conjunction with the Range Beef Cow Symposium (RBCS) due to a lack of 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. It regularly attracts about 900 producers and allied-industry representatives.
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