MARKETING

The MarketPlace on the NALF-DigitalBeef platform is your source for private treaty sale offerings from Limousin, Lim-Flex, and fullblood seedstock breeders. Members have the ability to list bulls, females, embryos, and semen for sale.

Visit the NALF MarketPlace

Click on a pin in the map view a member’s contact information. Below the map is a listing of all members with their genetics for sale. They are listed alphabetically by state. Click on the word “View” to see more information about the members location and private treaty offering. Clicking one the blue registration number for an animal will take you to that animal’s detail screen to view more information. A catalog may also be downloaded from this screen by clicking on the catalog link.

NALF’s LimMark & LimChoice tagging program aids Limousin customers in identifying their cattle and positioning themselves for greater returns by coupling reputable genetics with documented information. The idea originated at the Limousin Visions Symposium in 2004, where feed yard managers shared the breed often does not get the recognition it deserves.

In order to maximize the benefit to producers, NALF has partnered with the USDA Process Verified Programs (PVP) and IMI Global, to offer verification services along with the LimMark/LimChoice tags. Cattle enrolled in the program must be source and age verified and have the option to be verified in Certified Natural, Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC), and Humane Treatment programs for added value. For more information on LimMark/LimChoice programs and verifications programs available contact the NALF office.

Only qualified, properly enrolled cattle may wear LimMark tags. Producers must complete a LimMark/LimChoice kit from one of NALF’s partner PVP programs below and mail or fax it to NALF.

Guidelines and the enrollment kit are available by contacting the NALF office. Allow two weeks for tag printing and delivery.

LimMark/LimChoice Genetic Eligibility

In order to encompass the various percentages of Limousin genetics represented in different production scenarios and crossbreeding programs, the following genetic options are available to take advantage of the LimMark/LimChoice tag.

• Cattle sired by a registered Limousin or Lim-Flex bull. Each bull listed in the producer’s ownership by NALF or leased by the producer permits the enrollment of up to 50 head per calving season.
• Cattle conceived through artificial insemination (AI) by a registered Limousin or Lim-Flex bull. Each straw of semen purchased permits the enrollment of one calf.
• Cattle out of registered Limousin or Lim-Flex cows. Each cow listed in the producer ownership by NALF or leased by the Producer permits the enrollment of one calf.
• Cattle out of F1 commercial dams who are sired by a registered Limousin or Lim-Flex bull. Each bull listed as a maternal grandsire permits the enrollment of up to 25 head per calving season.
• By enrolling in LimMark/LimChoice, the producer agrees to the following:
  • All cattle enrolled in LimMark/LimChoice fit the genetic eligibility requirements listed above.
  • Only enrolled cattle will be identified by the LimMark/LimChoice tag.

LimMark/LimChoice Genetic Documentation Requirements

• If owned bulls and/or cows are used, they need to be correctly registered or transferred into the producer’s name.
• If leased bulls and/or cows are used, they need to be correctly registered or transferred into the owner’s name and proper documentation of the lease agreement must be obtained by NALF.
• If AI bulls are used, all documentation of semen purchases must be kept.
• If F1 commercial cows sired by registered bulls are used, sires need to be correctly registered or transferred into the producer’s name. Or if those F1 commercial females were purchased then a copy of genetic documentation of parentage should come from seller of cattle along with sire information that meets the requirements set forth above.

LimMark/LimChoice Source

Only cattle that are enrolled by the original owner at the ranch of origin are eligible for the program. When declaring cattle eligible for the LimMark/LimChoice program, the Producer agrees to the following conditions:

• All of the cattle enrolled in LimMark/LimChoice are owned by the Producer and came from the farm/ranch identified by the member number.
• Only eligible cattle will be identified with the LimMark/LimChoice tags.

LimMark/LimChoice Producer Profile/Agreement

Participants must complete a LimMark/LimChoice PVP kit before they enroll cattle into the program. This agreement is available upon request from the North American Limousin Foundation (NALF).

LimMark/LimChoice Program Requirements

LimMark/LimChoice program cattle must meet the genetic eligibility requirements set forth in the program requirements. The NALF office supervises the genetic documentation requirements. In order to be enrolled, all program cattle must be source and age verified by a NALF verification partner.

LimMark/LimChoice Documentation Requirements

In order to be eligible to enroll cattle in the LimMark/LimChoice program, all cattle must be accompanied by the LimMark/LimChoice producer/participant form, genetic documentation, and documents for age and source verification

LimMark Identification (Tags)

Cattle that meet the LimMark/LimChoice program requirement and have the proper documentation are identified by tagging with LimMark/LimChoice identification source tag. Only cattle that are qualified and properly enrolled in LimMark/LimChoice may be tagged with the official program ear tag. Limousin genetics are coupled with information that is submitted to the program for enrolled sets of calves. Cattle will be tagged with either the blue LimMark tag for cattle that genetically fit into Select markets, while cattle with a greater genetic predisposition for marbling will be tagged with the orange LimChoice tag.

Process Verification Programs

Participants in the LimMark/LimChoice program must be Source and Age verified through NALF’s PVP partners. The verification kit and documentation must accompany the LimMark/LimChoice Producer Profile Agreement. Access to Natural, Non-Hormone Treated Cattle (NHTC), or various other process verified programs can also be found through NALF’s PVP partner programs by filling out the Verification Kit available upon request from NALF.

NALF-Tyson Fresh Meats Announce New Limousin Grid

The North American Limousin Foundation has partnered with Tyson Fresh Meats to provide a Limousin Grid to market commodity cattle.

The North American Limousin Foundation (NALF), in an effort to further promote Limousin genetics, has teamed up with Tyson Fresh Meats to create a value-added cattle feeding pricing program. Beginning in May of 2016, Tyson is offering feeders the opportunity to market cattle on a Limousin Grid, which is designed to pay substantial premiums for conventionally fed cattle. This grid rewards cattle that excel in quality and yield grade.

The grid uses average harvest results from all Tyson plants for each week’s deliveries. The premiums are tremendous for cattle that exceed the week’s averages for Prime, CAB, and Yield Grade 1s and 2s. (Click here for example of NALF-Tyson Limousin Grid)

In the example grid, the USDA 5 Area Weekly Weighted Average Price is used as the initial starting price. Since the cattle are being compared to the weekly average results for all Tyson plants, the actual harvest averages are figured for the week with resulting premiums and discounts for the clean-up cost. The average discount total of $5.56/cwt was used to subtract the $3.88/cwt of premiums for a difference of $1.68/cwt, which is then added to the base price of $222.89/cwt for a new starting price of $224.57/cwt. The producer’s cattle are then figured against the results of the plant averages for each category and the variances are calculated for the final price.

As a result, the starting base price is adjusted upwards since the cattle are competing against all cattle harvested for the week at Tyson plants. If a set of cattle exceeds the averages for quality and yield grade while keeping discounts at a minimum, the ability to achieve an additional bonus is very apparent.

Limousin cross cattle have the ability to do well on this grid given their natural ability for yield and grade. The advantages of Limousin cattle to put a high percentage of cattle into the Yield Grade 1 and 2 categories while achieving quality grade standards when fed correctly with a moderate implant program equals premiums for the feeder.

To be eligible to be marketed on the NALF-Tyson Fresh Meats Limousin Grid, cattle must carry a Lim-Choice panel ear tag and be reported to the NALF office. For more information on this grid or other marketing opportunities through natural and NHTC programs, contact Mark Anderson, NALF executive director, at 303-220-1693 or Mark@NALF.org.

Find a member or a breeder using the Ranch Search tool on the NALF-DigitalBeef Platform.

Find a Breeder Now

Search by Herd Prefix, Member ID, or Member Name. Or you may also bring up a list of all the breeders within a state using the Search Location pull-down menu.

If you are a NALF member and you do not show up in the Ranch Search, follow these quick steps.

1. Log in to your member site on the NALF-DigitalBeef platform
2. Using the left-hand navigation menu, click on View under My Account
3. Click on the Prefs tab located in the middle of the screen.
4. Check the box next to “Allow non-members to see this profile”

Allowing commercial producers to see your ranch profile is now a free service NALF is providing to members with the switch to the NALF-DigitalBeef platform. Take advantage of this service and help potential customers find you by setting your preferences.

Limousin Today – Profit Tomorrow

Using Limousin, Lim-Flex, or Fullblood genetics today will result in profit tomorrow of greater sales from Limousin-influenced feeder cattle, replacement females, and seedstock bulls and females.