The Angus Journal is a monthly magazine known for in-depth coverage of American Angus Association programs and services; the Angus business; herd management techniques; and advertising reflecting genetics herd philosophies.
Issue link: http://angusjournal.epubxp.com/i/435083
132 n ANGUSJournal n January 2015 What are your customers looking for and how do you meet those needs? We market our females to those looking for junior show heifers and individuals looking for donor prospects to incorporate into their seedstock programs. We market our bulls to commercial cattlemen and have also raised a few AI sires over the years. Our customers seem to truly appreciate the history of our cow herd. Seedstock or commercial, our customers like the success stories that the base of our cow herd and their calves have had in the showring. This gives them proof that they are purchasing a line of quality genetics. To this day I am very happy with the cow herd I have had and currently maintain. Our trait selection has proven itself successful in both the salering and the showring, but, most importantly, happy customers representing many realms of the industry. Chris Throne Operation: Throne Stock Farm Location: Lexington, Ga. Year attended BLI: 2011 Tell me about your operation. My grandfather, Billy King, started his Angus herd in 1967. It was Irvington Farms at that point. Prior to that, he and his father operated the largest Holstein herd east of the Mississippi but sold out in 1967. Dr. A.V. Bartenslager from Virginia, who was his veterinarian, convinced him to get Angus cows and helped him select the foundation cows. In 1985, he helped me start my own herd while I was working for him. In 2008, due to his health, we dispersed his cows and I continued with our operation. At Irvington, we were managing about 300 cows and selling 60-70 bulls. I still have customers from Florida and Alabama who buy some bulls from me. I keep about 50 head of registered cows and 20 commercial cows to put ET (embryo transfer) eggs in. I usually sell about 10 bulls private treaty. What are your criteria for choosing breeding stock and what tools do you use? AI sires are chosen based on how they will complement the program. High- accuracy sires with daughters in production are preferred. For herd sires, we consider the top third of our bulls based on their pedigrees, dams and structure. We look for consistency more than anything. Background factors — pedigrees — matter. We really look at dam performance in this environment. For females, we do try to grow as many replacements as we can and look at their performance at breeding. We don't cull as hard early on the heifers; that happens farther down the road. We retain about the top 80%, and we let the late-bred females sort themselves out. We are also trying to build a few more numbers to get the cow herd back to where it needs to be. The females that don't perform up to snuff, those leave the operation. We treat all of our females like commercial cows; they aren't babied along. The cows need to thrive in this environment. If they can survive here, they can survive just about anywhere. We haven't used DNA technology up to this point. We focus on maternal EPDs, but stay away from extremes. The EPDs are used as a check, but not a high priority. We do look at the cow energy value index ($EN), and $W is also becoming a consideration. We must keep all of the traits in moderation because of our environmental limits. We don't look for too much milk or growth because those cows tend to have higher maintenance requirements. What are your customers looking for and how do you meet those needs? Our customers want cattle that can perform in this part of the country. Most guys are looking for calving-ease bulls. A lot of them are part-time ranching customers, so they generally look for a low-birth-weight/ high-calving-ease bull. The beef value index ($B) doesn't fit with our breeding program because it's a terminal index. It's hardest to be in the middle of the road, but I've found over the years that it's a good place to be. I make sure to keep milk EPDs in line. If they have more than 25 in the milk EPD, that can mean too much maintenance in this environment. Eighty pounds of yearling weight is what I feel is the upper end for our resources. I won't sell a bull I wouldn't consider keeping myself. I make sure these bulls are out of reliable maternal lines and good cows. I'm an equal-opportunity culler. Any animals that don't meet expectations are removed. We ultrasound the bulls as yearlings and give each a breeding soundness exam. We hold on to the bulls until we can get all the information on them. We have customers across the spectrum. Some are clued into the numbers; others pick them from visual appraisal alone. That's why I like selling by private treaty; it's a more one- on-one situation. Editor's Note: Funded by the Angus Foundation, BLI provides Association members ages 25-45 the opportunity to network with their fellow peers in the breed, while learning more about the organization and the beef industry as a whole. Hosted in June, the event includes time at the American Angus Association and an industry tour spotlighting different segments of the beef industry. Applications to attend the 2015 BLI June 22-25 are due March 2. Download an application at www.angusfoundation.org/Fdn/ Files/2015BLIApplication.pdf or call the Events & Education Department at 816-383-5100 for more information. Genetic Selection Q&A; CONTINUED FROM PAGE 130 @ Chris Throne, Throne Stock Farm, Lexington, Ga., says breeding for environment and consis- tency are his major goals.