Executive Summary
A Successful Summer
By Mark Anderson, NALF executive director
17 days in July marked the 50th
Anniversary year for the North
American Limousin Foundation.
Thanks to a tremendous effort
by the Colorado Limousin
Association, “Christmas in July”
was an event to remember
due to the hard work put in by
all members of the Colorado
Limousin Association. A special
thanks to the committee chairs
over the past two years of
fundraising and planning for
the event. Kevin Ochsner, Mat
Lewis and Cassidy Woodard and
their committee put in countless
hours prepping and planning
for this year’s showcase for the
junior membership. We are also
proud of the junior board for
their efforts during the week
at the event and the effort
they put into Genetics on Ice
gathering quality lots to raise
additional funds this year for
the junior association. None of
this would be possible without
all the support of Limousin
breeders and companies that
donated generously to sponsor
a quality event for the junior
membership and their families.
The conclusion of the junior
nationals also marked the start
of the International Limousin
Congress over the next 10 days.
International Limousin breeders
from the countries of Ireland,
Canada, France, Sweden,
8 | SEPTEMBER 2018
Scotland, New Caledonia,
Germany, Columbia, Estonia,
Australia, United Kingdom and
the United States attended the
10 day tour of U.S. Limousin
seedstock production here in
the states. Ranch tours were
graciously hosted by Ochsner
Limousin, Magness Land &
Cattle, Running Creek Ranch,
and Fillmore Limousin Ranch.
Attendees were able to see
a wide variety in cattle and
production practices in these
operations of both Limousin
and Lim-Flex® cattle on the
front range of Colorado. Thank
you to our hosting ranches in
addition to our Title Sponsor,
Alltech® (Hubbard Feeds®,
Show-Rite®, and Crystalyx®).
We would also like to thank
our Gold Sponsor Neogen®/
GeneSeek, who also sponsored
the Technical Day in Colorado
Springs. The technical session
helped foreign visitors
understand the demands
of the U.S. consumer and
why Limousin producers are
producing the kind of Limousin
cattle that meet those demand
pull factors. Brian Bertelsen
of U.S. Premium Beef, Kenny
Stauffer with Neogen®/
GeneSeek, were on the panel
discussion moderated by
Brett Spader of NCBE to give
folks insight why the industry
is increasingly demanding
more cattle that fit the upper
2/3rds of the choice quality
grade and prime categories as
evidenced by the continued
large premiums paid in the U.S.
commercial cattle industry.
Randy Blach of Cattle-Fax
also gave an outstanding
presentation of an overview
of the U.S. cattle industry
and why U.S. producers have
focused on quality given the
current premium structure of
the U.S. cattle market along
with an excellent overview
of the ever increasing export
markets that are tremendously
helping the current price
levels in the United States.
Switching gears, the breed is
switching to the long awaited
shift to the BOLT EPD evaluation
method for weekly runs and
updates on your cattle EPDs. Yes,
there will be some base shifts on
different traits that membership
will have to get used to but
the single step method of
EPD calculation does a much
better job of representing true
Expected Progeny Differences
when combining performance
data, genomics and pedigree
information as compared to
the old Cornell software. As
you see the changes on your
cattle and get used to the base
shifts, you should be aware that