EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
by Mark Anderson Executive Director North American Limousin Foundation
Disruption to businesses and modifications to a normal way of
life continue to be the norm as we end the year and begin 2021 as Covid-19 continues to impact our lives . At the time of this writing , NALF is planning on conducting its annual meeting , shows , Genetics on Ice Fundraiser for NALJA , and the National Limousin Sale at the Cattlemen ’ s Congress in Oklahoma City in early January .
Hopefully by the time you are reading this , we are able to be in Oklahoma City to conduct all of these events that are important to our membership , but also vital to NALJA as the GOI fundraiser and CornerPost events are critical to the juniors annual budget for the upcoming year . You will be able to participate in all these events both in person and online due to the situation with Covid .
This year , the GOI fundraiser will be structured a little different — all to the benefit of the junior association — due to the foresight of Ken Holloway . With the final All-American Futurity conducted last summer in West Monroe , Louisiana , Mr . Holloway came up with the idea to discontinue the historical annual show and divert those portions of the funds that were used to finance the All-American Limousin Futurity . Instead , those funds will be applied directly to scholarships to champions and award winners at the annual NJLSC each year .
This amounts to $ 16,000 earmarked and divided up between 16 champion award winners each year at the NJLSC ranging in value from $ 500- $ 2,500 . Scholarship money will be held in an interest bearing account until recipient / winner complete educational requirements , basically one semester or six months in college or career tech school with satisfactory grades . Military service will also qualify for scholarship proceeds .
Although the All-American Limousin Futurity will be missed , the Genetics On Ice fundraiser has been , and will continue to be vital to funding the junior association into the future thanks to the foresight of Ken Holloway and his family . We are very grateful for Ken ’ s contributions , hard work and the many years that have benefited countless junior youth that have grown to be leaders in agriculture and business throughout the country !
NALF has also had some very positive advancements concerning its National Cattle Evaluation conducted through IGS . Adjustments through the second half of 2020 benefited our EPDs for both Limousin and Lim-Flex ® cattle rather dramatically . In mid-August , the milk EPD was adjusted for all participating IGS cooperators which resulted in an improved milk EPD , particularly on high growth sires that were positive to the milk EPD for many of our sires within the NALF herdbook .
Maybe the most exciting and positive adjustments for Limousin cattle EPDs came in early November . After several Beta runs by IGS during the fall , carcass traits where positively impacted with the switch to IGS incorporating updated USMARC data for carcass traits into the IGS National Cattle Evaluation . Positive impacts occurred to both the marbling and carcass weight EPD as a result of this change .
Limousin and Lim-Flex ® cattle improved on average between . 15 - . 20 on the marbling EPD with this switch . Carcass weight EPD averages improved 3-4 pounds . This change moved the Purebred Limousin classifications much closer to the “ zero ” line on the marbling EPD and Lim-Flex ® classification ’ s improved dramatically as well . Previously the average marbling EPD for the hybrid was running near . 05 . With the switch , active LF sires are now running at . 18 and LF Non Parents are at . 20 .
These improvements came with only slight declines in average ribeye , backfat and yield grade EPDs which Limousin cattle are known for throughout the business . Combined with the breed ’ s superior maternal traits , weight traits , and enhanced docility , Limousin EPDs have never looked better across the board ! This is a credit to the breeders and membership who have continued to mate cattle that not only excel genetically , but can contribute dramatically to the commercial cattle business .
The next enhancement to our EPDs should be incorporated into the NCE around mid-December thanks to Wulf Cattle and other NALF members . After months of work and beta runs at IGS , nearly 46,000 head of carcass records of Wulf BeefBuilder cattle will be included into the production run at IGS . This will not only increase accuracy of many sires and their related progeny on carcass traits throughout the herdbook , but is a leap forward toward capturing actual slaughter data at the packing house for carcass weight , marbling , ribeye , backfat and yield grade phenotypes on pedigree traceable cattle . This will put NALF at the forefront of capturing actual carcass phenotypes among breed associations throughout the U . S .
NALF is blessed to have many members that are also cattle feeders within its association that have all contributed to this effort in addition to the carcass records Wulf has contributed . Hunt Limousin , Symens Bros ., Lewis Limousin , Running Creek Ranch and Lawrence Family Limousin have all contributed to this effort as well . Other members can participate in this program if they have slaughter data on their cattle . Simply contact the NALF office . This will improve progeny equivalents on carcass traits dramatically over time similar to those of weight trait data over time .
I would close by saying thank you to the NALF membership and the NALF board for your dedication to the breed over this past year . NALF will close the year with not only positive financials , but improvements to the National Cattle Evaluation , programs , tools and services offered
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12 • JANUARY 2021