NBA Winter Magazine_2023_

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Industry News GENOMICS PROVIDE FOUNDATION FOR QUALITY BEEF In 2017, Josef and Hilde Kranz took the decision to sell their 110 head dairy herd and move into suckler beef production. Genomic information is helping them deliver a high-quality product through three marketing channels. Josef and Hilde farm near Heinsburg in the North-Rhine Westphalia region of Germany where they now run 50 Red Angus suckler cows, with the plan to supply the gourmet sector of the market focussing on eating quality. All progeny are reared and finished on the farm, the males predominantly as bulls, but they are currently experimenting with fattening some steers. Calves are weaned at 9-10 months old and bulls are slaughtered at 17-20 months, heifers at 24 months and steers will go at 26 months. Bulls average 400kg deadweight with heifers at 320kg. Bulls gain 1.4-1.8kg/ day while steers and heifers gain 1.0-1.2kg/ day. The herd graze in the summer for around 200 days supplemented with grass silage as required. The winter diet is based on grass silage. Fattening animals are fed CCM – a corn cob mix. Josef and Hilde have developed three distinct marketing channels for their cattle. A proportion of the meat is direct marketed in mixed 10kg packs with the rest sold through a local butcher. They also sell a number of breeding animals each year. All slaughtered animals are butchered according to American cuts as they believe this increases the proportion of high value cuts as they target the barbecue market. The Tomahawk steaks are particularly popular, Josef Kranz while the excellent fat distribution in the Angus helps deliver high quality burgers. Full use is made of social media and their own website to post information about the herd to new and existing customers. This year Josef began using genomic testing to develop the herd, a technology he was using when in dairying. Miguel Becerra, Sales Executive with Neogen, the company who has launched the UKs first beef cattle genomic testing service explains that in simple terms, genomics enables you to understand the DNA of an animal, and this allows you to really assess how good they will be. “Neogen Igenity® Beef means that any beef producer can get a better understanding of their cattle, making better informed decisions about which to keep and how best to manage them. It is used by breeders to make selection decisions for breeding, management and meeting market requirements. “All UK samples are analysed at our laboratory in Scotland, ensuring rapid turnaround and full traceability throughout the process.” Josef opted for a total Igenity® Beef package of 17 commercially important traits including meat quality, daily weight gain, birth weight and calving ease and the results have guided his breeding decisions. Artificial insemination is used on heifers using bulls from all over the world, while cows are served to the farm’s own bulls. He admits the two best bulls for genetic make-up were not bulls he was expecting, and he made the decision not to breed two cows because of mediocre genetics. He believes the genomic testing has helped focus his breeding decisions to maintain meat quality and is also helping increase the value of breeding stock sales. He markets station-tested breeding bulls and one of the bulls sent to the Everswinkel beef cattle testing station tested as the best Angus bull of the year. Having a better understanding of the genetics of all the animals on the farm is helping Josef and Hilde maintain a premium market from their suckler herd by improving breeding decisions. 30 The National Beef Association Magazine | WINTER 2023
Better Breeding Based Upon Your Goals The only genomic testing technology available to provide insights on Production, Maternal and Terminal indexes. Complete • Get clear, actionable scoring on 17 maternal, performance, and carcass traits Simplified • Production, maternal, and terminal selection index options help with multi-trait selection Organised • Powerful Encompass platform assists in data visualization Igenity ® Beef Breeds supported: Angus, Red Angus, Simmental, Hereford, Limousin, Charolais, or Gelbvieh descent. Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook For more information emil us at neogengenomics@neogen.com Scan to Learn More © Neogen Corporation, 2023. Neogen and Igenity are registered trademarks of Neogen Corporation, Lansing, MI 48912 U.S.
Page 1 and 2: Winter 2023 | ISSUE 29 Regional Rou
Page 3 and 4: Contents Winter 2023 ISSUE 29 16 ED
Page 5 and 6: Working to help the livestock farme
Page 7 and 8: Unique respiratory coronavirus prot
Page 9 and 10: “With the Vector, every animal ge
Page 11 and 12: Industry News AHDB Beef & Lamb’s
Page 13 and 14: IS NOW Stay fully charged this Wint
Page 15 and 16: Molasses Blends The Essential Ingre
Page 17 and 18: choose for the Hanskamp Spider feed
Page 19 and 20: WAGYU BREEDERS ASSOCIATION APPROVED
Page 21 and 22: Industry News Buying ‘High Health
Page 23 and 24: ® Merry Christmas from all at KW!
Page 25 and 26: Industry News continue to play its
Page 27 and 28: For Feed Industry since 1964 Elensi
Page 29: Industry News • The team at Brong
Page 33 and 34: Highland | Breed Society Focus How
Page 35 and 36: BREEDING SALERS IN THE SCOTTISH BOR
Page 37 and 38: Key Appointment for the British Cha
Page 39 and 40: Breed Society News NATIONAL BEEF EV
Page 41 and 42: MELTON MOWBRAY MULTIBREED SALE - 27
Page 43 and 44: # NBA Membership Join the NBA Today

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