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[ August/September 2006 ]

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Cowboy Genetics
GENE HUNTING ON HORSEBACK —
A TRIP THROUGH THE WILD WORLD OF MOLECULAR GENETICS!
by Lana Kaiser, DVM

I was hoping for a heifer (okay, let’s face it, I am always hoping for a heifer, but this was different). When I bred the cow, I did not realize the bull was a tibial hemimeila (TH) carrier. Mid-gestation, the bull tested as a TH carrier so the calf now had a 50% chance of being a TH carrier. The way to clean up the genetic problems we currently face, as Gene McDonald from the American Shorthorn Association says, is to use clean bulls. So I tested the calf and he is a TH carrier and is now a steer. A carrier female can be managed or used as a recipient and, unless she is flushed extensively, she can be easily handled as a single individual. A carrier bull has the potential to impact a large percentage of your calf crop.

The genetic test for TH grants us the ability to make informed decisions regarding our breeding programs. Unfortunately, we do not yet have a test for pulmonary hypoplasia with anasarca (PHA). PHA, like TH, is a recessive trait. For a calf to be born with PHA, it must inherit the defective gene from both parents (Figure 1). Every time a carrier is mated to a carrier there is a 25% chance the calf will be affected and a 50% chance it will be a carrier. This means there is only a 25% chance the calf will both look normal (phenotype) and not have the defective gene (genotype). This risk occurs with every mating, like the toss of a coin. There is a 50% chance you will get heads and a 50% chance you will get tails. Therefore, your risk of having a PHA calf is 25% every time you breed a carrier to a carrier. In a theoretical herd of 100 PHA carrier cows bred to a PHA carrier bull, you would have 25 PHA calves, 50 PHA carriers and 25 normal calves. That would be a heck of a financial loss!

Figure 1: Mating a PHA carrier bull to a PHA carrier cow. Genotype shows one calf is genetically normal. Two calves will carry the defective gene for PHA and one calf will have PHA. Phenotypically, three calves will look normal at birth but two of the three will be carriers for PHA. Each time you mate two PHA carriers there is a 25% chance of having a PHA calf. Every time you mate a PHA carrier to a PHA a  carrier you have a 25% risk of having a PHA calf, a 50% risk of having a PHA carrier and a 25% chance of  having a genetically normal calf. Click figure to view larger image.

Wouldn’t it be nice to know if your animal was a carrier before you bred them? If gene hunting goes well, we may have a test by the time this article is published. How do we find the defective gene responsible for PHA?

Genetics 201
In a cow, there are 60 chromosomes. There are 29 pairs (that look alike and carry the same type of genetic information) and two sex chromosomes, either XX or XY. Half of each pair is inherited from the dam and half from the sire. The dam can only contribute an X and the sire can contribute either an X or a Y — XX is a female; XY a male. Basically, the bull determines the sex of the calf! See Figure 2 for a picture of all 60 of the cow chromosomes.

The chromosomes are located in the nucleus of the cell. Genes are located on the chromosomes in an orderly, linear fashion. One might imagine them as beads or knots on a string. For example, the genes for horn development and milk yield are on cattle chromosome 1 and are always in the same place on chromosome 1. In the cow, there are about 40,000 genes. See Figure 3 for a diagram of a cow chromosome and the genes located on it.

Genes are made of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). DNA is made of two very long chain-like molecules whose individual pieces are called nucleotides. Bases in the nucleotides stick the two chains together. There are four bases (A, C, G and T) and in genetic lingo, a C always pairs with a G and an A always pairs with a T.

Figure A is the normal DNA sequence for a region of the gene defective in ovine hereditary chondrodysplasia or Spider Lamb Syndrome (SLS). Figure B is the same sequence but the T/A base pair in the normal sequence is an A/T base pair in the sequence that causes SLS. See Figure 4 for a diagram of a DNA strand.

In the cow genome, there are over three billion bases. Each gene controls a function. For the gene to work properly, the bases must be lined up in a specific way. A change as simple as a one base for another can result in disease, as seen in the previous sequence.
If you look at the entire chromosome, you will see lots of DNA. Some of the pieces of DNA are what may be called “real genes.” They code for something specific, like coat color, polled, milk production, etc. Some of the pieces are called “markers.” Markers are like street signs, they are always in the same place and tell you where you are.

Gene hunting
Molecular genetics is a complicated field relying heavily on computer programs and high tech machines and techniques. However, you also need pedigrees, samples and in the case of livestock, people willing to take time to help obtain samples and pedigrees. Molecular genetics has its own lingo and just about everything has two or three different names! There are a couple different ways to find the gene in question depending on the genetic problem, mode of inheritance and information in the literature. Three basic ways to find the gene are using the karyotype, candidate gene and genetic mapping.

Karyotype
This technique looks at the chromosomes and compares a “normal” karyotype to one from the defective animal. In a normal karyotype, all the chromosomes are present and in pairs (except for the unpaired XY or XX) and they are not missing any pieces or have abnormal shapes. Figure 2 shows a normal bovine karyotype. If there is an abnormality, you know right away which chromosome it is on because that chromosome does not look right. A translocation (of one part of a chromosome to another) in Simmentals is responsible for reduced fertility. In the case of PHA, there is no problem with the karyotype so we have to look elsewhere to find our genetic problem.

Candidate gene
Looking for a candidate gene means you are looking for a gene known to cause a similar problem in another species. Let’s look at TH (tibial hemimelia). Phenotypically, there is a short or absent tibia so you would look for the same defect in other species. How would you find it? You would spend hours and hours searching through many computer databases looking for similar defects. Let’s say you find a mouse defect with a short tibia. You would then look for a gene in your cow similar to the mouse gene that caused the problem. Unfortunately, there is not a candidate gene for PHA so we have to look elsewhere to find our genetic defect.

Gene mapping
This technique requires multiple generations of animals and the use of molecular genetics. Basically you look for the defective gene and the marker that are inherited together from an “index” animal (the “bad apple” or the animal who originally contributed the mutation to the population). The defective gene and the marker are “linked.” You become suspicious that you have found the defective gene because you identify them in the index animal, in animals known to be carriers (because they have had a PHA calf) and in the PHA calves, but NOT in “normal” animals.

How does this work? Let’s do it in two parts, pedigree and molecular genetics. We will then try to combine them. For a pedigree to provide us with the information, we need two things, information from many generations including known carriers for the defective gene, and based on PHA calves, known carriers for the defective gene. We must also have samples from most, if not all, animals in the pedigree.
If you have mice with a recessive disease, you can breed them, breed the offspring, cross them, back breed, forward breed and in short time you have a multi-generational pedigree and all the samples you could ask for! But cattle are a little different. Not only do cows not have litters, but the nine month gestation time, the possibility of sending animals to slaughter (and being lost forever for testing) and the cattle being all over the country, make it difficult to get all the information and the samples you need. That is why many people work with mice, but not Dr. Jon Beever, he likes cows and a challenge!

Look at the sample pedigree (Figure 5). We flush Bessie to Fred and have four ET calves and one calf has PHA. We know both Fred and Bessie are PHA carriers. We keep breeding our cattle and find Mike, a direct son of Fred, is the grandsire of a PHA calf. This means Mike's son, John is a PHA carrier and the dam of the PHA calf is also a carrier. We do not know if John got the defective gene from his sire, Mike, or his dam, but since Mike’s full sib had PHA, it is suspicious Mike is a carrier and John received the defective gene from Mike. Down the road, Mike is bred to Sally and has a PHA calf. By definition, Sally is a PHA carrier. Interestingly, Sally is a great granddaughter of Fred and Bessie again suggesting Sally received the defective gene from her sire's side of the family. In order to analyze pedigrees, we need lots of information on lots of generations and based on the data we have, we can make assumptions about inheritance of the defective genes.

Mapping
Looking for a defective gene depends upon a couple of “genetic laws.” The idea here is when cells split (to form embryos and eventually baby bovines), some parts of the DNA always travel together. In normal populations, genetic traits and markers will occur in all possible combinations with the frequency of combinations determined by the frequencies of the individual genes. If a mutation in a gene causes a disease in a particular subpopulation, it almost always occurs with a particular marker. Basically, you are on a treasure hunt to find the gene that is always linked to the same marker and whenever you find that gene-marker combination, you have a calf with PHA (two copies of the gene-marker combo) or a carrier for PHA (one copy of the gene-marker combo).

Sounds simple right? Of course you are looking at thousands of pieces of DNA for the gene-marker combination. There are computer programs and databases to help with the search. Once you find the gene marker combination you think is the dirty do’er, there is a formula to determine how likely it is this combo is the result of chance versus the problem gene. This is called a lod score. The higher the lod score the better. A lod score of three tells you there is one chance out of 1,000 the gene and the marker are not linked. A lod score of eight basically tells you the gene and the marker are linked, one chance out of 100 million they aren’t. This means chances are you have found the defective gene.

Now what? You have located the gene but still must find the specific mutation causing PHA. You have narrowed the possibilities from one in three billion DNA base pairs to roughly one in 50,000. The complete DNA sequence for the gene is determined in a normal, carrier and affected animal. The DNA sequences are compared and mutations are consistent with each animals expected genotype (i.e., known PHA negative is homozygous normal, known carrier is heterozygous and the PHA affected individual is homozygous for the opposite allele as the normal individual) are documented and examined further. Each mutation you examine is another panel of DNA samples from different types of animals. All the calves with PHA should have two copies of the defective gene; all carriers should have one normal gene and one defective gene; and non-carriers should have two normal genes.

How do you make a test? First, you need samples and pedigrees as discussed above. Next, you need to validate the test. You need lots of samples for validation. You need samples from the affected calf (two defective genes), sire and dam of the calf (one normal and one defective gene) and a number of “normal” samples (no defective gene). You run all these samples to validate the test. If you get the results you expect with the validation, you have the test and you have the gene! This is exactly what happened with TH and now we have a test to identify TH carriers as well as those who are TH free (do not carry the defective gene).
[ See Figure 6 for a schematic of the test for our pedigree and Figure 7 for a picture of the TH test. ]

What do we need to develop a genetic test? First, we must have a dedicated and somewhat possessed molecular geneticist who is interested in livestock genetic disease, especially cattle. It is our good fortune to work with Dr. Jon Beever. Next, we need a dedicated and somewhat possessed cattle veterinarian who has the foresight to know when things are not quite right and follow up on them. Again, we are fortunate that Dr. Chuck Hannon is in the field. Finally, we need breeders who care about the breed and their cattle that have submitted samples and will continue to submit samples.

Genetic diseases occur in all species and all breeds. They are more likely to occur when humans make breeding decisions based on desired phenotype. In essence, we have created the problem, now we have a responsibility to fix it. Let’s provide Dr. Beever with samples and once the test is available, use it to breed the best Maine-Anjou cattle we can.

[ click on figures for larger view ]
	Figure 2: Photograph of chromosomes of the cow. There are 60 chromosomes, half inherited from the sire and half from the dam. The chromosomes are arranged in pairs (one from each parent), 1 through 29 and the X and Y. For example, the gene for coat color is located on chromosome 1-each parent contributes one gene for coat color.
	Figure 3: Schematic of bovine chromosome 5. One the right are listed the genes that have been identified. The chromosome can be thought of as a road-identified genes have a particular "street number" on the road. New genes can be identified, but like new houses being build on a road, they have to fit between known genes. The markers are like street signs, always in the same place and telling you where you are on the chromosome.
	Figure 5: Sample PHA pedigree of the bull "Fred" and the cow "Bessie." In this pedigree, squares represent bulls and circles cows. Filled in symbols show the animal was born dead with PHA. When the animal is a carrier, half the symbol is filled in. Bessie was flushed to Fred and four embryo claves resulted. One calf had PHA, therefore we know both Fred and Bessie are carriers. Three other ET calves, Mike, Joe and Bossie look normal but we do not know if they are carriers or not. Other matings occur and more calves are born. In the fourth generation, a PHA calf is again sired by a son of Mike. Interestingly , this fifth generation PHA calf has Mike's flush mate, BOssie on the dams side of the pedigree implicating Bossie as a carrier as well as Bossie's third generation son, Bill. When you have a PHA calf, you can make some assumptions about the status of the parents of the affected calf
Figure 7: Photograph demonstrating the DNA- based test for tibial hemimelia (TH). Using molecular genetic techniques, the DNA from each of ten individuals was used to determine their TH status.  Each lane (1 through 10) represents one animal. The band closer to the top of the gel (labeled TH)  is the gene for TH; the band closer to the bottom of the gel is the normal gene. Each animal inherits two genes; if both genes are normal (or both genes are TH), only one band appears because the band overlap. If the animal is a carrier, two bands appear-one TH and one normal. Animals in lanes 1, 6, and 9 are homozygous normal. Animals in lanes 2, 4, and 8 are homozygous for the TH mutation, indicating that the samples were taken from TH affected calves. Animals in lanes 3, 5, 7 and 10 possess both genes indicating they are heterozygous or carriers of the TH mutation. Figure 6: Schematic representation of what the PHA test will look like once the PHA gene is identified. This is a gel testing for PHA in cattle from our sample pedigree. Each lane is the sample for one individual (Fred, Bessie, Mike, etc.). PHA indicates the gene for PHA and Normal indicates the normal gene. An animal with one band in PHA and one band in Normal is a PHA carrier (Fred, Bessie, Mike, Bossie). An animal with one band in the Normal region has two normal genes. One the gene is identified, we can use molecular techniques to identify PHA carriers, normals (non-carriers) and PHA affected calves.

Journey = Destination We all set out on different journeys throughout our lives with different destinations in mind. Whatever the journey may be, the destination is up to you. Journeys start at a young age and continue through the rest of our lives. There will be many journeys we will face everyday in our lives. Each and every one of us has a different destination in mind and a different journey. Some may be smooth riding and some may be rocky, some may be long and some may be short; however it may be, we all end up

by Kyla Nesheim editor/director of communications

Let’s take time to focus on junior Maine-Anjou exhibitor's journeys. Many of these talented junior exhibitors start their journeys at a young age traveling to shows across the country and continue to do so for a long time. Maine-Anjou cattle will be a part of their lives for many years. While some may only travel to a handful of shows or even one show and are only involved with the breed for a short time. Whether it is one show you attend or many, youare promoting a great breed and contributing largely to the future. I'm sure you all have different destinations in mind, whether it be winning the national junior show; meeting new friends sharing the same interests; the beginning of heavy involvement within the breed; winning a local fair or your state fair; or simply being involved. You are the future of this tremendous breed and what a bright future with a talented and great group of junior exhibitors.

For many junior exhibitors, it all leads up to the "big one" the national junior show and what an
event it was this year. Maine-Anjou junior members traveled from far and wide to Wichita Falls, Texas, for a week of Texas Hold `Em. A total of 315 cattle competed for national honors and 184 kids vied for top spots in the contests. Overall, it was a great week of fun, contests and shows.

The national junior show is a time when junior members' journeys are filled with laughter, smiles, competitive streaks, new friends, family and much more. Words can't describe the feelings these exhibitors experience during the week of junior nationals. New friendships are formed, bonds with their cattle become tighter and good clean competition and fun is shared by all in attendance.

The week kicked off with an array of contests. Many exhibitors compete for the overall sweepstakes honor while others simply participate in their favorite contests, increasing their overall knowledge and abilities. The enthusiasm was high all week with excited junior members ready to get involved. The week wrapped up with the shows. The best of the best in Maine-Anjou genetics competed for national champion honors.

In my mind, these junior Maine-Anjou members are one of a kind. Their journeys have only begun, yet they have accomplished more in their young lives than most ever will throughout a lifetime. They shine in every aspect of the business and they will lead the breed in the future and there's no doubt, they will do a superb job! I truly enjoy knowing so many of you and I hope to meet many more. I enjoy and cherish the time I get to spend with the many Maine-Anjou junior exhibitors. You are a joy to be around. Your destinations will be filled with many accomplishments and high honors.

A big thanks to the Texas Maine-Anjou Association for all their hard work in preparing for this show. It was a great one! Your dedication to the breed and its junior members is appreciated by many. Congratulations to B.J. Eick, AMAA youth director, for putting together a great national junior show and also to Kristi Bishop, our summer intern, for putting up with the staff at a stressful time and for all your hard work, you are greatly appreciated. We couldn't have done it without you! And thanks to everyone who was involved in helping in any way with this great event.

The national junior show is a journey seldom forgot by the many who attend. Keep up the good work juniors and may your journeys and destinations be fulfilled to your standards. See you down the road!
 

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BOARD NOMINEES
 

REGION I Fred Nessler - Sherman, Ill. Wife, Elaine; daughters, Martha and Elizabeth; sons, Jon, Matt and Thomas Fred Nessler and his family own and operate Fancy Creek Farm.

Fred has served as both a board member and past president of the American Maine-Anjou Association (AMAA). He also served as a past president of the Illinois Maine-Anjou Association (IMAA).

Fred became involved in his family livestock operation with his grandfather when he bought his first Hampshire sow at the age of seven. Their operation grew to include Hereford cattle, 30 milk cows and Duroc and Hampshire hogs. He was president of his 4-H club and FFA chapter and also received his State Farmer degree with his swine proficiency in 1968. He received his Bachelors Degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois and his Juris Doctorate from Chicago Kent College of Law. He continued to raise cattle and hogs after graduation and bought his first Maine-Anjou cattle in 1989.

He turned to Maine-Anjou cattle after acquiring a small herd of club calf cows. His best cows were percentage and half blood Maine- Anjou. The excellent growth and disposition of their calves prompted Fred to research the Maine-Anjou breed. After learning of Maine's success in the showring and their marketability, Fred became committed to the breed.

“Maine-Anjou offer a unique combination of mothering ability, disposition and terrific growth numbers,” says Fred. “They are extremely versatile and adaptable to both the pasture and the showring.”

Fred says if the beef producing community can be properly educated about the positive attributes of Maine-Anjou cattle, their potential is unlimited.

To be economically viable, Fred says the breed must establish a solid commercial base. The breed needs to promote commercial bull sales and the sale of F1 replacement females for the commercial producer.

“Once the commercial producer has first-hand experience with the production and growth attributes of the Maine-Anjou breed, they will be return customers,” says Fred. “We must also continue to emphasize the comparison rating given to us by the showring. This lends a large plus to the breed because of their appeal to the junior club calf breeder and exhibitor. If the breed can maintain a level of consistency in commercial marketing strategies, showring success and viable production numbers, our breed can establish a dominant place in the purebred beef industry of North America.”

REGION I Ryan Mattocks - Guys Mills, Pennsylvania Wife, Lisa; son, Lucas; daughter, Emily

Ryan and Lisa Mattocks, along with their two children, Emily, seven, and Lucas, four, own Sugar Creek Cattle Company. Late in the `80s, Ryan and his brothers started using Maine-Anjou AI sires on their commercial cows to produce better 4-H projects.

“We liked the cattle so well, especially from a disposition standpoint, that we purchased our first Maine breeding stock from the late Mike McClintic in 1990,” says Ryan.

Other purchases followed from breeders like Oran Wolfe, Larry Lind and Bill Willers.

Sugar Creek Cattle Company, located two hours north of Pittsburgh, Pa., runs a small herd of 20 Maine-Anjou, MaineTainer and Angus cows. Brothers Adam, Alex and Dustin, along with their father, Larry, also raise Maine-Anjou cattle and are collectively known as Mattocks Maines. Most sales are transacted through private treaty, but Sugar Creek has been successfully marketing cattle at the Ohio Beef Expo each year.

“I believe there are many issues that challenge our breed as a whole,” says Ryan. “Certainly we as a breed need to continue to improve on our data sets and accuracies on EPDs.”

Ryan also says it is important for breeders to continue to report accurate, statistical information as well as any genetic defects they may see.

“Genetic defects, PHA in particular, need to be dealt with in a timely manner,” says Ryan. “I believe that this issue, combined with the battle we have always struggled with, 'we are only a show breed,' could be very devastating if not curtailed hastily.”

Ryan says continued improvement in birth weights, fleshing ability, structural soundness and udder quality are other issues of concern.

To elevate the perception of Maine-Anjou cattle within the beef industry, Mattocks says increased advertising to target markets to show the Maine-Anjou value would be beneficial. Additionally, continued research and data gathering would prove the Maine-Anjou value to cattlemen. Ryan believes dealing quickly with genetic defects and honestly dealing with the breeds problems.

Ryan says increased contact with larger commercial producers from the AMAA office (farm visits) would aid in selling the benefits of Maine-Anjou. “The best way to improve our breed perception still remains - every breeder doing a better job of telling our story — telling of the Maine-Anjou benefits,” says Ryan.

“The Maine-Anjou breed has many positive qualities that we can offer the commercial cattle industry. Working together as an association, with every breeder doing their part, we can overcome the obstacles that challenge us today for a better breed in the future.”

REGION II Marty Van Vliet - Otley, Iowa Wife, Teresa; daughters, Chloe and Cada

Marty Van Vliet farms 2,000 acres of row crops and runs approximately 125 cows with his father, Tom. He got his start in the Maine-Anjou breed in 1980 with a purchase from Flying Dutchman Ranch. The Van Vliet’s have exhibited cattle throughout the U.S. and Canada. Their highlights include grand champions in Denver, Kansas City, Houston and Canada’s Agribition. They also raised the 1998 Gold Standard Grand Champion bull in Denver and have been recognized as AMAA National Breeder of the Year.

When asked what important issues face the breed, Marty replied, “First and foremost, the genetic disorder problem needs to be addressed and dealt with so we can continue to tackle our goal of a greater share of the commercial market.”

Marty also says getting more hard data for the breed's EPD records is a must to stay even with competitors for bull buyers. He also says Maine- Anjou breeders need to help producers identify their markets and to successfully fit into their market.

To elevate the perception of the Maine-Anjou breed in today’s beef industry, Marty believes in taking a positive informational approach to the immediate problems and dealing with them quickly. He also believes in continued breed promotion with emphasis on data collected. Marty says the breed should continue to work to make cattle more uniform and to market Maine-Anjou with high integrity both at high profile events and at home.

REGION III Mark Beauprez - Byers, Colo. Wife, Lisa; son, Nicholas; daughter, Megan

Mark Beauprez was raised on a livestock farm in eastern Colorado. He started buying Maine cross cows for his 4-H projects. He was pleased with their performance and started his own purebred herd. Mark has traveled across the U.S. and Canada to promote and show Maine-Anjou cattle.

Mark says the most important issue facing the breed is PHA and determining how future progeny will affected by this issue. Additional concerns for Mark are continued work toward establishing a solid commercial market as well as emphasizing the importance of performance data to other Maine-Anjou breeders.

“We need to emphasize the strong maternal traits of the breed and continue improving the quality of beef,” says Mark. “The public only hears about the negative factors of the beef industry and it’s our responsibility as a breed association to promote the positives of the beef industry.”
 

AT-LARGE Jerry Adamson - Cody, Neb. Wife, Delores; Todd; son, Taylor; daughter, Tonya and son-in-law, Eric Stover

Jerry Adamson runs a family ranch operation in Cody, Neb. Rocking J Ranch has been ran by five generations of the Adamson family. Most of the 2,500 cows ran on four ranches at Rocking J have Maine-Anjou influence. 2006 will mark Rocking J’s 34th annual club calf sale. In the past ten years, Rocking J has raised steers that have won Ak-Sar-Ben, Illinois State Fair, Iowa State Fair and Indiana State Fair.

Jerry has served 16 years on the local high school board of directors. He is a director for their local bank and president of the rural fire district. Jerry will commence his second term as Cherry County Commissioner in January. He is a past Nebraska cattlemen of the year and is the only Nebraskan to have been selected Commercial Cattleman of the Year by the Beef Improvement Federation.

Jerry says the most important issue facing the Maine-Anjou breed is continued development of commercial acceptance of the breed.
 
“The breed needs to continue to improve carcass traits and make cattle ‘user friendly’,” says Jerry.

He says continued selection to make cattle moderate framed, easy-fleshing, polled, black and good dispositioned while moderating birth weights will help the breed's commercial acceptability.

“Our new generation of commercial cattlemen do not possess the cowboy skills the past generations did, nor are they willing to devote time to their cow herds as their forefathers did,” says Jerry.

To elevate the perception of the Maine-Anjou breed within the beef industry, Jerry believes educating commercial cattlemen on the breed’s advantages is a must. Jerry says, “Many commercial cattlemen perceive Maines to be just show cattle. The breed needs to drive the message home that this is a misconception!”

AT-LARGE Fred DeRouchey - Mitchell, S.D. Wife, Joan; son, Jon; son, Joel and daughter-in-law, Jolene and grandchildren, James and Jenna; son Jeff and daughter-in-law, Susan

Fred DeRouchey has been raising Maine-Anjou cattle since 1993. He has a life-long passion for producing superior quality breeding stock. His business is devoted exclusively to cattle production. Fred has developed a powerful cowherd through the use of AI, embryo transfer, performance data, carcass information, EPDs and GeneStar testing for tenderness. DeRouchey Cattle Company maintains a core herd of 180 cows and 150 recipient cows. Bull and heifers are sold in their annual February bull sale and by private treaty throughout the year.

The DeRouchey’s are enthusiastic about the Maine-Anjou breed. Fred says Maine-Anjou genetics are marketable to all aspects of the cattle industry. This includes the show calf business, seedstock producers and commercial cattlemen.

“The potential for raising tremendous steers, bulls and heifers, including MaineTainer heifers is unlimited,” says Fred. “Maine's maternal traits, calm disposition and productivity are combined with balance, performance and carcass merit.”

Fred served on the AMAA Board of Directors from 1998-2004. He feels his experience on the board and acquaintances with many fellow breeders will help him provide leadership and a continued positive direction for the growth of the breed. As an AMAA director, Fred feels representing the ideas of all the Maine breeders is a priority. He will do his best to assure that you are given equal voice and opportunities whether you are a junior or adult member, whether you register one head or thousands of Maine-Anjou cattle.

Fred also believes in maintaining a strong junior program. He was awarded with the 2004 Maine Helper Award from the American Junior Maine-Anjou Association.

Fred wants to say thank you to the Maine-Anjou membership for their friendship and consideration.

INDUSTRY NEWS

Johanns Updates Cattlemen on BSE, Animal ID, Trade Issues

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns addressed members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) March 29 on several issues critical to the beef industry. The delegation of about 400 cattle producers has gathered in the nation’s capital this week for the NCBA Spring Legislative Conference.

Johanns provided an update on the case of BSE that was confirmed March 13 in an Alabama stock cow. Further examination of the cow has confirmed that it was at least ten years old. The age of the animal, along with the fact that this is only the second confirmed BSE case among over 650,000 animals tested in USDA’s enhanced BSE surveillance program, has helped reassure the public of the extremely low prevalence of BSE in the U.S.

“This clearly, clearly demonstrates the health of the U.S. herd,” Johanns said. “Americans understand this. Consumption of beef remains very strong.”

Johanns also cited a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations that found BSE cases are declining worldwide at a very rapid rate. These results are proving the effectiveness of safeguards adopted in the United States many years ago.

“You can eliminate BSE from the face of the Earth, and we’re doing it,” Johanns said.

But Johanns acknowledged the BSE case has caused concern with some key trading partners such as South Korea, which had planned to reopen its market to U.S. beef in coming weeks.

“I would be less than candid if I did not share that this is somewhat of a setback with regard to South Korea,” he said. “But not a day goes by that we are not in consultation with the South Korean government.”

Johanns said it is USDA’s objective to not only reopen the South Korean market to boneless beef soon, but also to bone-in products that have historically comprised much of the beef exported to that nation.

With regard to Japan, which reopened its market to U.S. beef in December 2005 but closed it again in January, Johanns said a meeting earlier this week with Japanese officials left him somewhat encouraged. But he shared with Japan’s ambassador to the United States that, “we are growing impatient for resumption of beef trade.”

Johanns added that the difficulty incurred when tracing the animal’s origin and history has underscored the need for a national animal identification system.

“It is critical that the U.S., like other nations, have this in their trade arsenal,” he said. “Australia is aggressively marketing traceability to gain an advantage. Competitors are out there saying, ‘We’ve got I.D. They don’t.’”

In response to a question from Utah cattleman Tim Munns, Johanns said it is still USDA’s goal to have full participation in a national identification system by 2009. But he emphasized that today the system remains voluntary, and he shares NCBA’s desire to achieve participation voluntarily, rather than by government mandate. NCBA policy calls for voluntary, market-driven participation by producers in an industry-led animal movement database that protects their confidential information.

“Our hope, which I think is the same as yours, is to bring the system along and hit the benchmarks on a voluntary basis,” Johanns said. “But I just think it’s going to be absolutely necessary. Because of the retail market and foreign competition, nobody can afford to be left behind.”

The group was also addressed by USDA Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services J.B. Penn and Chief Economist Keith Collins. Penn provided a global outlook of the progress made in restoring U.S. beef exports. He reported that Mexico is now accepting bone-in beef from the United States, and that this market is now reopened to almost all U.S. beef products. USDA is now working on an agreement that would allow U.S. producers to export breeding cattle to Mexico.

Penn expressed optimism about Russia, once the seventh-ranked market for U.S. beef and the top market for U.S. exports of beef liver. He said Russia wants entry into the World Trade Organization, and the United States has made resumption of beef trade a requirement. Penn added that China is also a market with tremendous potential, and beef trade will be an area of focus in upcoming meetings with the government of China.

Collins provided a forecast of market conditions in 2006, saying USDA expects a fairly strong year for the livestock industry. He said gross income for cattle producers may decline slightly from 2005, but should still be up approximately 30 percent from 2002.

Collins said domestic beef demand “remains robust,” citing that beef production in January and February was up 5 percent from the same period in 2005. While he noted significant progress in rebuilding overseas demand, total beef exports remain far below 2003 levels. He forecasts exports of about 900 million pounds in 2006 - 30 percent more than last year, but still down from 2.5 billion pounds in 2003.

“That’s the equivalent of 2 million head of cattle left on the table,” Collins said.
The early months of 2006 have seen a big increase in feedlot placements, especially of animals weighing less than 600 pounds. Collins attributed this in large part to drought conditions that have plagued certain regions of the country. But he added that this will probably lead to greater beef production only through the summer of 2006, not in the later months of the year. So overall, Collins was not predicting any major fluctuations for the cattle industry in 2006.

“If the rest of agriculture looked like cattle, I’d get a lot fewer phone calls,” Collins said.

U.S. Cattle Producers Debunk Proposed Dust Regulations
NCBA submits extensive comments to EPA

Members of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) are urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ditch its proposed regulation of fugitive dust. NCBA cites a lack of scientific validity, flawed assumptions regarding coarse particulate matter concentration levels, and a preponderance of technical evidence demonstrating that fugitive dust from agriculture operations presents no public health concerns. In comments submitted to the EPA this week, NBCA urged the following:

“Our members are proud of their tradition as stewards and conservators of America’s landscapes. They support dust control measures, which range from soil conservation to fugitive dust control plans, many contained in air pollution control permits or approved by air pollution control agencies. They carry out those measures every day of every year in supplying America with the food it needs.

“The preponderance of the scientific evidence continues to demonstrate that fugitive dust from cattle and other agriculture operations presents no substantial health or welfare concerns. EPA’s proposal of a coarse PM standard is not based on sound science. In fact, EPA concedes that there are powerful reasons for not adopting a coarse PM standard.

“Coarse particulate matter is dust in the wind and it falls out of the atmosphere over relatively short distances, therefore central monitor data is not representative of population exposure. Epidemiological studies that rely on monitored air quality data from central monitors that are not representative of population exposure are fundamentally flawed.

“The fugitive dusts from agriculture, are by scientific definition ‘coarse particulate matter,’ namely particles derived from ‘mechanical division’ of earthen and other materials. Fine particulate matter, on the other hand, is derived from the primary and secondary results of combustion.

“NCBA has detailed and documented the overwhelming scientific consensus on the lack of substantial health or welfare effects from such dusts over the last 30 years in the comments it has filed with EPA.”

“Because cattle and other agriculture operations control coarse PM through a variety of technology and management requirements, and rural areas are dusty by nature, little more can be done to comply other than scale back or shut down operations altogether.”

For NCBA’s full comments to EPA and links to extensive reference exhibits submitted, visit
www.hill.beef.org/coarseparticulatematter.

IN MEMORY OF STANLEY STOUT - "The Colonel"

Thursday May 4, 2006, was a long day. It was the day we laid to rest one of our true legends. It was a day that stoic ranchers and cattlemen from across the U.S. said goodbye with tears running down their cheeks to a legend in the beef industry. It was a day when the auction chant and voice of Stanley E. Stout blasted through the loud speakers one last time at the Flint Hills Rodeo Grounds in Strong City, Kan. As the memorial service to an icon in livestock auctioneers closed with the sounds of Stanley selling at the 2006 National Western Stock Show, those who had held back their tears

to that point, let the flood gates of emotion pour down their face as not a dry eye was seen when the voice of "The Colonel" ended the service.

I began setting up the P.A. system for his memorial service at about 7 a.m. on the day of Stanley's funeral. As the rain poured down on my unprepared body I looked upward and smiled and said, "Stout, you sorry SOB…you're getting me again aren't you?" It was almost like I could see that familiar twinkle in his eye in one of the rain clouds above and hear his booming voice say, "You BETCHA!" All of us who knew Stanley would agree, being the consummate practical joker, to have over 1,000 people sitting on cold aluminum bleachers in the drizzling rain, mourning his passing would be the ultimate Stout prank. Each of us would have given anything if when passing his lifeless body he would have popped up and said, "HA! Just kidding!" I'm betting I'm not the only one who thought that MIGHT be a possibility when hearing of his untimely death. "Hmm, just another Stout prank", I thought as did many others. Sadly, we were all wrong, and the man whose voice became so familiar with hundreds of successful purebred sales across this country was gone forever on April 30, 2006.
 
Stanley Stout made me better at what I do. I, not unlike many others, served as a clerk for our family's annual production sale for the past 18 or so years. This wasn't a job that I took lightly, or one that came without pressure. At the speed in which we like to run our sale, Stanley was at his best when he was going faster than slower. Any of those who ever sat beside him on the block knew the pressure (and pranks) that came with that seating assignment. The blind fore- arm shiver that would come from out of nowhere knocking the wind out of you, the constant verbal harassment that would follow a request to hear the buyer's number again and the sly disappearing of your one and only ink pen was a favorite prank of his. Or the rapidity in which he would speed up when he knew you were behind. It was his goal to mess you up, and then make you the subject of laughter when he let the audience know that the reason the sale was being stopped was because of your ineptitude (or computer that locked up, which he usually failed to inform the audience of). When the sale ended, I knew I had done well when Colonel would extend his hand and say, "Great job!" Compliments didn't come easy and didn't come often. When they came however, they were sincere.

Stanley Stout made the auction more exciting. He made it more interesting. There was never a dull moment when he was behind the microphone. Whether it was announcing the ring crew for the sale or thanking the women behind the complimentary lunch, Stanley was ALWAYS colorful. There wasn't a sale that Stanley called that he didn't earn every bit of his salary. He deserved every cent any of us ever paid him. He made us all money.

If there is a lesson to be learned in any of this, it is we are all on "borrowed" time. Today could be the day. Are you ready? We can only cherish the time we have and the ones we love and not hold anything back, for we really don't know what the future holds.

I do know the future will hold more sad days for us. There will be many "firsts" in the coming year. There will be that first fall sale in which Col. Stanley E. Stout won't be behind the microphone introducing the livestock press representatives. There will be that void of the familiar Christmas card that always hit our mailbox in late December. The purple neckerchief all of us loved won't be there the next time the Kansas State Wildcats go bowling. That familiar Cadillac adorning the "Eat Beef" license plate on the front won't be barreling down the road for a visit again anytime soon. It's going to be a long year of firsts.

Stanley Stout spent his lifetime making people laugh. It seems so unfair that on a rainy day in the Flint Hills of Kansas, he made us all cry. There will never be another Stout and for that we can all be somewhat thankful, but it doesn't make it easier. The emptiness and the pain that we all are feeling now can only be eased by the memories and laughter that this crazy little guy left us with. That's all we have and for those memories we should all be thankful; thankful that we were all touched in one way or another by the man that many of us just knew as "Stout".

Stout we will miss you like you will never know. Thank you for being "you" and for never changing who you were or what you were. Next spring will bring a whole new pain to endure when the sale season starts up again. You were one of a kind. You BETCHA!

— Garth Gardiner, Gardiner Angus Ranch, Inc., Ashland, Kan.