For the first time since I have been employed with the American Maine-Anjou Association (AMAA), Mother Nature threw us a curve during the week of the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) Maine-Anjou activities. The frigid weather was preceded by record amounts of snowfall in Colorado and the effect was felt by all. It was cold! However, the popularity of the Maine-Anjou breed is always a highlight of the NWSS no matter what function is going on. The week is filled with enthusiastic spectators and potential buyers. Things began on Wednesday, Jan. 10th. Sale cattle were checked in with bulls measured for scrotal circumference, hip height (to develop a frame score), weighed and ultrasounded for ribeye area and fat thickness for the benefit of the buyers. On Thursday, Jan. 11th, the sale bulls were evaluated by a panel of three judges consisting of Bob Dwyer, Roseville, Ill., Michael Daines, Innisfail, Alta., Canada and Tim Fitzgerald, West Grove, Pa. This was a tremendous group of bulls both from a phenotypical standpoint and cattle with outstanding ultrasound data. Maine-Anjou Bull Sale Another outstanding Maine-Anjou bull and female consignment sale filled the arena on Saturday night to a capacity crowd. When the last gavel fell, 75 bulls grossed $266,000 and averaged $3,546 and 33 heifers grossed $125,300 and averaged $3,797. Top selling bull was lot 10, K&A Spice 74S, a purebred son of FGJ Habanero at $17,500, consigned by K&A Farm, Blakesburg, Iowa, sold to MT Cattle Company, Hennepin, Ill. Second high selling bull was lot 39, DVMM Direct Heat, a February 2006 son of BPJV Hotline, at $15,000, consigned by Black Ace Show Cattle, Gill, Colo., sold to Dennis Moore of Alton, Ill. Third high selling bull was lot 32, CMAC Shaggy, a March 2006 son of GF Kadabra, at $12,000, consigned by Lindsey Core, Pleasantville, Iowa, sold to David Koons and Wheeler Show Cattle, Hyndamen, Pa. Other high selling bulls were consigned by Burke Show Cattle, Genoa, Neb., for $10,000, Triple S Ventures, Litchfield, Minn., for $7,500 and Core Farms, Pleasantville, Iowa, at $7,500. Even though the weather kept a number of potential buyers from coming, the sale was a great success. Thanks to those who attended and to the consignors for a great set of bulls. Champion Pen-of-Three Bulls Exhibited by Hartman & Associates, Tecumseh, Neb. Two of these bulls were sired by DCC The Man, and the other by SLC Sooner 101M. These bulls did not sell in the sale. Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three Bulls Exhibited by Hartman & Associates, Tecumseh, Neb. Two of these bulls were sired by DCC The Man and the other by SLC Sooner 101M. These bulls did not sell in the sale. Champion Pen-of-Three MaineTainer Bulls Exhibited by Griswold Cattle Company, Stillwater, Okla. Two of these bulls were sired by Cerveza and the other by Irish Whiskey.

These bulls did not sell in the sale. Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three MaineTainer Bulls Exhibited by Taylor Adamson, Cody, Neb. All three bulls were sired by Irish Whiskey and sold in the sale. People’s Choice Pen-of-Three Bulls Exhibited by DeRouchey Cattle Company, Mitchell, S.D. Champion Pen-of-Three Heifers Exhibited by DeRouchey Cattle Company, Mitchell, S.D. These heifers sold for $10,000, $10,000 and $7,500. Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three Heifers Exhibited by Redgate Cattle Company, Waynoka, Okla. All three heifers were sired by RSG Pay Off 805E. Champion Pen-of-Three MaineTainer Heifers Exhibited by Moore Cattle Company, Madill, Okla. Two of these heifers were sired by BKDJ Landmark 179 L and the other by BKRF Power House 158P. Reserve Champion Pen-of-Three MaineTainer Heifers Exhibited by Blind Badger Ranch, Ft. Morgan, Colo. This group of bred heifers were sired by Cowan’s Ali 4M, Rocking B Final Answer and EBB Strictly Business. Thank you to the consignors. It was an outstanding group of females. Class Act National Maine-Anjou Sale A total of 19 lots sold for $141,700 and an average of $7,458. High selling bull was lot 22, HAA Cross Roads 511S, a 3/4 blood bull for $50,000, consigned by Hartman and Associates, Tecumseh, Neb., sold to Twin Hills, X Bar S Cattle and Strafford MICA Cattle. Second high selling lot was Lot 7, GCC Miss Whiskey 57R, a half-blood bred heifer for $22,000, consigned by Macy Griswold, Stillwater, Okla., sold to Buck Cattle Company, Madill, Okla. BFW Abalonia 0560S, lot 9, a purebred open heifer for $6,500, consigned by Willers Mitten Brand, Norfolk, Neb., sold to Braun Show Cattle, Northwood, Iowa. Congratulations to all of the Maine-Anjou consignors for the quality of cattle you brought to Denver. The sale and the show cattle on the hill were very impressive. The positive remarks concerning the Maine-Anjou breed were complimentary all week. Commercial Marketing Awards Commercial Producer of the Year — Watson Livestock, William and Mike Watson, Hitchcock, S.D. Commercial Feedlot Producer of the Year — Poky Feeders, Inc., Scott City, Kan., co-owner and manager, Joe Morgan, Wayne Anderson and Barry Bramsted. Seedstock Producer of the Year — Green Valley Cattle Co., Dennis Garwood and family, Atkinson, Neb. Congratulations to everyone and thank you to those who were able to make the trip to Denver for the award presentation. We appreciate your involvement in the Maine-Anjou breed! Please check for additional Denver results in the Voice. National Sire Test The AMAA is seeking bulls to be nominated for the spring National Sire Test. We are fortunate to have acquired a great set of cows as  a test herd. The Maine-Anjou sire testing program is designed to provide data with the highest degree of integrity and accuracy. Your bulls, along with reference sires, will be randomly mated to a commercial test cow herd to collect the necessary data to develop carcass EPDs for your nominated herd sires. With the challenges that lie ahead in the beef industry, I feel that for continued success and growth in the cattle business, producers must collect all of the carcass data possible to help identify the superior sires to make the necessary genetic improvements to increase marketing options and overall profit. To date in the 2007 Sire Summary, we now have 103 bulls that have earned carcass EPDs. If you have an interest in testing your herd sires, please call Dave at (515) 201-3281 or John at the AMAA at (816) 431-9950. Please contact us as soon as you can. RFD-TV Broadcast The AMAA is considering another show on RFD-TV this summer. At the present time, we are considering three to four breeders to share the air time. The three shows we have produced have been extremely successful. Please contact Dave at (515) 201-03281 or John at the AMAA office as soon as possible. Promotion of your cattle is the name of the game today. The response to these shows has been remarkable. This is a great time for our breed. Commercial acceptance has been overwhelming as witnessed by all of the new faces at our sales. Evidence of this is shown by the markettopping prices producers have received for their calves from one area of the country to others. Don’t forget the “free” Web sites available to advertise your cattle and continue to promote and market your livestock as “Maine-Anjou sired”. In the last few weeks I have attended a number of sales including Lauterbachs, Black Hills Stock Show, Green Valley Cattle, Nagel Cattle Co. and DeRouchey Cattle Co. The demand for Maine-Anjou genetics has been outstanding as the sale averages have been remarkably good. Thank you and please call if I can be of help in any way. Continue to breed with Commitment and Direction!
Maines on the Move,
Dave Steen