Mark Nelson will be leaving his post as the executive vice president December 31st. In his goodbye he challenged the members. His second point was one that should be a part of every breeder of every breeds daily goals: "I encourage all of you to be responsible breeders. Sell only what you believe to be functional, problem-free cattle and then stand behind them. Many of you already practice this, but a few of you don't."
We all know that to be true!
Unless one is really going to be good, I take them to the sale barn. I took my only one to test positive to PHA to a feed lot. I do not want to sell seed stock that will not work. If a bull has a problem, I will not have him tested or guarantee him. The same is true of a cow. I tell them don't test her send her to hamburger haven.
When there was not a test for PHA, I really considered going with the Braunvieh cattle, as their goals were similar to mine. One thing that really bothers me, is getting catalogues and sales ads from people who know that certain bulls are carriers and there is no mention of PHA or TH. I have a heifer that is out of a carrier bull, but she tested clean. She has lots of hair, had style as calf, but she can't milk much more than a gnat. To a person raising beef, that is a problem. They might look good in the show ring but if they produce East Texas pine-knots, they are futile to the industry. The same is true of slow breeders, weak at birth calves, quick growers that will not flesh-en up(you cannot eat a bone sandwich), crippled, honorary critters that reproduce those qualities (?).
I know some who have been in the Maine association who are now in the BAA. Some had dirty cattle, some got burned with dirty bulls, and some just wanted a better product from the crossing of the Maines and Braunviehs.
The new BAA executive vice president will be Ronald Bolze Jr. At one time he was associated with the ASA as the executive secretary. More recently he has been working with the Red Angus Association of America. I think he was one of the ones who helped push the TH research and marking the bulls responsible for the problem with the ASA. I hope he will do a great job with the BAA.
We all know that to be true!
Unless one is really going to be good, I take them to the sale barn. I took my only one to test positive to PHA to a feed lot. I do not want to sell seed stock that will not work. If a bull has a problem, I will not have him tested or guarantee him. The same is true of a cow. I tell them don't test her send her to hamburger haven.
When there was not a test for PHA, I really considered going with the Braunvieh cattle, as their goals were similar to mine. One thing that really bothers me, is getting catalogues and sales ads from people who know that certain bulls are carriers and there is no mention of PHA or TH. I have a heifer that is out of a carrier bull, but she tested clean. She has lots of hair, had style as calf, but she can't milk much more than a gnat. To a person raising beef, that is a problem. They might look good in the show ring but if they produce East Texas pine-knots, they are futile to the industry. The same is true of slow breeders, weak at birth calves, quick growers that will not flesh-en up(you cannot eat a bone sandwich), crippled, honorary critters that reproduce those qualities (?).
I know some who have been in the Maine association who are now in the BAA. Some had dirty cattle, some got burned with dirty bulls, and some just wanted a better product from the crossing of the Maines and Braunviehs.
The new BAA executive vice president will be Ronald Bolze Jr. At one time he was associated with the ASA as the executive secretary. More recently he has been working with the Red Angus Association of America. I think he was one of the ones who helped push the TH research and marking the bulls responsible for the problem with the ASA. I hope he will do a great job with the BAA.
