January, 10 2016

Dear Cattlemen and Women,

As I look at the 2016 colander I am amazed at how fast time seems to pass the older I get. In many ways it’s good to take 2015 off the wall, not dwelling on that year’s record, dry, heat and fire, but as we in the cattle business all know it is one of long endurance and perseverance that got us here. True to its legacy your Ranch is of a long term commitment likely multi generational. As did our fathers and grandfathers before us, we too shall overcome the hardships of nature in order to pass it on to future generations. The adaptations and adjustments in how the ranch is managed will become the foundation and guideline of the future. Be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished and make the most of what is put before you.

Another season begins another calf crop on the way. We anxiously await the arrival of the new calves with high anticipation of genetic progress through last year’s bull purchases. More likely than not, through genetic selection we will all have made decisions that will add value to the calf crop for years to come.

The cattle market seems to be less stable the last two months than previously predicted. Several things have contributed to the lower demand the data shows that feedlot numbers are still low. Heifer placements are behind steers however so the herd re build is well on its way. Cattle feeders struggle to make up for losses due to the record price paid for calves in early 2015 and late 2014. In the end the ones left in the business will be those who purchased calves with added value bred into those cattle and were able to take advantage of premium markets with incentives to high grading high yielding cattle. Red Angus is now well known for their ability to genetically add value to those feeder cattle.

Value added Programs – Just yesterday at the 2016 Annual Red Angus Brain Trust in Denver CO. President Kim Ford announced the acquisition of the controlling interest of Top Dollar Angus. Developed by Mr. Tom Brink as a marketing tool to bring higher premiums to producers who can genetically identify superiority in their calves for higher carcass merit and growth potential. To qualify for the program the sires of the feeder cattle you are marketing, need to be identified and the combined average Grid Master Index from the RAAA Epd read out must be in the top 25 percentile. These sires can be of any breed which will allow your cross bred calves to qualify. Backing the now two year old program is a sizable list of feedlots and cattle buyers who are looking for these high performance cattle and are paying as much as $7.00 per cwt premium.

As with adaptation and program modification brought about by nature, we also must continue to monitor and analyze the way we do business. This includes marketing the calf crop, for more information on Top Dollar Angus and other marketing tools, contact RAAA Marketing team at 1-940-387-3502 or give us a call.

We will once again be offering for sale Friday March 18 a new next generation set of Red Angus Bulls. Bulls with bred in Genetic Merit for siring calves to meet the qualifications for added value marketing programs such as Top Dollar Angus. The Sale will follow last year’s format via live auction. The bulls will be on display at the Bull Development Yard here on the Ranch, Pre photographed and videoed and sold by lot number in the indoor sale ring. The bulls will be viewed on TV screens during the auction and also broadcast via internet. Log on to DVAuction.com and register as a buyer for your convenience of bidding on line from your home. We offer sight unseen guarantee and free delivery within surrounding States of Idaho.

Catalogs will be mailed by late February and can be viewed online by March 1 at www.woodvbarxranch.com or DVAuction.com

Stop by anytime to look through the bulls and let us help you find the best match for your program.

Sincerely,

Leonard, Naomi and Family