The Complete Package

The Complete
Package
Judd Ranch
First Class Mail
U.S. Postage Paid
Hiawatha, KS 66434
Permit No. 3
www.juddranchinc.com
Winter 2010
#1 Dam of Merit/Distinction
Owner, Breeder for
12 Consecutive Years
The scale-busting bull calf at side of this second-calf Judd Ranch dam is none other than Journey,
a current Judd Ranch herdsire. His full brother, 207U74, is a fall ‘08 powerhouse and sells March
6 in Judd Ranch’s 32nd Bull Sale. Stats on 207U74: 71# birth weight, 820# weaning weight and
6.24# ADG.
Why Gelbvieh? Check Out The Facts
Research conducted by the Meat Animal
Research Center, Clay Center, Neb.,
underscores the key reasons why Gelbvieh is
a wise breed of choice in commercial herds.
MARC research facts:
● Compared to Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental, Gelbvieh
sires had the highest pounds of calf weaned
per cow exposed
● Compared to Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin and Simmental, Gelbvieh also
had the highest scrotal circumference and the
earliest age at puberty among the six breeds
Judd Ranch females,
even first-calf heifers
like this one, sure know
how to raise ‘em.
No wonder Judd Ranch
is the AGA’s #1
Dam of Merit program.
● Gelbvieh had the best retail yield
percentage among the six breeds—and one
of the highest ratios of inches of rib eye per
hundred pounds of carcass weight
● Gelbvieh is also one of the few breeds
that, while showing increased genetic trends
for weaning and yearling growth, continues
to show a decreased genetic trend for birth
weight and a favorable trend for calving ease.
On the other hand, comparing the genetic
trend tables for two prominent British breeds
shows an increase in their average birth
weight EPDs since the early 1970s.
Judd Ranch is the American Gelbvieh
Association’s No. 1 Owner of Dams of Merit
and Dams of Distinction and the AGA’s No.
1 Breeder of Dams of Merit and Dams of
Distinction—and it’s the 12th consecutive
year that Judd Ranch garnered both awards. Judd Ranch earned the top owner honor
with 92 Dams of Merit/Distinction: 22 Dams
of Distinction and 70 Dams of Merit. The
ranch claiming second place had 48 honored
females—or 44 fewer honored females than
Judd Ranch.
In the Top Breeder category for AGA
Dams of Merit/Dams of Distinction, Judd
Ranch blazed the way with 102 honored
females: 24 Dams of Distinction and 78
Dams of Merit. The second-place owner had
just 48 total honored females.
“Achieving the No. 1 position as owner
and as breeder takes constant focus on an allaround cow program,” states ranch consultant
Roger Gatz of Cattlemen’s Connection.
“The American Gelbvieh Association
truly makes each female earn her Dam of
Merit or Dam of Distinction honor. The
program is not subjective; it’s objective with
each female’s performance either earning her
or not earning her a Dam of Merit or Dam of
Distinction award.”
AGA DOM/DOD Program
Only 5.5 percent of the registered females
in the Gelbvieh breed qualify for Dam of
Merit, and fewer than 1 percent—just 0.7
percent—meet the criteria for the Dam of
Distinction honor. Thus, Judd Ranch’s Dam
of Merit and Dam of Distinction females
are truly among an extremely elite group of
females.
The AGA’s Dam of Merit program
recognizes cows that meet strict selection
criteria including early puberty and
conception, regular calving intervals and
above-average weaning weights on at least
three calves while the Dam of Distinction
honor acknowledges cows that meet the
same high standards for superior, long-term
production with at least eight calves.
Dam of Merit and Dam of Distinction
females must qualify each year. Thus, earning
the No. 1 spot one year does not guarantee
a repeat performance. All depends on each
cow’s performance and the performance of
her offspring year after year.
“To be the breeder or owner of a Dam
of Merit or Dam of Distinction Gelbvieh
female is a testament to the emphasis our
breeders place on cow productivity,” said
Susan Willmon, AGA Director of Breed
Improvement. “The Gelbvieh breed offers
females with the genetics to maintain high
maternal productively, which ultimately adds
profit for beef producers in terms of more
pounds of calf per cow exposed.”
Gatz adds that 99 percent of all Gelbvieh
and Balancer bulls selling in the March 6
sale are sons or grandsons of Dams of Merit/
Dam of Distinction females and carry the
elite genetics that can help improve a herd’s
performance and longevity.
“This year’s sale bulls have tremendous
birth to growth spread—averaging 83
pounds at birth and posting an average actual
weaning weight of 841 pounds,” Gatz states.
“Judd Ranch bulls are bred true, and that
impressive birth to growth spread will be
passed on to their offspring.”
Gatz says that while Judd Ranch bull
buyers will initially appreciate the extra
pounds Judd Ranch bulls will put on their
calves, those pounds are just the beginning.
He says three years from now you’ll see the
total impact of Judd Ranch genetics when
your first Judd Ranch-sired daughters are
contributing to your herd.
“In overall economic importance, fertility
has been proven to be 10 times more
important that carcass traits and I believe
too many breeds are chasing carcass traits
and pushing fertility to the side,” Gatz states.
“For a profitable cowherd, you have to keep
a focus on fertility.
“I would challenge you to find a better
herd in the country than Judd Ranch when it
comes to fertility and teat and udder quality.”
Page 2
www.juddranchinc.com
Judd Ranch
Get to Know the Judd Ranch
Program, People
Judd Ranch is all about numbers—not number of cows but numbers related to objective
measurements. In fact, the Judd Ranch program has more than eight generations of objective
performance data that is used in decision-making. Data includes weights, rate of gain and
such plus measurements for pelvic size, scrotal circumference, frame, backfat and ribeye area.
“At Judd Ranch, every cow is viewed as a factory,” Dave tells. “It is her job to cycle, breed
and calve on a regular basis and then to raise a calf that is genetically superior to her and the
sire of her calf. She must be extremely fertile, structurally correct, have a quiet disposition
and have that all-important marketability.
“We don’t tolerate free-loaders and other females that don’t meet our stringent criteria.
They are out of here and sold for ground beef. We don’t sell our less-than-Judd-standard
animals to other cattlemen. We only sell females and bulls that are worthy of the Judd Ranch
brand.”
Almost every ranch visitor is quick to notice and comment on the herd’s amazing teat and
udder structure and their moderate frame.
“Judd Ranch has to be the No. 1 herd in the nation for teat and udder structure,” states
ranch consultant Roger Gatz of Cattlemen’s Connection.
Additional herd information about the Judd Ranch program:
● Own and manage 600-plus registered purebred Gelbvieh females, 100 recipient females,
150 Gelbvieh replacement heifers and about 30 Red Angus females. The Red Angus are used
to produce Red Angus breeding stock as well as Balancers
● Two calving seasons: Fall, mid August through mid October, and Spring, Jan. 25 to mid
March.
● 90% of females are settled AI.
● Pasture bulls are nationally known AI sires.
● 100% calf crop weaned for several consecutive years, with twins supplementing this
average.
● ET program features 15 to 20 Judd Ranch elite donors.
● Contains more Dam of Merit/Dam of Distinction females than any herd in the United
States.
Judd Ranch uses local veterinarian Dr. Larry Mages of Cottonwood Animal Hospital,
Ottawa, Kan., for day-to-day work and overall herd health management and has relied on
the consulting services of Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine for more
than 10 years for additional work.
“Being a certified negative brucellosis herd is important to us, so we turned to Kansas
State Vet Med consulting services to perform the necessary testing,” states Dave Judd. “We’re
pleased that we’ve maintained this status for every year since testing—and that’s at least four
years.”
Judd Ranch is among the progressive seedstock producers who have tested to determine
the incidence of Johne’s disease in their herd.
“Although we had not seen any cases of Johne’s in the herd, I wanted to be certain that
Johne’s disease was not unknowingly present in our herd,” Dave explains. “Every individual
Judd Ranch is a family-owned, family-run seedstock enterprise with every family member involved. The Judds include (left to right) Ashley and Brent Judd, Cindy and Dave Judd with grandchildren Lily (front) and Levi (in Dave’s arms) and Ginger and Nick Judd. Lily and Levi anxious
await the arrival of baby brother or sister around sale day.
purchasing bulls from Judd Ranch should know that their purchases are from a Johne’s
negative herd.”
Obtaining a biosecurity level for Johne’s disease was not an easy task, as it required
extensive testing and paperwork filled out and submitted to the state.
“I would estimate that fewer than 30 herds in the nation have achieved a level of security
equal to a Level 2 for Johne’s disease, and Judd Ranch has cleared all the requirements for a
Level 2 status,” explains Dr. Mike Sanderson of Kansas State University Veterinary Services.
“That says a lot about the Judd Ranch herd health program.”
Dr. Sanderson adds that Level 2 status means that all cattle three years of age and older
have been blood tested for Johne’s disease and no positive animals were found.
“Judd Ranch is definitely proactive when it comes to herd health,” Dr. Mages states. “And
that proactive stand can benefit bull buyers.”
Customers, Friends
Customer service and customer satisfaction are high on the Judd Ranch priority list.
“We want to treat those who purchase our bulls and females like we would want to be
treated,” Cindy relates. “We want people to know that they are purchasing honest cattle for
honest prices—and that those cattle carry the Judd Ranch guarantee.”
Dave quickly adds, “Judd Ranch wants to be the commercial cowman’s catalyst to an
optimum crossbreeding program. We ask that you give our bulls a try and see if they aren’t
the catalyst needed for your program.”
This newsletter is brought to you
by Judd Ranch Inc.
This beautiful Judd Ranch Dam of Merit produced a fall ‘08
son, 9U21, that sells March 6. Impressive stats on this bull:
77# birth weight coupled with a whopping 840# weaning
weight.
Dave & Cindy Judd
Nick & Ginger Judd
Brent & Ashley Judd
Pomona, KS 66076
Phone: 785/566-8371
www.juddranchinc.com
Judd Ranch
www.juddranchinc.com
Page 3
Stirling Spencer, New Mexico —
Judd Ranch Genetics Helped Him to Pay Off the Ranch in Less Time
In 1978, Stirling Spencer of Bar W
Ranch, Carrizozo, N.M., purchased the
family 45,000-acre ranch with the cattle on
it and was determined to pay off the debt
as quickly as possible. Realizing that the
quickest and least expensive way to increase
weights and get more dollars at weaning
was by crossbreeding, Stirling began using a
different breed bull on the all-Hereford herd.
“I tried several different breeds for 10
years, but I wasn’t getting the weights or
the replacement females that I wanted,”
Stirling explains. “In 1990, I focused in on
Gelbvieh because of its maternal strength
and crossbreeding advantages. I read and
read and looked hard at the programs of 15
or so Gelbvieh breeders. In the end, it was
Judd Ranch that stood out.”
After buying his first Judd Ranch bulls
and seeing their offspring, Stirling became
a strong Judd Ranch bull buyer. It wasn’t
unusual for him to purchase 10 or more
replacement bulls to add to his bull power for
his 1,000-head cowherd.
With his cowherd heavily influenced by
Judd Ranch Gelbvieh genetics, Stirling added
Red Angus bulls to his program. He says that
the combination of Judd Ranch Gelbvieh and
Red Angus proved to be the ticket. Today,
his program still centers on using Red Angus
bulls on his Gelbvieh females and Gelbvieh
bulls on his Red Angus cows.
“The ranch was paid off in just 24 years,”
Stirling states, “and Judd Ranch genetics
helped me achieve that goal. We once
weaned a 400-pound calf, and now we wean
a 650-pound calf under normal conditions.”
Ideal Cow
“What works best for us is the Gelbvieh X
Red Angus female weighing 1,150 pounds,”
Stirling states. “We expect our females to
wean a 650-pound steer calf at 205 days.
That’s not easy out here because we’ve been
dry. In 12 out of the last 14 years, our rainfall
average has been just 5.5 inches.
“A Bar W Ranch female needs to be
productive, even under hard times. She has
to milk. While she may drop below a body
score of 5, she has to take care of that calf and
wean a decent calf.”
Stirling also wants females with longevity.
“I want my females to stay productive in
the herd for 10 years,” he elaborates. “While
the typical cow in this area only stays in the
herd for 6 ½ to 8 1/2 years, we’re pushing that
longevity up through culling and genetics.
“Our females also need minimal attention.
They’re run on 45,000 to 65,000 acres, and
they have to take care of their calves. We
don’t have time to pamper or spend time
on them. Plus, we don’t want wild females.
While they can’t be pets, they can’t be wild—
and neither can their calves.
“Our females are good solid-producing
cows that are healthy and have longevity on
their side. They need to simply raise a strong
healthy heavy calf to keep me happy, and
they’re doing that.”
Stirling explains that longevity is a big
issue with him.
“The longer a female stays in the herd,
the more pounds of calf produced, and the
more I don’t have to save replacements that
I can merchandise to other producers,” he
Cowmen, this female is 12 years old. Judd Ranch fertility and longevity are unmatched—and both
fertility and longevity are highly heritable traits.
interjects.
Bar W Ranch has built quite a reputation
in the area and beyond for its Gelbvieh X Red
Angus (Balancer) replacement heifers and
commercial bulls.
“We’ve been selling replacement females
as a cash crop as weaned yearling or
18-month-olds all over the country—from
South Carolina, in the Midwest and to the
states bordering New Mexico,” Stirling
states. “We’re very stringent on the selection
of our replacements, and our Judd Ranchinfluenced female line is making a hit.
“We also supply 30-plus unregistered
commercial bulls to ranches in Arizona,
Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and New Mexico.
And, again I attribute our ability to raise indemand commercial bulls to Judd Ranch
genetics.”
Stirling adds that using Judd Ranch
genetics in his program has resulted in having
extremely “flexible” calves—calves that can
meet several different marketing points.
Which marketing point is used hinges on feed
costs, calf prices at weaning, futures, rainfall,
etc.
Bull Parameters
When Stirling attends a Judd Ranch
bull sale, he comes with a marked catalog.
His choices include easy-calving bulls
with a frame score around 6, have weaning
weight of 700 pounds, a yearling weight of
1,200 pounds and a 14-inch or larger ribeye
area. He says the fact that Judd Ranch has
accumulated so many Dam of Merit/Dam
of Distinction honors assures him that he’s
buying from a program with the fertility and
milking ability that he wants.
“Our Judd Ranch bulls and Juddinfluenced females result in calves growing
the minute they hit the ground. That’s why
we go to Judd’s: the maternal traits,” Stirling
continues. “The calves have to gain on the
same forage as their mamas and get there
quick.
“The genetics we’ve focused on through
the years mean our calves are going to wean
everything mama and grass can do. When the
calves are in the feedlot, their feed conversion
is in the high 5’s or low 6’s. When the calves
come out of the feedlot, they’re going to
finish within the parameters of today’s
industry. That calf will hang on the rail and fit
in anywhere.”
Stirling goes back in time, remembering
the fat market of the ‘90s.
“We used to feed out our cattle in a West
Texas feedlot,” Stirling adds. “During the
‘90s, we never lost a dime when the blood
shedding was going on in the industry.
“It wasn’t that I was so smart feeding the
cattle. It was the genetics, and all thanks go to
Judd Ranch genetics.”
Stirling says he has learned that he
can’t just concentrate on the bull end of the
business.
“You gotta pay attention to the maternal
side as well,” he states. “That’s why we
have Judd Ranch genetics and keep Judd
Ranch-sired females. Judd Ranch genetics is
extremely powerful on the maternal side.”
Although Bar W Ranch is extremely
happy with its cowherd, cutting back herd
numbers is now a must. Dry conditions are
forcing Stirling to cut cowherd numbers from
1,000 to 700.
“Almost everything was off the ranch from
the spring of ’05 through the late summer of
’08 due to dryness,” he states. “We had cows
spread all over New Mexico. We brought the
herd together in late ’08 but it hasn’t rain as
hoped.
“We hate to see such great females have to
go, but that’s the move we have to make.”
Despite selling down numbers, Stirling
adds that he’ll still need a few more Judd
Ranch bulls to replace older bulls.
“Judd Ranch bulls are honest bulls,
and the Judd’s are honest people,” Stirling
summarizes. “It’s good doing business with
the Judd’s because of their ethics and integrity.
They stand behind their product.“Having
gone to a lot of bull sales, I have enjoyed
watching Dave and Cindy’s boys—Nick
and Brent—helping sale day, then getting
into the business. The boys are just like their
parents—good cowmen, good people.”
Can’t attend the sale?
Join the many buyers who use Judd
Ranch’s FREE Sight Unseen Program.
Satisfaction is GUARANTEED!
Page 4
www.juddranchinc.com
Judd Ranch
“Since using Judd Ranch bulls, we’ve gained about 75 pounds
at weaning straight across the board compared to Angus or Charolais cross.
Our Judd Ranch-influenced replacement heifers breed earlier
and make excellent mothers. And you won’t find better cow people
or people in general than the Judds.”
—John Lewis, commercial cow-calf producer, Kentucky
JRI Top Secret 253M75 ET
The BEEF, BUTT & GUTS
Specialist
This Judd Ranch Dam of Merit’s maternal strength is reflected in her son, 254U86, that is nursing her. This fall ‘08 son sells March 6. His stats: 916# weaning weight, 6.15# ADG and a highly
impressive 43.6 cm yearling scrotal circumference. Now that’s fertility plus!
Balancer Bulls Combine Gelbvieh Maternal
Power with Angus/Red Angus
You have your choice of three breeds of bulls at a Judd Ranch bull sale: two purebred
breeds—Gelbvieh and Red Angus—and a registered composite crossbreed called Balancer
that is 25 percent to 75 percent Gelbvieh with the remaining percentage being either Angus or
Red Angus.
Judd Ranch Balancer bulls come with registration papers issued by the American Gelbvieh
Association. Balancer bulls combine Gelbvieh’s growth, muscle, leanness, fertility and
unequaled pounds of calf weaned per cow exposed with the calving ease and marbling of
Angus/Red Angus.
“If you’re a commercial producer with a herd of high percentage Gelbvieh or other
Continental females and want crossbred offspring, then Judd Ranch Balancer bulls or Red
Angus bulls are a great choice,” states ranch consultant Roger Gatz of Cattlemen’s Connection.
“When either breed is used on Continental females, you get the industry’s free lunch known as
hybrid vigor.
“On the other hand, if you have a herd of straight Angus or British breed cows and want to
take advantage of crossbreeding’s hybrid vigor, you should probably consider the offering of
Balancer bulls or purebred Gelbvieh bulls. Which breed you go with would depend on how
much Continental you want in your final product. Either way you will get to benefit from some
of that hybrid kick.”
Commercial cowmen using Gelbvieh bulls on Angus cows, Balancer bulls on Angus females
or Balancer bulls on high-percentage Gelbvieh females report weaning weight increases from
30 pounds per calf to 75 pounds per calf. When you spread those extra pounds across a group
of calves sired by one bull, you have a lot of “free lunch” pounds: 600 to 1,500 extra pounds
on a group of just 20 calves.
Composite breeds such as Balancers capitalize on the relative strengths of existing breeds
Angus and Gelbvieh, with documented research from the US Meat Animal Research Center
showing that composites such as Balancer offer as much consistency as using the parental
breeds separately. There is no difference between composites and purebreds for birth weight,
weaning weight, yearling weight, finished weight, percent retail product, puberty, gestation
length or scrotal size.
Dr. Harlan Ritchie, distinguished animal science professor, Michigan State University,
notes, “Hybrid genetics are successful in combining reproduction, growth and carcass traits
into simple, well-designed breeding programs for the commercial industry. The use of F1 (first
cross resulting from two purebred parents) bulls much like the Balancer program goes a long
ways towards providing a simple crossbreeding solution.”
Birthdate: 1-22-02
BW: 79#
Yrlg Ribeye: 15.0 sq.in.
WW: 739#
YW: 1,194#
Yrlg. Scrotal: 39.7 cm
Homozygous Polled Purebred - Diluter Free
● Breed Trait Leader for short Gestation Length
● Breed Trait Leader for low Birth Weight
● Breed Trait Leader for Scrotal Circumference
If the breed recognized Beef, Butt & Guts,
Top Secret would be a Trait Leader.
Top Secret sons in the ‘06 bull sale averaged
an impressive 6.29 lbs./day ADG.
Top Secret daughters are powerful producers
with super teat/udder quality.
Powerful Judd Ranch Dam of Merit cow family!
100 Top Secret sons sell March 6.
35 of the 100 are BLACK!
Sale catalog can be viewed online
at www.juddranchinc.com after Feb. 10
Judd Ranch
www.juddranchinc.com
Page 5
Can’t Attend the Sale? Try the Sight Unseen Program
While the first Saturday in March is a great
day for a bull sale at the Judd Ranch facility
near Pomona, Kan., the date is not always
the most convenient for some producers.
Other producers have no problem with the
date of the sale but find the distance between
their ranch and Judd Ranch a bit far. Either
way, Judd Ranch’s customer-satisfaction
guarantee Sight Unseen (SUS) program is a
smart answer.
The Sight Unseen program is a free
program where an assigned person represents
a SUS customer in the bleachers and does the
bidding for the customer. An assigned bidder
has a bidding number for the SUS customer,
knows the bulls wanted and knows the
maximum bid for each animal.
Never does the proxy bidder go over a
SUS customer’s maximum amount.
“Some people want just one bull and
give us just one bull to bid on,” explains
ranch consultant Roger Gatz of Cattlemen’s
Connection. “Other people want one, two,
three, four or more bulls and give us 10, 15,
20 or so to bid on. Some individuals want
just red bulls or just black bulls.
“It doesn’t matter how many bulls you
want, what color of bulls you want or how
many dollars you have to spend on a bull or
group of bulls, we’re here to work for you.”
Gatz adds that some SUS customers give
a maximum bid for each bull on their list
while others want two or three bulls and have
a total maximum amount to spend. Either
approach works.
Judd Ranch’s Sight Unseen program is
risk free.
“If a buyer doesn’t like a bull purchased at
the sale when he walks off the trailer, the bull
is loaded back on the trailer for a return trip
to Judd Ranch,” Cindy explains. “We want
every Sight Unseen customer to be a happy
customer and like their purchases from Day
1.”
Several customers have become so
satisfied with the program that they don’t
even try to attend the sale. They simply call
Gatz or the Judds, tell them how many bulls
they need, the goals of their herd and let Gatz
or the Judds even handle the selection of
what bulls to bid on.
“Heck, the bulls that have been bought
for me through the years and unloaded at
the ranch are better bulls than I could have
selected,” stated one satisfied customer from
Kentucky. “I’ve never been to Judd Ranch,
but sale bull quality must run super deep. I’m
not buying the high-dollar bulls and my bulls
have been pretty impressive.”
Satisfied Customers
Gaylon Metcalf of Bullard, Texas, first
tried out the Sight Unseen program five years
ago. He was so completely satisfied with his
first experience that he became a repeat SUS
buyer in the ’09 bull sale.
“My dad and I were both needing bulls
and decided to try Gelbvieh five years ago,”
Gaylon states. “We liked what we read and
had heard about Judd Ranch, so wanted Judd
Ranch bulls. We decided to use the Sight
Unseen program because neither of us could
make the Judd Ranch bull sale. Plus it’s 650
miles from our place in Texas to Judd Ranch.
“What a smart move it was to use the
Sight Unseen program. Besides I knew I
wasn’t risking anything buying a bull without
seeing it first because Dave had told me that I
could put the bulls purchased for me back on
the trailer when they arrived at my ranch if I
didn’t like the bulls.”
Gaylon says he was “really surprised”
when his first two SUS purchases came off
the trailer five years ago.
“I liked ‘em,” he states. “They were even
better than I thought they would be. And I
was pleased that both bulls were purchased
for less money than I gave the guys as a
cutoff.”
The two bulls purchased by Gaylon and
his father were put on Brangus cows as well
as Beefmaster cows. The goal was to increase
weaning weights and for each herd to end up
with 10 to 12 heifers as replacements. The
pair didn’t want just any replacement heifers.
They wanted to increase the quality of their
replacement heifers focusing in on fertility
and milking ability.
“Boy did the two bulls give us what we
wanted,” he tells. “Our calves were the
right size at birth and our weaning weights
increased significantly. We have calves easily
hitting 675 pounds with no creep.
“And our Judd Ranch-sired heifers are
mighty fine. The heifers are real fertile, give
milk like crazy and have real nice small teats.
They’re not a real big cow—weighing 1,150
to 1,200 pounds—and that’s the right size for
me.”
In ’09 Gaylon bought another bull using
the SUS program. This time he wanted a red
Balancer to use on his Gelbvieh-influenced
females. Again, he says he was super happy
when the bull walked off the trailer. This
bull, too, was a keeper—and he got the bull
for $400 less than he was willing to pay for it.
Brian Miller of Lenox, Iowa, is a Judd
Ranch bull buyer who couldn’t make the ’09
sale but knew that he wanted another Judd
Ranch bull. His choice was a red, polled
purebred Top Secret son that had been a
member of the ‘09 National Western Stock
Show Pen of 3 Champions.
“This was a super stout bull that would
work really well in Brian’s program,” Gatz
states. “I was hoping that the money Brian
gave us would get the bull for him—and it
did. In fact, he got the bull for $900 less than
what he was willing to pay for the bull.”
When the dust had cleared and all bulls
had been sold, Brian’s bull was also $500
less than the sale average—“and he was
among my top picks,” Gatz adds.
The first bull Chris Harral of Springdale,
Ark., purchased from Judd Ranch was
purchased using the Sight Unseen program.
“My neighbor used Judd Ranch bulls,
and I really liked his calves,” Chris states.
“When I couldn’t make it to the sale, I called
Roger of Cattlemen’s Connection, described
my herd to him and explained what I was
looking for in a bull.
“Roger took the lead and brought several
bulls to my attention that he thought would
work. I told him to get one of those bulls for
me and gave him a dollar amount that I didn’t
want exceeded.”
Chris’ proxy SUS bidder ended up with
one of the designated bulls under the max
dollar amount, and that bull was hauled to
Arkansas.
“I loved the bull the minute he stepped off
the trailer,” Chris states. “And the longer he
was on the place, the more I loved him. My
Judd Ranch bulls are superb.”
Chris has since purchased more Judd
Ranch bulls.
A search for a “really good red purebred
Gelbvieh bull” to use on Red Angus
commercial cows led Eric Hansen, Hansen
77 Ranch LLC, North Platte, Neb., to Judd
Ranch two years ago. Eric, who has been
producing Gelbvieh X Red Angus Balancers
for close to 20 years, said he wanted a
particular type of bull, found several that fit
his parameters at the Judd Ranch offering
and ended up buying a bull among his list.
“But when I needed a bull last year, I
really didn’t want to drive the 20 hours
(Continued on Page 14)
Five-time honored JR Dam of Merit grazes with her powerful bull calf. This female’s fall
‘08 son, 270U75, sells. His stats: calving ease 74# BW, 852# WW, 1,244# YW and 6.29#
ADG.
Brent and Ashley Judd head to the pastures
in typical Judd Ranch fashion—on horseback.
Page 6
www.juddranchinc.com
Judd Ranch
“Last year was our first time to attend the Judd Ranch sale, and
we were impressed with the thickness and overall quality of the sale bulls.
We were pleased—but not surprised—that they had so many top quality bulls.
The bull we bought was a really good looking bull sale day,
and he’s still a really good looking bull nearly a year later.”—
Billy Fisher,
commercial cowman, Battleboro, N.C.
JRI Extra Exposure 285L71 ET
Homozygous Polled Purebred
A beef machine bull calf stays beside his second-calf Judd Ranch Dam of Merit. His dam’s fall
‘08 son, 207U63, sells March 6 and has wide spread growth, going from 77# at birth to 860# at
weaning.
Alan Beisner, Kansas—
Come a Long Ways in 9 Years
“I’ve come a long ways since using Judd
Ranch bulls,” states commercial cowman
Alan Beisner of Alton, Kan. “The average
weaning weight of my calves has jumped
100 to 125 pounds. Plus, those calves keep
gaining like crazy after they’re weaned.
“The overall quality of my cowherd has
also improved. I have more milk in my herd,
and those Judd Ranch-influenced females are
making some really good mother cows.”
Alan, who runs about 200 red Gelbvieh
and Red Angus cows, bought his first Judd
Ranch bulls in 2000.
“I initially paid more money that I wanted to,
but I’m now glad that I did to get the bulls I
wanted. Those bulls have really changed my
cowherd. They were one smart investment.
“And that’s why I keep returning to Judd
Ranch for more bulls.”
Alan prefers moderate-framed bulls with butt, guts and nuts. He likes his bulls
polled, dark red and with a docile temperament.
He also zeroes in on calving ease and birth
weight.
He likes to buy bulls with a birth weight of
70 pounds or less to use on heifers and 75 to
80 pounds to use on cows.
This commercial cowman says he started
buying Gelbvieh at Judd Ranch because
he wanted the extra milk and the other
advantages of the Gelbvieh female. Through
the years, he’s added enough Gelbvieh to his
cowherd that he now is buying Judd Ranch
Red Angus bulls. J u d d
Ranch Red Angus bulls go on the Gelbvieh
cows and vice versa. Either way, he gets a
dark red calf.
“I’m not a big fan of black,” he adds. “In
my part of the country, really good dark red
calves are in demand as much as or more than
black calves.”
Alan typically weans his spring-born
calves the middle of October, then markets
them in early December at a livestock auction.
Last year, 30 of his big dark red calves sold
the same day as lots of black calves. When
the sale wrapped up, Alan’s 30 head brought
$30 a head more than the blacks.
“A buyer from Nebraska found my calves
and wanted them,” Alan explains. “When I
talked to him, he said his first choice of calves
is Gelbvieh X Red Angus calves.
“I’ve already talked to the buyer this year,
and he’s wanting to know when my calves
are going to the sale barn.”
The weight of Alan’s Gelbvieh X Red
Angus calves in early December: 800 pounds.
“If you would have asked me 10 years
ago if my herd would produce that weight of
calves, I wouldn’t have thought it possible,”
he states. “I’m sure glad I started buying Judd
Ranch bulls.
“One year I bought six bulls: two for me,
two for my dad and two for a neighbor. Once
people see the offspring of a Judd Ranch bull,
they want one too.”
Alan says he appreciates the Judd Ranch
family as much as he appreciates what Judd
Ranch genetics have added to his herd.
“I trust what they say,” Alan states. “And
I’m talking every one of them—Dave, Cindy,
Nick and Brent. They are super nice, downto-earth people who want you to be satisfied
with your bulls.”
2002 National Champion Bull - The Complete Beef Package
Birthdate: 2-18-01 BW: 94#
WW: 814#
YW: 1,390#
Yrlg. Ribeye Area: 15.6 sq. in.
Yrlg Scrotal: 41.5 cm
● Breed Trait Leader for Scrotal Circumference ● Top 15% of the breed for Calving Ease EPD strength
● Top 5% of the breed for Carcass Weight EPD strength
● Top 5% of the breed for Ribeye Area EPD strength
● Awesome sire line to improve teat and udder quality
Extra Exposure’s Dam
JRI Ms Polled Sweetie 285C6
1995 National Champion Female
(pictured here at 11 years of age)
28 Extra Exposure Sons
sell March 6
FREE trucking
within continental U.S.
on purchases totaling $15,000 or more.
This is convenient, door-to-door delivery.
Judd Ranch
www.juddranchinc.com
Page 7
Linebreeding Can Increase
Uniformity, Profitability
Producers who have purchased Judd
Ranch bulls usually comment about the
ranch’s bulls’ ability to breed true. This isn’t
happenstance. It is designed thanks to Judd
Ranch’s unique linebreeding program that
increases the ability of bulls to breed true.
This applies not only phenotypically but even
at the DNA level.
Geneticists explain that linebred cattle
breed truer because they possess more
homozygous or identical gene pairs and are
one of the best ways to address the No. 1
problem in our industry – carcasses that lack
uniformity and consistency. Cattle that are
not linebred and are outcrossed to a variety
of Gelbvieh lines, on the other hand, have
fewer homozygous gene pairs and more
heterozygous gene pairs or non-identical
alleles. This results in increased variation or
non-uniformity in the offspring.
“The primary benefits of linebred cattle
are uniformity and prepotency,” Dave Judd
states. “And one of our goals from the start has
been to increase uniformity and consistency.”
Additional reasons for linebreeding
include genetic purity and elimination of
genetic defects.
Geneticists point out that cattle that have
been linebred for decades have fewer genetic
defects because linebreeding brings the
defects to the surface faster, allowing them
to be identified and eliminated. If the defects
don’t exist, they don’t surface. If the defects
do exist, you know about them quicker so
bloodlines can be eliminated.
Back when many breeders were continuing
with breed giants, Judd Ranch put their
confidence in—and based their linebreeding
program on— a moderate-framed, thick bull,
Rolls Roych, that also had a huge scrotal
circumference and lots of beef. Judd Ranch’s
linebreeding program advanced with Partner,
a Rolls Roych son; Grand Prix, another Rolls
Roych son; New Trend, a Partner son and
Rolls Roych grandson; and then Freedom,
who has Rolls Roych in his pedigree. The
Judd program also includes Free Agent, a
Freedom son; and Top Secret, a Free Agent
son.
In his book The Basis of Linebreeding,
Jim Lents writes that “linebreeding fixes and
maintains certain traits within a population of
cattle that then have the prepotency to pass
on consistently to future generations those
characteristics that have been fixed.”
Judd Ranch has been linebreeding to adjust
and maintain the various traits in its herd
and those of its customers: reproductive
efficiency, calving ease, growth and carcass
quality.
Geneticist Dr. Bob Long summed up the
value of linebreeding quite succinctly in
a “Beef Logic” column: “Inbreeding with
selection can be a powerful tool for herd and/
or breed improvement. Outstanding inbred
individuals are productive, predictable,
prepotent and the most valuable breeding
animals of all…If someone else has already
created such a strain, buy them if you can.
They are the best.”
Dr. Bob Kropp of Oklahoma State
University uses this example to illustrate the
value of purchasing a linebred Gelbvieh bull:
“If you have a set of Angus cows and use
just any Gelbvieh bull on them, your resulting
calf crop will have significant variation.
There will be good-doing calves and poordoing calves and a lot of calves in between.
“On the other hand, if you take the same set
of Angus cows and use a linebred Gelbvieh
bull on them—such as a Judd Ranch Gelbvieh
bull—you’ll have less variation from top to
bottom and more uniformity of calves.
“If I were a commercial cattlemen, I’d take
advantage of the smart seedstock producer
who knows how to linebreed and capitalize
on the superior individuals to improve my
bottomline.”
Judd Ranch introduces JRI
Pop A Top 197T83, a young
herdsire in the Judd Ranch
program. His first sons will
sell in the ‘11 sale. 197U22,
a maternal brother to Pop A
Top, sells March 6. His stats:
80# BW, 958# WW and 6.24#
ADG.
You know powerful genetics are bred in
when you see a pasture filled with firstcalf heifers such as this with her awesome, strapping big heifer calf nursing.
What Research Shows & Experts Say
“I encourage producers to think about bulls more as an investment rather than as an expense.
Think about what you can invest economically, relative to what that investment can return. The
biggest mistake I believe cow/calf producers can make is not investing in a good bull.”—Jason
Cleere, Extension Beef Cattle Specialist, Texas A&M University
“I am concerned many commercial cattle producers have abandoned crossbreeding and are
going back to straight breeding—primarily with Angus bulls because of the demand for blackhided calves. By piling generations of Angus bulls on top of one another, those producers
eventually will sacrifice the heterosis (hybrid vigor) gained through crossbreeding. It is highly
unlikely the premiums paid for black-hided calves will come close to making up for the income
sacrificed by the loss of heterosis.”—Dr. Harlan Ritchie Distinguished Professor of Animal
Science, Michigan State University
“It does not matter if you are selling your calves at weaning, as yearlings or retaining ownership
through the feedlot. You cannot afford to give up the advantages that hybrid vigor will convey
to your bottom line.”—Robert Wells, The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation
“Crossbreeding leads to increased performance without any added costs or inputs. It is one of
the few management tools that increase productivity and improve the line when properly used.
. . Crossbreeding can be a very effective tool to improve reproductive and weaning rates in beef
cattle.”—Dr. Gary Hansen, University of Florida, IFAS Extension
“Two practices are available to improve the genetics of commercial beef operations:
crossbreeding and individual bull selection, and both have very important long-term economical
impact on your herd. . .Crossbreeding should be practiced by commercial cattlemen. . .When
purchasing a bull, there are four primary characteristics that should be assessed: reproductive
soundness, structural soundness, visual evaluation and performance characteristics. . .When
selecting the right bull for your operation is achieved, the rewards will be significant.” —
Dr. Darrh Bullock, University of Kentucky
“The economic climate of today’s beef business is challenging. Commercial cow-calf producers
are faced with optimizing a number of economically important traits while simultaneously
reducing costs of production in order to remain competitive. Traits such as reproduction, growth,
maternal ability and end product merit all influence productivity and profitability of the beef
enterprise. Implementation of technologies and systems that both reduce costs and enhance
productivity is essential. One of the oldest and most fundamental principles that has a positive
influence on accomplishing these goals is crossbreeding.”—Dr. Scott P. Greiner, Virginia Tech
“Reproductive efficiency is easily the most important factor determining profitability of cowcalf operations. Improving reproductive efficiency is not an easy task, but I cannot imagine any
other area where financial rewards are greater.”—John Winder (Note: Judd Ranch bulls are
known for their superior fertility and ability to pass that trait on to their daughters. Judd Ranch
is the #1 Dam of Merit/Distinction Owner and Breeder for 12 consecutive years.)
“No breed of cattle is perfect (although a few advertisements suggest otherwise); thus
crossbreeding allows the opportunity to mix breeds to create a breed mix that is more ideal
than any of the parent breeds would have been.”—Dr. Pete Anderson, former University of
Minnesota
This black polled purebred Gelbvieh spring yearling beef machine Top Secret
son sells March 6 along with four ET full brothers. Stats on the five include 86#
BW average with a ripping 932# WW average. Yes, they have a powerful Judd
Ranch Dam of Merit donor dam.
This powerhouse spring yearling Balancer bull sold in the ‘07 sale. This
year’s 2010 Judd Ranch bull sale includes 55-plus Balancer beef machines.
ulls Sell
B
ld
o
-h
t
n
o
o 14-m
90-Plus 12- t
d Ranch
d
u
J
t
a
,
6
h
c
ar
Saturday, M
ring-Born Bulls
p
S
f
o
s
e
g
Avera
83#
Birth weight:
ight: 693#
205-day we
818#
ing weight:
0
d
Actual wean
after Feb. 1
rowth sprea
le
-g
b
o
a
-t
il
a
th
v
ir
a
b
e
ta
lete da
Awesom
st with comp
te
in
a
g
n
o
Currently
ulls
pring-born B
S
e
h
t
f
o
s
ic
tatist
Additional S
This black polled purebred Gelbvieh spring yearling meat machine is a Top Secret son that sold in the ‘09 sale. His ET full brother, 254W63, sells in this year’s
sale. Stats on the spring yearling selling: 77# BW with a scale-busting 828# WW.
olled
d)
100% are p
lled (41 hea
o
p
d
n
a
k
c
AI sires
45% are bla
r cow
reed-leading
b
y
b
tion dams o
d
c
e
n
ir
ti
s
is
D
re
f
a
o
%
m
100
erit/Da
of Dam of M
t
u
o
re
a
%
96
families
ring
rn Bull Offe
o
-b
g
n
ri
p
S
f
umbers o
Breed and N
lbvieh
urebred Ge
ed p
28 Red poll
elbvieh
purebred G
d
e
ll
o
p
k
c
la
20 B
r
lled Balance
21 Black po
r
ed Balance
13 Red poll
Red Angus
10 Purebred
ring-born Bulls
p
S
e
h
t
f
o
s
Sire
33
This black polled purebred Gelbvieh sold in the ‘08 sale, and, even as a spring yearling, he was one power-packed beef machine. This year’s sale includes 100 paternal
brothers sired by Top Secret.
Top Secret
ure - 7
Extra Expos
Top Grid - 3
t - 8
u
C
Cowboy
Journey - 3
re - 1
Full Exposu
-2
Free Agent
-2
Profit Agent
ection - 3
Morgans Dir
us - 15
Mytty in Foc
r-5
Curvebende
RA) - 3
anyon (Pb
Cherokee C
(Pb RA) - 5
Logan 210
)-2
79E (Pb RA
o
b
o
H
ic
s
a
B
Judd Ranch 32nd Gelbvieh, Red Angus & Balancer Bull Sale
Saturday, March 6 starting promptly at 1 p.m., at the ranch, Pomona, Kan.
s Sell
ll
u
B
ld
o
-h
t
n
o 19-mo
130-Plus 17 t
Ranch
d
d
u
J
t
a
,
6
arch
Saturday, M
Fall-Born Bulls
Averages of
This beef, butt and guts spring yearling sold in last year’s sale. His
beef, butt and guts brother, 53W82, sells in this year’s sale and features a highly impressive 818# weaning weight.
89% of fall 17- to 19-month-old bulls
averaged 5-plus pounds per day
on gain test!
83#
Birth weight:
ight: 695#
205-day we
7#
g weight: 85
in
n
a
e
w
l
a
tu
Ac
8#
ily gain: 5.9
Average da
e: 5.9
cm
Yearling fram
ference: 38.2
m
u
c
ir
c
l
ta
Yearling scro
q. in.
area: 12.9 s
e
y
e
b
ri
g
in
Yearl
.
ckfat: 0.08 in
a
b
)
n
a
e
(l
g
Yearlin
Bulls
the Fall-born
f
o
s
ic
t
is
t
a
t
Additional S
olled
head)
100% are p
d polled (54
n
a
k
c
la
b
ires
re
40% a
r cow
-leading AI s
d
e
re
b
tion dams o
y
c
b
n
d
ti
e
is
ir
D
s
f
o
re
a
93%
erit/Dam
of Dam of M
t
u
o
re
a
%
100
families
fering
born Bull Of
lla
F
f
o
rs
e
umb
vieh
Breed and N
rebred Gelb
ed pu
68 Red poll
lbvieh
urebred Ge
p
d
e
ll
o
p
k
c
34 Bla
r
lled Balance
20 Black po
r
ed Balance
13 Red poll
Red Angus
1 Purebred
Fall-born Bulls
Sires of the ret - 67
This meat wagon spring yearling Balancer bull sold in the ‘09 sale. His brother,
213W20, sells in this year’s sale with an 87# BW and a whopping 995# weaning
weight. Their dam is a Judd Ranch Dam of Merit female.
- 2
Profit Agent
72 - 9
anyon 176S
C
e
e
k
ro
e
h
C
ection - 6
Morgans Dir
us - 4
Mytty in Foc
r-9
Curvebende
)-1
yon (Pb RA
n
a
C
e
e
k
ro
Che
Top Sec
ure - 21
Extra Expos
- 4
Masterpiece
Jack - 3
Black Eyed
- 1
Extra 2106K
Journey - 2
- 1
Minuteman
Raven - 3
Harley - 3
To obtain a sale catalog, call Cattlemen’s Connection toll free: 1-800-743-0026.
Sale catalog will be online starting Feb. 10.
Page 10
www.juddranchinc.com
Judd Ranch
Scrotal Circumference Matters
by Dr. John Spitzer, Clemson Extension
Reproductive efficiency certainly plays a
major role in determining profit potential for
beef herds.
Since most heifers are now bred as
yearlings, age at puberty is of critical
importance to reproductive efficiency.
Although nutrition—more correctly, target
weight—plays a large role in determining
age at puberty, cattle with inherent ability to
reach puberty at earlier ages will most likely
reach puberty with less investment of feed
dollars and management effort than cattle
with a later inherent age at puberty.
Puberty in heifers is a heritable trait—
probably 30% to 40% heritable. It can, and
should, be selected for directly.
For a long time now, we have
“preached” about scrotal circumference
in bulls and relationships between scrotal
circumference and measures of male fertility.
Overwhelmingly, data indicate bulls with
large testicles produce more semen, and all
measures of semen quality improve as scrotal
circumference increases.
Additionally,
scrotal
circumference
appears to be a more accurate predictor of
when a bull reaches puberty than either age
or weight. In a study from the Meat Animal
Research Center in Nebraska, bulls reached
puberty at a fairly consistent 28cm scrotal
circumference, regardless of breed or breed
influence. In fact, age at puberty and scrotal
circumference are essentially the same trait.
Therefore, if we increase scrotal
circumference, more bulls will reach puberty
by the time they are yearlings. Fortunately,
scrotal circumference is a very heritable
trait—probably 50% to 60% heritable. Again,
scrotal circumference (puberty) in bulls can,
and should, be selected for directly.
How do these two thoughts—puberty in
heifers and scrotal circumference—relate?
In the early 1970s, studies reported in both
sheep and mice indicated that as testicular
size of a sire increased, his daughters
ovulated more eggs and both twinning rates
in sheep and litter size in mice were higher.
This really should not be surprising since the
gonads—ovaries in female and testicles in
male—are stimulated by the same hormones
and appear to be under the same genetic
control.
These studies prompted researchers in
Montana, Colorado and North Carolina
to look at relationships between scrotal
circumference in bulls and reproduction in
sisters and/or daughters.
While the North Carolina group did not
look at puberty directly, they did look at
which replacement heifers became pregnant
when placed with bulls during the normal
breeding season as heifers neared yearling
ages. They found a correlation of -.39
between scrotal circumference and age at first
breeding. In this case, a negative correlation
is favorable since it indicates that as scrotal
circumference in bulls increases, age at first
breeding in their sisters and/or daughters
decreases.
Colorado and Montana researchers
actually measured age at puberty directly
and reported correlations of -.71 to -1.0,
respectively. Again a negative correlation is
favorable. Plus, since correlations range from
1.0 to -1.0, the -1.0 is the highest correlation
possible.
What does all of this mean to you as a beef
producer?
I will not bore you with calculations of
formulas involved with statistics, but here is
what you can expect to occur. If you buy a
bull with a scrotal circumference 4 cm larger
than average for a breed, his sons will have
a 1 cm larger scrotal circumference and his
daughters will reach puberty 15 days earlier.
Buying a bull with a 4 cm larger scrotal
circumference is a pretty easy way to select
heifers which reach puberty earlier.
Editor’s Note: The average scrotal
circumference for the fall bulls in this sale
is a whopping 38.2 cm at a year of age. No
wonder offspring sired by Judd Ranch bulls
are highly fertile.
Judd Ranch is the Gelbvieh breed’s
#1
Dam of Merit/Dam of Distinction
Owner and Breeder
for 12 consecutive years!
This magnficent Judd Ranch first-calf heifer proudly shows off her performance-plus black bull
calf. My, oh, my do those Judd Ranch females perform!
This Dam of Merit mama does what she is raised to do: produce powerhouse offspring such as
her bull calf at side. When you see the Judd Ranch brand, you can rest assured that it’s backed by
powerful, true-breeding genetics.
“The depth and uniformity of Judd Ranch’s sale bulls—
purebreds and Balancers—is unbelievable.
I always knew Judd Ranch had good sales, and it’s easy to know why
when you look over the bull offering.”
–Don MacLennan, Byers, Colo.
Judd Ranch
Judd Ranch Offers
Travel Expense
Reimbursement
If you have never attended at Judd Ranch
bull sale and are uncertain whether the
trip is worth your time and travel expense,
then consider this offer: Judd Ranch will
reimburse you for your travel expenses if
you attend the bull sale for the first time and
the offering is not as described.
“I am confident in the Judd Ranch
program and the ability of Dave, Nick, Brent
and myself to accurately describe the bulls
to potential buyers,” ranch consultant Roger
Gatz states. “As such, Judd Ranch offers
this travel expense reimbursement customer
satisfaction guarantee.
“I can honestly say that the first comment
of many first-time sale attendees is that they
are extremely impressed with the quality
and depth of quality of the sale bulls. In fact,
most people say that the bulls far exceeded
our description of the bulls.
“But come see the bulls for yourselves.
Seeing is truly believing when it comes to
Judd Ranch bulls. And it’s even better if you
talk to producers who have been using Judd
Ranch genetics. There is a reason why repeat
buyers annually purchase 70 percent or more
of all bulls on sale day.”
To qualify for Judd Ranch travel expense
reimbursement program, you must call either
ranch consultant Roger Gatz or Dave, Brent
or Nick Judd prior to sale and talk to any
of them about your herd and your herdsire
needs. The bulls will be described to you in
detail. If you attend the sale and find that the
bulls not as described, then Judd Ranch will
reimburse you for your travel expenses. It is
that simple.
Ranch consultant Gatz’s toll-free number
is 1-800-743-0026.
www.juddranchinc.com
Page 11
Chris Harral, Arkansas—
‘I Got a Whole Different Animal’
Commercial cow-calf operator Chris
Harral of Springdale, Ark., runs 100 to 150
Angus cows and for years used Angus bulls
on his Angus females. While his straightbred
Angus calves were OK, Chris wanted more—
more pounds at weaning, more milk in
females.
“I also wanted a cow with better maternal
instincts and easier fleshing cattle,” he adds.
Plus, he wanted a cowherd that has eye
appeal and produce calves with eye appeal.
It was one of Chris’ neighbors who
introduced him to Judd Ranch bulls.
“He had some really nice Judd Ranch
calves,” Chris states, “So I too bought a Judd
Ranch bull a couple of years ago.
“I haven’t looked back since.”
When the calves from his first Judd Ranch
Gelbvieh bull were weaned, they averaged
50 to 60 pounds a head more than their
straightbred Angus counterparts.
“I got a whole different animal than the
straight Angus calves,” Chris elaborates.
“The Judd Ranch Gelbvieh X Angus calves
had more size and had an easier time putting
weight on.
“Even the bull I bought is easier to keep in
condition when he’s with the cows than any
other bull I had owned.”
In three years, Chris has changed his
herdsire battery from Angus to Gelbvieh—
Judd Ranch Gelbvieh.
Chris says he often “pushes” his bulls
pretty hard.
“If I have a bull I like a lot, I may use
him more—let him breed more cows,” Chris
states. “For example, an older bull might be
expected to breed 40 to 45 cows. And, while
most bulls would lose weight, not so with my
Judd Ranch bulls. They can be pushed.
“I’m not saying all Gelbvieh bulls can be
pushed. I just know that Judd Ranch bulls can
be pushed and they get the job done.”
Chris is so impressed with Judd Ranch
bulls and their offspring that he encourages
friends to get in on the action. Last year,
while at the Judd Ranch bull sale, he called a
friend and recommended that he buy a bull or
two.
The friend took Chris’ word and gave him
instructions to buy two bulls.
“He loved those bulls,” Chris states. “I
would have liked to have bought one of the
bulls myself , but he wanted both of them.”
In addition to switching to Judd Ranch
Gelbvieh bulls, this northwest Arkansas John
Deere dealer—Countryside Farm & Lawn
Equipment Co.—is changing his cowherd
as well. And he has a strategic plan in place,
with quality a No. 1 priority.
“I won’t keep just any heifer,” he states.
“I think if you’re selecting something that
is going to be a part of your cowherd and
producing the next generation, then you
should only keep the best. And you have to
be consistent about keeping only the best.
“I’m buying top-end Judd Ranch bulls, and
I want to see just how good my replacement
females can be.”
His first Judd Ranch Gelbvieh X Angus
heifers will calve this spring. And he’s
expecting great things from these 15 to 20
first-calf heifers. He also has more Judd
Ranch-influenced heifers ready to breed this
spring.
“I don’t know what Dave Judd does,
but he has been doing something that other
cattlemen haven’t been able to achieve,”
Chris states. “The guy has a program that is
first-rate. His bulls hold together, breed and
throw amazing offspring.
“When you look over the Judd Ranch
bull offering, you won’t see any bottomend bulls. While there are bulls that bring
less than others in the sale, there aren’t
any lesser quality bulls. Judd Ranch has an
extraordinary set of bulls—and we’re talking
200-some bulls.
“One of the smartest moves I ever made
was putting Judd Ranch bulls on my Angus
cows. I love Judd Ranch bulls and their
offspring.”
55+ Balancer Bulls Sell Saturday, March 6
—Look for These Breed-leading Angus AI Sires—
Sale Facts:
● All sale bulls are Judd
Ranch bred and raised.
● 96% of the sale offering
is sired by breed-leading
AI sires.
● Commercial producers
annually purchase 97%
or more of the sale
offering.
Morgans Direction 111 9001
Unmatched Calving Ease, Muscle &
Maternal Power
EPD Standing within Angus breed:
● Top 3% Calving Ease
● Top 5% Low Birth Weight
● Top 20% Weaning Weight
● Top 1% Milk — Beautifully uddered daughters
● Top 10% Dollar Beef Value
● Top 1% Dollar Wean Value
Mytty In Focus
All-time Leader in Semen Sales at ABS
EPD Standing within Angus breed:
● Top 1% Calving Ease
● Top 4% Low Birth Weight
● Top 10% Weaning Weight
● Top 5% Yearling Weight
● Top 30% Milk
● Top 1% Dollar Wean Value
All Balancer bulls selling are DNA tested FREE from the Angus breed’s AM
(Curly Calf Syndrome) and NH (Neuropathic Hydrocephalus).
Page 12
www.juddranchinc.com
This Judd Ranch Red Angus female is a brood cow deluxe. Her purebred Red Angus Logan
210 grandson 225W sells. His stats: 79# birth weight and 832# weaning weight.
Pastures Packed with ‘Very Good Cows’
It’s been said that a decent cow produces
45 percent of her weight in “calf pounds”
or weaning weight each year. A “very good
cow” will produce 55 percent to 60 percent
of her weight in calf pounds.
When you look at the numbers, it’s clear
that Judd Ranch has a pasture full of “very
good cows.”
Judd Ranch has weights on about twothirds of the dams of the spring bull offering
and two-thirds of the dams of the fall bull
offering. When cow weights and weaning
weights of sale bulls were crunched, the dams
of the fall bulls and spring bulls averaged
a highly impressive 59.3 percent of their
weight in calf pounds.
FREE Ear Tags with
Every Bull Purchased
Every bull purchased in a Judd Ranch bull
sale earns you a package of 25 free eartags.
And you have your choice of either white
eartags and yellow eartags.
Each eartag is imprinted at the top with
“Judd Ranch.” Thus, when your Judd Ranchsired calves go to market, every potential
buyer knows the calf is sired by a Judd Ranch
bull. It won’t matter if your calves are black,
red or in between, Judd Ranch genetics are
bred in and many cattle feeders are learning
the value of Judd Ranch genetics.
The calf pounds of the dams of the spring
sale bulls was an amazing 64.6 percent. Dave
Judd adds that the fall bull dams’ calf pounds
most likely would be equally as high had
Judd Ranch weighed the first-calf heifers.
As is, the calf pounds of the fall sale bulls is
based entirely on the weights of mature cows,
which weigh more.
“Boys, the average birth weight of all
sale bulls is 83 pounds while the average
actual weaning weight on all sale bulls is a
whopping 841 pounds,” Gatz states. “Judd
Ranch’s 59.3 percent average for cow weight
in calf pounds speaks volumes about the
power of Judd Ranch cow efficiency and topof-the-game genetics.”
“Last year’s sale offering of
bulls—from top to
bottom—was a
tremendous set of bulls. There
were bulls for many types of
operations,
including our tough, brutal
Florida environment.”
—Lowell Peterson,
Rollins Ranches, Okeechobee, Fla.
Can’t attend the sale?
Join the many buyers who use Judd
Ranch’s FREE Sight Unseen Program.
Satisfaction is GUARANTEED!
Judd Ranch
What a magnificent Judd Ranch Red Angus female! Her purebred Red Angus Logan 210 grandson,
47W3, sells March 6. His stats: 77# birth weight and 814# weaning weight.
JRI Profit Agent 46N
Homozygous Polled Balancer
— Diluter Free —
Birthdate: 3-6-03
BW: 77#
WW: 746#
YW: 1,252#
Yrlg. Scrotal: 39.1 cm
Profit Agent was the top Balancer bull calf in the ‘03 spring calf crop.
This low birthweight-widespread growth individual
has developed into one meat machine.
What a combination! Top 1% EPD strength for calving ease, low birth and
calving ease daughters coupled with Top 5% scrotal circumference
and Top 15% feedlot merit.
Profit Agent’s Glacier Logan 210 dam is one of the top
Red Angus females in the Judd Ranch program.
Sired by Logan 210, a Red Angus leader for marbling
and added carcass value, this high-producing dam is
an all-around winner: fertility plus growth plus carcass.
Profit Agent Balancer sons
sell Saturday, March 6.
Judd Ranch
www.juddranchinc.com
Page 13
Mike Haas, Kansas—
Judd Ranch Earns Place on His
Preferred Bull Supplier List
Mike Haas, Lamont, Kan., runs 340 bred
commercial females. A majority are Angus,
black baldie, Angus X Simmental, Angus X
Gelbvieh, with some even having ¼-Brangus
in them. Between 40 to 50 cows are culled
each year, replaced by 70 to 80 first-calf
heifers. If Mike can’t find enough quality
heifers in the herd to keep, he’ll buy what he
needs.
“My goal is to continue improving my
cowherd every year,” Mike states. “That’s
one reason I start going to Judd Ranch bull
sales two years ago and why I now own five
Judd Ranch bulls. You can bet I’ll be at the
2010 bull sale for a few more bulls.”
Mike typically purchases four to six new
bulls a year, and uses the new bulls on his
first-calf heifers.
At one time Mike says he was hesitant to
use a Continental bull due to calving concerns
with first-calf heifers but that has all changed.
“I go with a low birth weight EPD bull and
have gotten along great,” he tells. “It’s just
a matter of paying attention to birth weights
and birth weight EPDs.”
Mike is also a stickler for bulls with easy
disposition.
“My first visit to Judd Ranch was quite
an eye opener,” he says. “Here were five to
six bulls in a smaller pen, strangers crawling
over fences and mingling with the bulls, and
the bulls just stood there unaffected.
“I have found the same to be true once the
bulls are at my place. They are easy handlers,
and that is worth a lot.”
Mike says he operates on the philosophy
that you get what you pay for and insists that
saving money by buying lesser-quality bulls
isn’t a smart move.
“It pays to invest in really good bulls—
the kind of bulls that will move your herd
forward and produce calves that grow and
help pay the bills,” Mike states.
Haas & Sons Farms calve in the spring,
with 80% of calves born between February
15 and March 15. Weaning depends on the
kind of summer. If the summer has been dry,
he’ll wean early. If the summer has been wet,
weaning will be Sept. 15-Dec. 1. Weaned
calves are then vaccinated and preconditioned
for a minimum of two weeks.
Calves are hauled to and sold at the
livestock auction in Eureka, Kan., a potload
or so at a time. Mike says he simply watches
the calf market and will sell his calves some
time between February and April, depending
on when the market is the best.
“I’ve learned that I can put a Judd Ranch
Balancer bull on an Angus cow or black
baldie or whatever and I’m going to have
some really good calves,” Mike states.
“My son commented non-stop this past
year about the calves out of our Judd Ranch
bulls. From early on to throughout their life
cycle to date, these calves stood out.”
Mike says he anxious to take a strong look
at the heifers sired by his Judd Ranch bulls.
He says he anticipates having quite a few
Judd Ranch-sired heifers entering the herd
and staying on as mama cows.
“I’ve tried bulls of other breeds and from
other breeders, but Judd Ranch is now among
my preferred bull suppliers,” Mike states.
“Not only are Judd Ranch bulls of excellent
quality, but Dave and Cindy are customer
service oriented and so easy to get along with.”
Judd Ranch females certainly know how to produce and raise calves. This heifer calf is nursing a
Dam of Merit mama. It’s all genetics!
Calf Price Predictions
Tim Petry, NDSU livestock economist, says he expects medium frame 500-600 pound
steer calf prices to be about the same as they were in the fall of ‘09 through spring 2010.
But he adds that “We will probably be seeing 2007 prices by next fall.”
Livestock Marketing Information Center comments regarding 2011:“Tight feeder calf
supplies suggests additional year-to-year price increases for yearlings and calves.”
Dr. Chris Hurt, Purdue University, agricultural economist: “As beef cow numbers
continue to drop, beef exports continue to improve and the world economy begins to heal,
the magnitude of price improvement may be robust by sometime in 2010.”
Livestock Monitor, North Dakota Extension: “Historically, estimated cow-calf returns
vary dramatically over time. . . Looking ahead, profitability is forecast to return in 2010
and 2011.”
Judd Ranch’s Sight Unseen Program is a
FREE service.
You’ll like your purchases or they are returned to Judd Ranch at no charge.
Commercial cattlemen annually
purchase 97% or more
of Judd Ranch sale bulls.
This Judd Ranch first-calf heifer is shown the day before she weaned off a scale-busting, impressive
heifer calf. Take note of her fabulous teat and udder quality and natural fleshing ability.
Page 14
www.juddranchinc.com
Sight Unseen Program
(Continued from Page 5)
roundtrip,” Eric states. “So I called Roger
with Cattlemen’s Connection, and we talked
about what I was looking for. Roger actually
remembered the bull I bought the year before,
so he was immediately familiar with the type
of bull I wanted.
“Roger and I talked about my choices in
the sale catalog, and he offered suggestions
for my consideration as well. I followed his
lead since he knew each bull firsthand.”
Eric said the Sight Unseen Program
worked great for him, as he really liked the
bull purchased for him. Plus he got the bull
for $300 less than he was willing to spend.
“The bull was a fall Top Secret son full of
beef,” Eric elaborates. “He went in with 40
cows and got them all bred.
“I’m anxious to see his first calves as I
think he’ll produce some powerful daughters.
We have built up quite a nice market for firstcalf heifers. We AI our heifers and sell them
the following January to calve in February.
Judd Ranch-sired heifers should fit quite
nicely in the program.”
24-Hour Notice Requested
“The program has been built on honesty,
and it is in everyone’s best interest that
we keep the program honest,” Dave Judd
summarizes. “No rafter bids. No bumping
bids. That’s simply not allowed, and every
proxy bidder knows the rules.”
Judd Ranch’s Sight Unseen program
is extremely popular, with SUS customers
typically purchasing 25% of the sale bulls. “We work with a lot of Sight Unseen
customers and want to give each the attention
they are due,” Gatz states. “As such, it is
imperative that all Sight Unseen orders be
given to us at least 24 hours before the sale.
“It also takes a lot of time to organize the
orders and secure proxy bidders so having
all orders 24 hours in advance lets us devote
the needed time to those tasks. That said, the
Sight Unseen program is a service that we’re
pleased to offer.”
To learn more about the Sight Unseen
program or to discuss your Sight Unseen
bulls of choice, call Gatz toll-free: 1-800743-0026.
Trucking is
usually very
affordable, as
Judd Ranch
bulls annually sell into
20 or more
states.
JRI Top Grid 254T725
Homozygous Polled Purebred Gelbvieh
Top Selling Bull in the 2008 Judd Ranch Bull Sale
Birthdate: 1/30/07
BW: 89#
WW: 760#
Yrlg Ribeye Area: 16.9 sq. in.
Yrlg. Scrotal Circ: 39.6 cm
Yrlg Wt.: 1,327#
The first AI calves of this beef machine will sell in this year’s sale,
with the 2011 sale featuring even more Top Grid AI sons.
This beautiful Judd Ranch Dam of Merit mama is a beef-producing
machine. Her polled Gelbvieh purebred February ‘09 Top Secret
son hit the scales at 844 pounds on weaning day.
You are Invited to Judd Ranch’s
Customer Appreciation Steak Dinner March 5
Judd Ranch extends a warm invitation to all to attend its annual customer appreciation
steak dinner, the evening prior to the bull sale. The steaks will start coming off the grill
around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 5, at the Pomona Community Center and will continue
to be served until around 8 p.m. when the evening’s entertainment will start. The evening’s
entertainment will be Judy Coder, a guitar-strummer who yodels and belts out old-style
Western and cowboy songs.
“The steak dinner is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for your business, your friendship
and for attending the bull sale,” states Cindy Judd. “It’s also our opportunity to visit with
past customers and meet those attending the sale for the first time.”
One request: If you plan to attend the steak dinner, please indicate “yes” and the number in your party when completing the sale catalog request form and then return the form to either
Judd Ranch or ranch consultant Roger Gatz. This will ensure
that we have steaks, baked potatoes, salad, rolls and dessert
for everyone.
Judd Ranch
Top Grid scanned a super-sized 16.9 square inch yearling ribeye.
Plus, this highly impressive individual sports an EPD strength
in the 10% for feedlot merit.
Top Grid’s beautiful dam is photographed below.
This maternal/fertility goddess is not only beautiful but is an amazing
producer. The birth weight average of her two sons with 88 pounds
while their 205-day weight average was 735 pounds
coupled with a 1,294 pound yearling weight average.
Six of the most dominant maternal/fertility plus Dam of Distinction/Dam
of Merit females ever in the Gelbvieh breed are in Top Grid’s pedigree.
No wonder he’s so powerful!
Top Grid’s dam.
Top Grid Sons Sell Saturday, March 6.
Judd Ranch
www.juddranchinc.com
Page 15
Directions to Judd Ranch, Motel Information
To Kansas City
I-35
To Topeka
Judd Ranch is located
2 mi. west of Pomona
To Emporia
Nick Judd, left, and Dave Judd head out to the pastures to check cows.
“I would prefer to buy
all Continental-British cross cattle.
As I see cattle come into the feedlot,
there is a big advantage to Gelbvieh-cross cattle
for their cutability and performance.
Color doesn’t make as much of a difference
in the feedyard. Conversion and performance
drive price, and Gelbvieh-cross cattle are
outstanding in that regard.”
—Bill Sleigh, manager of Hays Feeders, Hays, Kan.
Highway 68
Ottawa I-35 Exit:
Exit 183B if coming from
the north
Exit 170 if coming from
the south
I-35
Highway 69
Pomona
The Comfort Inn in Ottawa, Kan., is the designated motel for Judd Ranch’s 32nd Bull
Sale, and a block of rooms has been reserved for Judd Ranch sale attendees. To obtain a room
within this block, please tell the Comfort Inn receptionist that you are attending the Judd
Ranch bull sale. The Comfort Inn is a nice, clean facility with an indoor heated swimming pool and offers
a complimentary breakfast, including waffles, muffins, coffee and fruit juice. An Applebee’s
restaurant is within walking distance of the motel.
The Comfort Inn and Super 8 are under the same management and are located just off I-35
at the south end of Ottawa. To get to either motel, just take Exit 183B north to the first stop
light and turn right. From Judd Ranch, you’ll travel east on Highway K-68 toward Ottawa. At the west edge of
Ottawa, K68 goes north. Rather than going north, turn right on Eisenhower Road and go about
2 miles to 23rd St. Turn left or east on 23rd St. and go 1 mile. As you go through the traffic light,
the motels are located on your immediate right.
Book your room today at the Comfort Inn by calling 785/242-9898. You can reserve a
room at the Super 8 by calling 785/242-5551.
Word of warning: Rooms at the Comfort Inn will be blocked for Judd Ranch customers
only through Feb. 20. So call now and reserve your room.
Sale Catalog Request
____ Please send me a sale catalog for Judd Ranch’s 32nd Bull Sale, Saturday, March 6, that starts promptly at 1 p.m.
____ I am unable to attend the sale and would like to learn more about Judd Ranch’s Sight Unseen Program so please call me.
____ I//We plan to attend Judd Ranch’s Customer Appreciation Steak Dinner on Friday evening, March 5. Number of people attending. ___________
Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ranch Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City _____________________________________________________________________________________ State ______________ ZIP __________________
Telephone with Area Code _____________________________________________ Best time to call ____________________________________________________
Please return to
Cattlemen’s Connection, PO Box 156, Hiawatha, KS 66434
or fax to (785) 742-3503
JR
Judd Ranch 32nd
Gelbvieh, Red Angus & Balancer Bull Sale
Saturday, March 6, starting promptly at 1 p.m.
at the ranch, Pomona, Kan. (1 hour southwest of Kansas City)
220-Plus
Gelbvieh, Balancer &
Red Angus Bulls Sell
130+ 17- to 19-month old Bulls
● 90+ 12- to 14-month-old Bulls
●
About the Sale Offering:
● 96% are sired by breed-leading AI sires
● 95 are BLACK and POLLED
● 100% are POLLED and multipled polled
● 99% of Gelbvieh or Balancer bulls are sons or grandsons of Dam
of Merit or Dam of Distinction females
● All Judd Ranch major herdsires are enrolled in Carcass Testing
Programs
● Quality Acceptance Guarantee on all Sight Unseen purchases
● FREE trucking in the continental U.S. on purchases totalling
$15,000 or more
● Trucking is usually very affordable as Judd Ranch bulls annually
sell into 20 or more states
“The Complete Package”
Calving Ease ● Growth ● Carcass ● Fertility
Questions about the sale offering
or
want a sale catalog?
Call Ranch Consultant
Roger Gatz
Cattlemen’s Connection
1-800-743-0026
h
tary Lunc
n
e
m
li
p
m
Co
rved prior
will be se
.
to the sale
Judd Ranch Inc.
Dave and Cindy Judd
Nick and Ginger Judd
Brent and Ashley Judd
423 Hwy. K-68 Pomona, KS
Ph: 785-566-8371
Call toll free 1-800-743-0026 for Your Judd Ranch “Complete Package” Bull Sale Catalog