Docility EPD Added to the Suite of Gelbvieh and Balancer® EPDs

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The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) released the BOLT-powered docility expected progeny difference (EPD) in January 2019. This is the latest update to the extensive suite of EPDs used to accurately describe registered Gelbvieh and Balancer® cattle.

“The AGA is excited to be able to add docility to the line up of EPDs we offer to help cattlemen and women make selection decisions when utilizing Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics,” says Megan Slater, AGA interim executive director. “Docility is one of the many AGA EPDs produced through the multi-breed genetic evaluation powered by BOLT, and therefore is directly comparable to several breeds who also participate within the evaluation.”

Docility is an important trait that impacts beef operations’ bottom lines in each sector of the industry. Studies have shown that animals with calmer dispositions are more productive both on the ranch as well as in the feedyard and ultimately exhibit higher carcass values and greater tenderness, among other advantages.

Higher docility EPD values for Gelbvieh and Balancer animals indicate a more favorable temperament. Over the past 20 years, the Gelbvieh and Balancer breed has gained favorable progress in docility on top of a solid foundation of historically docile cattle. However, the range of docility EPDs of active sires proves that there is genetic diversity, which means further progress can be made. It’s also important to note that in herds where temperament is not currently a concern, differences will not be as intensely realized.

The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.

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Rippey Named Gelbvieh Association Commercial Producer of the Year

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Photo caption: The American Gelbvieh Association named Gale Rippey of Rippey Farm the AGA Commercial Producer of the Year for 2018. Gale Rippey (middle) stands with his wife Gena (left) after receiving the award presented by Doug Hughes (right), AGA member and friend. 

Gale Rippey, Rippey Farm, Galax, Virginia, was honored as the American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) Commercial Producer of the Year for 2018 during the awards banquet held at the 48th Annual AGA National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Gale and his wife Gena were present at the AGA awards banquet to accept the award. Doug Hughes, owner of Little Windy Hill Farms, Max Meadows, Virginia, and the family’s longtime friend presented the Rippey couple with the award.

The AGA Commercial Producer of the Year Award honors individuals who use Gelbvieh and Balancer® genetics in progressive commercial cattle operations and are proactive in their promotion of the Gelbvieh and Balancer breed.

Rippey has worked hard to promote Gelbvieh and Balancer cattle over the past 20 plus years. He bought his first Gelbvieh bull in the early 1990s and immediately saw an increase in weaning weight and improved disposition. Rippey took over the family farming operation in 1998 and now has over 300 cows and has added an 500 head stocker calf division.

Rippey has built a reputation of selling replacement heifers that are second to none. Rippey’s investment in genetics has paid huge dividends. Roughly 75 to 80 percent of Rippey’s heifers are either retained in the herd or sold as replacement heifers to an ever-growing and loyal customer base. The strong demand for the bred heifers he sells in the fall can be attributed to Rippey’s progressive mindset and the Gelbvieh breed’s positive influence on maternal traits and cowherd efficiency.

The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.

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Note to Editors: High-resolution press quality photo is available by contacting Kelsi Christian, American Gelbvieh Association multimedia coordinator, at Kelsi@gelbvieh.org or 303-465-2333.

Ring of Gold Champions

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Throughout the 2018-2019 show year, Gelbvieh and Balancer® females and bulls competed at shows across the country to earn points for the American Gelbvieh Association Ring of Gold program.

Each year the qualifying animals are ranked at the conclusion of the National Gelbvieh and Balancer show at the National Western Stock Show.  This year a total of six shows were included in the Ring of Gold tally.

The American Gelbvieh Association established the Ring of Gold program to honor the top animals shown at the conclusion of the show year. Points are earned for grand and reserve grand champions, as well as division champions and reserves, and are based on the actual number of animals shown at each show.

To honor those animals who have risen to the top during the show season, The Ring of Gold awards are presented to the top Gelbvieh female, Gelbvieh bull, Balancer female and Balancer bull based on points awarded throughout the year. Animals must earn points in at least two shows to qualify for Ring of Gold points each year. The 2018-2019 Ring of Gold qualified shows were: Iowa State Fair, Kentucky State Fair, Missouri State Fair, American Royal, North American International Livestock Exposition, and the National Western Stock Show.

The following is a list of the top three animals in each Ring of Gold division. In order to qualify for recognition, animals must have earned points in at least two Ring of Gold shows throughout the calendar year.

Ring of Gold Gelbvieh Female:

  1. GGGE 3G Frankly My Dear 8100F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind.
  2. HIGH Ms Emma 9E100 ET, Jacie Carroll, Raymore, Mo.
  3. BCFG Butlers Ms Esmeralda 34E, Karley Rumfelt, Lebanon, Mo.

Ring of Gold Gelbvieh Bull:

  1. HTFM Mr Equalizer E711, Hilltop Farms Benny McWilliams, Asbury, Mo.
  2. GGGE 3G Fort Apache 835F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind. and Reynolds Bee Lick Gelbvieh, Crab Orchard, Ky.
  3. HILC All Star 500D, Cody Moore, Fountain Run, Ky.

Ring of Gold Balancer Female:

  1. JNCC Miss Sky High 748E, Cameron Nowack, Bland, Mo. and MDR Elly Zendt 702E ET, Brylee Thiel, Kaw City, Okla.
  2. GGGE 3G Cowgirl Dixie 6102D, Sarah Carroll, Raymore, Mo.
  3. GGGE 3G Faintly Saintly ET 852F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind. and Reid Overmiller, Smith Center, Kan.

Ring of Gold Balancer Bull:

  1. SKYC Sky’s Encore 7086E, Casey Martin, Oregon, Ill.
  2. GGGE 3G Frontier Justice 829F, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind.
  3. GGGE 3G Double Agent 602D, Emily Griffiths, Kendallville, Ind.

The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.

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Renner Joins American Gelbvieh Association Staff

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BROOMFIELD, CO – The American Gelbvieh Association (AGA) would like to welcome Jake Renner to the staff as member and youth activities coordinator.

Renner grew up in the rural community of Pratt, Kansas, where he was involved in 4-H and spent a large majority of his time focusing on livestock projects. In 2013 Renner graduated from Fort Hays State University where he studied animal science and competed on the livestock judging team. For the past five years he has been a county agent for K-State Research and Extension (KSRE) in Kingman County covering agriculture and natural resources as well as a 4-H and youth development. Renner is currently finishing his final year of graduate school at Kansas State University pursuing a master’s degree in agricultural education and communication.

In his role as member and youth activities coordinator, he will guide the American Gelbvieh Junior Association (AGJA) and help to develop the next generation of leaders in the beef industry. Renner will also be tasked with enriching the membership experience for AGA members.

“Through KSRE I have found a passion for informal education and seizing any opportunity to work with the youth of the beef industry to help them find their place. I am excited about the opportunity to mentor and advise the members of the AGJA to find their passion within the beef industry,” says Renner. “I am looking forward to serving as the liaison between the AGJA and the AGA/American Gelbvieh Foundation as we think outside the box and work toward creating strong standing relationships with industry leaders for support on all levels. I am honored to have the opportunity to work with the AGA team moving forward.”

“We are excited to continue to grow the AGA team with talented individuals like Jake. His experience and education in youth development and passion for agriculture makes him a great fit to lead and help develop the youth and ultimately the future of our breed,” says Megan Slater, AGA interim executive director.

Renner began his role on January 2, 2019, and will be based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Renner can be reached at 303-465-2333 or via email at jake@gelbvieh.org.

The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 Gelbvieh, Balancer and Gelbvieh-influenced cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.

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Jake Renner

Note to Editors: A high-resolution press quality photo is available by contacting Kelsi Christian, American Gelbvieh Association multimedia coordinator, at kelsi@gelbvieh.org or 303-465-2333

Dan and Kate Warner Named Gelbvieh Association Breeder of the Year

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AGA Breeder of the Year

Photo caption: The American Gelbvieh Association named Dan and Kate Warner of Warner Beef Genetics the AGA Breeder of the Year for 2018. Left to right: Dan and Kate Warner, Arapahoe, Neb.; Scott Starr, Stapleton, Neb.  

Dan and Kate Warner of Warner Beef Genetics, Arapahoe, Nebraska, were honored as the American Gelbvieh Association’s (AGA) Breeder of the Year for 2018 during the awards banquet held at the 48th Annual AGA National Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Dan and Kate were present at the AGA awards banquet to accept the award. Scott Starr, Stapleton, Nebraska, a longtime friend and fellow Gelbvieh and Balancer® breeder, presented the Warner couple with the award.

Dan and Kate own and operate Warner Beef Genetics along with Dan’s parents, Monte and Kristie Warner, and brother and sister-in-law Darren and Amy Warner. Warner Beef Genetics is a family operation that has been in the cattle business for over 50 years. The operation consists of over 400 registered Gelbvieh, Balancer and Angus females and 500 Gelbvieh and Angus commercial cows. The success of their cowherd revolves around breed-leading herd bulls, an aggressive AI and ET program, and unmatched customer service.

Each year Warner Beef Genetics hosts an annual bull sale in the spring and female sale in the fall. They have also partnered with two other breeders from Nebraska and Oklahoma to start a fall bull sale in Texas, with the goal of increasing demand for Gelbvieh and Balancer genetics in that area of the country.

Warner Beef Genetics has been a member of the American Gelbvieh Association since 1998. Over the years, Warner Beef has raised several bulls and females that have positively impacted the breed. Dan is a former member of the AGA Board of Directors, serving the association for six years, including time on the executive committee as vice president. As an active member of the AGA, Dan currently acts as the breed improvement committee chair.

The American Gelbvieh Association is a progressive beef cattle breed association representing 1,000 members and approximately 40,000 cows assessed annually in a performance-oriented total herd reporting system.

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