Mark Your Calendar for Sept. 24th

Everyone needs to mark their calendar for Sept. 24th. This event will be put on by the Texas Maine Anjou Association and hosted at the Decatur Ranch of 4J Family Cattle. Plenty of activities will be available for your young showman. Also there will be opportunities to meet many of the Maine Anjou breeders from the state of Texas, win a heifer and other great prizes in a raffle, and help support the National Jr. Maine Anjou Show. Check out the Maine Education webpage, and the Maine Education Facebook page to keep up with the latest announcements and updates.

ZNT American Hope

Natalie had a great time at the 2011 Ft Worth Stock Show with this daughter of CMAC Hardcore and our CTR Sweet Success donor cow. This 3/4 sib to Jenna is going to make a great addition to our herd, and she makes us very excited about the embryos we have due this fall out of "Sweetie."

Vice President of the TMAA

For those of you that have not heard yet, I was recently elected as Vice President of the Texas Maine Anjou Association.  I am excited to take on this new role, and make my impact to the Maine Anjou breed here in Texas.  I am also the Chairman of the Fundraising Committee, and part of the TMAA Sale Committee.  Feel free to contact me any time if you have questions about what the association is doing, or if you have comments that you would like to be known to the TMAA Officers and Board.  My phone number is 817-233-9357 and my email is zntcattle@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Zane Mai

Montego Bay Goes Public

Montego Bay semen will be available publicly in time for the 2011 Spring breeding season. Contact the following major distributors to add a little paradise to your spring semen order.

SEK Genetics - 800-443-6389
Cattle Visions - 866-839-3353
Bull Barn Genetics - 800-535-6173

TMAA Silent Auction Fundraiser

Here are the items that have been donated to the Texas Maine Anjou Association Silent Auction that will be held at the 2011 Ft. Worth Stock Show. Bidding begins at 9:00am on Saturday, January 22, and ends at noon on Sunday January 30th. The auction is to raise money for the support of the 2012 National Jr. Maine Anjou Show.

1) Semen: 2 lots of 10 units, DBRS White Lightening 216U MA Reg. #388963

Donated By: Davis Brothers Cattle Co., Waxahachie, TX

2) Semen: 2 lots of 10 units, HAA Bold Move 284T MA Reg. #377332

Donated By: H&H Cross Cover Farms Glen & Connie Hinshaw, Palestine, TX

3) Semen: 1 lot of 10 units, Montego Bay MA Reg. #402303,

Donated By: ZNT Cattle Co. Zane & Traci Mai Rhome, TX

4) Semen:1 lot of 10 units, Nage Top Pick 447

Donated By: Double B Farms. Benny Bransom, Burleson, TX

5) Semen:1 lot of 10 units, BK Warrior 128W MA Reg. #377769

Donated By: Broken Oak Farms, Richard & Marsha Rhodes, Yantis, TX

6) Stained Glass, Texas Flag with a show steer.

Donated By: Fowler Reproductive Services & Jeannie Fowler, Gladewater, TX

7) Stained Glass, Texas Maine-Anjou Logo.

Donated By: Fowler Reproductive Services & Jeannie Fowler, Gladewater, TX

8) Leatherman tool engraved with Jr. Maine-Anjou Assoc.

Donated By: Robbie Swierc, Hobson, TX

9) 2 Pocket knives in carrying case.

Donated By: Robbie Swierc, Hobson, TX

10) Fresh Alaskan Sea Food Gift Certificate $120, with free shipping.

Donated By: Pam Gruchacz & Chris Brown, Juneau, Alaska

11) Custom make hoodie sweater jacket from Purple Banner Designs, gift certificate

http://purplebannerdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/11/branded.html.

Donated By: ZNT Cattle Co. Zane & Traci Mai Rhome, TX

The items will be on display at Fort Worth during the Jr. Meeting on January 22nd

and in the French Room on January 29th. Proceeds go the sponsor the 2012 Jr. National Show.

We will gladly take phone bids; just call Paul Fowler at 903-360-1218.

We could use some more items so please donate something if you can.

ZNT's TMAA Silent Auction Donations

ZNT Cattle Co. is a huge proponent of youth activities, especially those activities of our Texas Jr. Maine Anjou members and Jr. Maine Anjou Members throughout the United States.

Traci and I are proud to offer the following donations to the TMAA Silent Auction being held at the 2011 Ft. Worth Stock Show:

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10 unit lot of Montego Bay semen. Montego Bay is one of the most exciting Maine Anjou bulls to hit the scene in 2010. MB was named Jr. Calf Champion Maine Bull at the 2010 Ft. Worth Stock Show on his only outing to the show ring.

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A hand stitched custom hoodie from Purple Banner Design. ZNT Cattle will cover the costs of the winning bidder's hoodie that is custom made to their liking. You will see my daughter wearing hers in Ft. Worth.

Letter from AMAA Breeder

Below is a letter that Dennis Garwood included in his recent sale catalog. I respect the successes Dennis has made as cattle producer , and his morals as a person. He is a valuable member of the Association that will fight to keep the Maine Anjou breed moving in the right direction.

If I could, I would like to bring up a subject that I personally feel needs to be addressed. It is not my intention to “get on a soap box" or to “make a big deal” which is why I have asked Craig, our sale manager, to include this discussion later in the catalog. I want to remain positive and upbeat about this great breed of cattle and the people that represent it.



I would like to encourage my fellow Maine-Anjou breeders and producers to provide accurate, honest and dependable information when submitting cattle for registration and to genuinely and honestly represent the cattle you have worked so hard to produce.



In order for our associations (AAA & AMAA) to generate accurate and dependable EPD’s (which can be a valuable tool when making mating and breeding decisions), accurate, dependable, and complete information must be submitted. If we want to have faith in our EPD’s we must be faithful in what we report. Birth dates, birthweights, weaning weights, weaning dates, etc. “pulled out of a hat" so to speak if not changed or manipulated equally on the whole herd provide inaccurate progeny ratios which in the long run negatively impact individuals and the breed as a whole. On another note, as we all know, one of the major strengths of the Maine-Anjou breed is phenotypic excellence. Many are involved in this breed because of a desire to compete and excel in the show ring and that's a good thing. But I would like to encourage us especially to report accurate birth dates and birth weights out of respect for fellow breeders and a desire to exhibit personal integrity and character that others (especially family members) would be proud of and want to model. Controlling and manipulating information for personal immediate gain will eventually run its course and take its toll on us as individuals and corporately as a breed.



The Scriptures say in Titus chapter 1 and verse 2 that “it is impossible for God to lie". What a different world this would be if we chose for it to be “impossible for us to lie ” as we strive to follow His example. IDEALISTIC? Maybe so, but from a “Big Picture ” perspective I believe that there is much more to this life than just the “here and now”. I am especially looking forward to the “there and then. ” (I John 5:11-12-13) I am so thankful to have the privilege of being a part of such a great group of people that represent Maine-Anjou cattle.



Respectfully,
Dennis Garwood

What does hair taste like?

As we get into winter, it is the time when all the hot young sires begin to be promoted, sales throughout the Midwest are happening in droves, and people are getting ready for the stock shows. Growing up in Nebraska for most of my life, and now living in Texas for the past 10 years, it makes me a jealous, and a little resentful seeing all the Northern cattle with their 4 inches of hair pictured to the tee. I used to have so much fun clipping on these hairy furballs every winter, making them look how ever you wanted them to look, but now my new milder climate has made it a lot more work to make these shaggy cattle, and no matter how much work I do, it still can never compare to a few -20 degree days. This all being said, so what are we really promoting these days in the show world, when a sire is promoted with a ruler beside a fitted leg that is 10 inches thick due to hair? Will he really produce higher quality cattle for the industry because of this? Will his hair make him taste better to the consumer?

It seems the beef industry has resorted to classifying the quality of bulls by using a spreadsheet or by the amount of hair they have. I'll get into the spreadsheet thing at a later date, but the fact that an animal has so much hair that it can be sculpted into the perfect specimen, does not mean it is a better animal. The fact that so much of advertising this days is based around that one perfect picture of a bull, has really created a disadvantage to those cattle born at the wrong time of year to have the maximum amount of hair, and a disadvantage to those in the southern regions that just can't grow hair like further north. Are these cattle of less quality because of this? I doubt it, and if so, it is because of a multitude of other things other than hair. So let's advertise that, not just a pretty picture. I love clipping and fitting hairy cattle, but in the end, it's what is on the inside that matters. I've eaten a lot of hair in my days, but I prefer STEAK!

Fall Cleaning Semen Tank Package

I just recently went through my semen tank to take inventory of the semen I had. We have several bulls in our tank that are outstanding producers now, or in the past, but just don't quite fit the direction we are trying to take our herd. Here is the opportunity!

6 units Hannibal - $10 per unit

3 units About Time - $12 per unit

1 unit Cookie Monster - $5 per unit

1 unit DJ Caesar - $15 per unit

3 units Brother Joe - $10 per unit

Package price is $120 for all. Pick up of semen is in Ft. Worth area. Also ask about adding some Montego Bay semen to the package.

Contact Zane if interested.

The Future Starts Here

The future of the cattle industry begins with the experiences we give our children NOW.  I knew I was going to write this blog even before we attended the Hull Show Cattle/Eastern Oklahoma State College Cattle Clinic and Judging Contest.  The premise behind the event, and the huge support that has been generated from all its sponsors speaks for itself.

Chad Hull of Hull Show Cattle did a fabulous job of organizing this entirely "free of charge" event thanks to all of their wonderful sponsors (listed at bottom).  A judging contest was held for all ages, along with a judging presentations from Todd Blocker (Judging Coach for Eastern OK State College), a grooming and clipping demonstration from Cody Lott, and a presentation from Jirl Buck (Buck Cattle Co.)  It was so refreshing to see an event totally focused around the youth, and our future in the beef industry.  Kids were given tools that can be used immediately, and inspiration that can be used for a lifetime.  I encourage anyone that can make it to attend next year.  We will definitely try to make it if at all possible.

Chad Hull - Hull Show Cattle

Jirl Buck - Buck Show Cattle

Cody Lott - Lott Show Cattle

Juniors Judging Heifers

Opening Presentation

Sponsors:
Hull Show Cattle
Farm Credit of East Central Oklahoma
Biozyme Vita Ferm
Diamond V
Martindale/MFM Feeds
Belle Point Ranch
Well Completions, Inc.
Nelson Land and Cattle Co.
Showmaster Feeds
OG&E
Farm Cridit of Western Arkansas
Dunn Ford
Buck Cattle Co.
Pfizer
Kerr Center (Poteau)
Mark Allen
Rodney Evans
Farmers Coop
Spiro Graphic
American Farmers and Ranchers Insurance
Coaches Lumber
Kiger Razorback Quick Mart
Allflex Ear Tags
Reproduction Enterprises Inc.
Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association