← Ranch It Up Radio Show & Podcast
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Top dollar Angus to market your feeder calves. Crew, let's Ranch It Up. Good day everyone and thanks for riding with us on this all new episode of the Ranch it up radio show. I'm Jeff Tigger Earhart. A big thanks goes out to our partners ranch channel.com Superior Livestock Productions and Superior Livestock Auctions Wolf Cattle Jorgensen Land and Cattle Trans Ova Genetics Axiota Animal Health bringing us Multi min and Lactopro the American Galva Association Imogene Ingredients bringing us Farm a Tan Westway Feed Products Maduro Boot and Western Wear Allied Genetic Resources and Allied feeding partners livestock market.com equinemarket.com auction time.com the Tri State Livestock News RFD TV Wrangler and this fine radio station Cow Country News. You know the cow stuff. Starting out with news from Capitol Hill, A Senate version of major budget and tax legislation contains money for major livestock health initiatives supported by beef, pork and poultry groups. Now the text of the bill issued by the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry is the Senate's version of the budget reconciliation package recently passed by the House of Representatives. The President Trump has called the measure his quote, one big beautiful bill to deliver his agenda for both the 2026 budget and tax law changes. The Senate policy, which was already part of the House version, funds the National Animal Disaster Preparedness and Response Program, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures bank, and the National Veterinary Stockpile. Tanner Beamer, the executive director of government affairs for the National Cattlemen's Beef association, or ncba, said the legislation in the Senate would protect farmers and ranchers from devastating foreign animal diseases. He said the beef business has raised alarm about a resurgence of New World screwworm with a USDA ban since last month on imports of live cattle from Mexico. He went on to say, a successful farmer ranch starts with healthy cattle, and as cattle producers face increasing risk of a foreign animal dise, the need for robust cattle health provisions is even more crucial. Feeder cattle sales are off to the races and in full swing as wheat harvest starts to move from the south to the North. And we talk a lot about the different options of marketing feeder calves and especially ways of providing potential value to those calves, be it with a vaccination program, maybe verified, all natural, maybe through the IGS Feeder Profit calculator or perhaps Top dollar Angus. But many are not familiar of how to use top dollar Angus designations on their feeder cattle and how to market those calves. Well, if you have Angus, Red Angus, Shore Angus Cross and Angus Balancer feeder cattle. Top Dollar has got you covered. Let's break this program down with Nate Smith, general manager of Top Dollar Angus. Nate, great to have you back on the program with us. Let's as I said, break down the whole program of how Top Dollar Angus can add value to works costs, everything.
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Top Dollar Angus is a company that what we do is we verify genetics that are Angus based to be in the top 25% of commercial cattle for growth in carcass traits. We do that by looking at either EPDs on current sires and past sires going back seven years at a minimum. We can look at DNA data from either an identity test or from a genemax test off of replacement females. Or we can look at past carcass data within two to three years old. But once those cattle, if they meet our metrics and our requirements, what we do then is we promote out to feed yards and feeders and relevant industry contacts that are interested in those kinds of cattle that they are selling, where they're selling at what day and the health information behind them. And that's all done for a four dollar per head fee. And that's reaching out to 40 to 50 different feeding entities personally via phone call and text message. And then on the back side, we're hitting close to 200 of those same type of customers with an email two to three times before those cattle sell. It's a really easy process to start getting that information. We can walk customers through getting registration numbers from their respective breed associations, whether that's Angus Red Angus, Simtol and Sim Angus Aga, which is the Galvie Association. We'll even do half blood chars whether they're a black nose or kind of a copper colored calf. You know, if they're half Angus then we're able to go ahead and verify them if they're in that top 25% for growth and carcass traits that I.
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Was actually just going to ask that question. Can we with if we've got a bunch of Angus cows and we run semi bulls or say we run Galvi bulls or something like that, do they qualify for that program or you know, optimizer cattle? If we've got a bunch of limb flex, I mean it goes on and on and on. But those cattle would qualify too?
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Oh yes, definitely, you know, respectively. As long as they've got the carcass traits that we can actually look at on those sires, we're able to qualify them. We actually, interestingly enough last fall introduced a brangus program that we look at those cattle because we have yards down here in Kansas and into Oklahoma and Texas that like to feed Brangis cattle. Sure. So we're not afraid if we can prove the quality of those animals on the growth and carcass side to go ahead and qualify them and put them through our program and in front of our feeders because they trust our opinions on those cattle. Actually this week, oddly enough, now that we kind of talk about these animals on the dairy side, we're doing sire verified cattle now for the larger dairies that are running through and making beef on Holstein calves. So we're open to evaluating any of those kinds of cattle.
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Crew, it's time for a quick break. When we come back, we'll talk more with Nate Smith about how top dollar Angus can come in and help market some of those feeder calves. You're listening to the Ranch it up radio show and we'll be back right after this.
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Are you looking for true price discovery for your feeder cattle? Look no further than Superior Livestock Auction. The next video sale is the week in the Rockies, July 7th through the 11th, but deadlines are coming up fast. Cattle need to be cataloged by June 20th and the videos need to be submitted by June 27th. Again June 20th for the catalog and June 27th for the videos. Any questions? Reach out to your superior Livestock Auction rep or call Superior Livestock customer service at 800-422-2117. Selling cattle the superior way livestockmarket.com we.
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Hear from the crew at livestockmarket.com every week. Bulls, cows, bread, heifers, open replacement heifers, cow calf pairs, feeders and stockers, horses, pigs, goats, sheep, showstock, hay and straw, and even alpacas. All listed on livestockmarket.com private treaty, online auctions and on site auctions. Buying or selling Gauge the market. Do some research, check out livestockmarket.com and don't forget they brought you auction time.com and equinemarket.com looking for the best way to raise beef, whether on pasture, crop residue or in a dry lot? Choose Westway Feed Products. Westway Feed Products boost forage utilization, efficiency and sustainability. Find your nearest rep by calling 800-875-17 or or visit westwayfeed.com stay connected with the crew from Westway Feed Products on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and TikTok. Call 800-875-17 or go to westwayfeed.com today. Welcome back to the Ranch it up radio show. The most information packed into a 30 minute program that you can find at your All Things Ranching newscast and so glad to be hanging out with y'.
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All.
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Questions, comments, concerns, criticisms, rants, it doesn't matter. You can call or text us at 707-RANCH20. That's 707-726-2420. Our email is ranch it up show mail.com and prowling around social media at Ranch It Up Show. We are back with Nate Smith from Top Dollar Angus and how Top Dollar can come in and help in marketing those feeder calves. You say a $4 a head investment. Let's just cut to the chase here. Let's talk roi. What have you seen? And it's important to note too that you're not placing these cattle. You are assisting in exposure of these cattle. Is may the maybe the word. I should say that these are available. It's not that you're acting as an agent between buyer and seller. You're acting simply as a, as a marketer to expose different potential buyers that these cattle are in various areas. We want to make sure everybody understands that. So but with that $4 ahead that we need to pay that if they get verified through the program, what have we seen of rois on those cattle?
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The latest superior data that we've pulled we're seeing right at a 25 to $30 head return on those cattle versus similar cattle. We take into account for the fact that programs do matter on these cattle when they're on video auctions. So we take into account for that when we're running our premium metrics. And then in the sale barns earlier this spring, even with this high market, we're really able to add 15 to $20 ahead on them. I know it's hard to believe with these crazy calf prices but if you're going to saddle up and pay $2,400 for a calf right now.
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Right, right, right.
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Know that they're going to finish in a timely manner and then go at least choice or better. It's, it's worth it to spend that extra 20 to $30. You talked about what we actually are on the backside when we are promoting. You hit it right on the head that we're not an agent or a broker. But what we do is, is we get as many eyeballs as possible on those cattle with the dates listed with a large amount of health data listed. We take a different approach that we list out all the health data that we can and then of course weight and other descriptions and then we add the genetic ranking to those cattle. And like, like you said, our main goal at the end of the Day is to make sure as many people know about your cattle as possible that may not have known about them without us reaching out and talking to them.
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So, I mean, there's a number of different steps that need to go in place to make this whole thing work. And I can only assume that you have the data all the way on the end where you say if they. These cattle, cattle, excuse me, qualify in the top 25% for carcass traits, you have that information back that says, yes, we verified and yes, these cattle did do exactly what we said, not just statistically. We've got the data that proves it and says, yes, this is what happened. And we can, you know, push that data all the way back to me as a commercial producer and say, okay, this is what it would cost four bucks ahead, and this is your potential. And we've got the proof that these types of cattle, they do it time and time again.
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We do have enough carcass data back on certain groups that we can show that they do perform that way. We can't always get that kind of information back from feeders. That's kind of put in a lockbox by some of them. But we've had enough of this information come back that the genetic piece of it, while it doesn't account for everything, it does account for a third to half of the actual value. So we do have that information sitting there. When we can get carcass data back, we're more than happy to share it with the customers. But at the end of the day, we know that they will perform at a higher rate. And that's why our feed yards have an investment and have an interest in those kinds of cattle.
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With the prices that feeder cattle are today and with the numbers that we have, and with the demand for beef that we have, which is incredible, you know, maybe I should say we're finally getting prices that we deserve. That that should be there because it's interesting. Everybody's making money. If the. The cow calf guy, the seed stock guy, the feeding guy, everybody's making money. And that's how it should be. However, when we have all these positives, are we seeing that spread, if you will, for program cattle and that potential premium of what they're getting versus cattle that are not verified, that are not in any kind of particular program, because when demand is high, everything is. So are we seeing that biggest spread for the potential of the program cattle.
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From a ratio perspective? We are not seeing as big of a spread. There's no reason. I'm not going to bluff you whatsoever. We seen 40 to 50 bucks in the past, but now we're seeing 30 bucks and we're seeing higher feeder calf prices. So ratio wise, it has shrunk and it's happening with every program. It's happened with the gap program, it's happened with the natural program. And those reports coming back from the superior reps that I work with, they're still great programs and add value, just not quite as much as they had before.
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But 30 bucks is 30 bucks, Nate. I mean, come on. Right?
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And, and you know, I've had a couple of our great, really great customers say, you know, even if it's only five bucks ahead on 100 head that you get back and it cost you four bucks, are you going to step over a hundred dollar bill if you walk up to one on a sidewalk?
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You darn right.
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Probably not. So.
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You darn right.
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Yep. Only other thing I can say is, you know, where we sit at on the growth and carcass side of it, you know, carcass is a lot of it, but at the same time, the growth piece, we feel like carries as much, you know, status currently, because with the interest rates on these cattle, the less amount of days that you can put on those cattle because they grow quicker, the better off they are for the feed yards. And that's one of the biggest things that we continue to hear back from our feeders is, yes, we want them to go ahead and grade prime and choice, but at the same time, we don't want to have to carry the interest on that money so near as many days. So if we can get them there quicker, we're all about it. And that's why growth matters.
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So we've got dates coming up that are awful darn fast. I can't believe that we're here and we're in the middle of marketing cattle season. Be it with, let's just talk video wise. Be it from superior or be it from northern or be it from western, there are a lot of sales coming up really fast. So what kind of timeframe are we looking at where, you know, really we need to be thinking now about how we're going to be marketing these cattle. So walk me through, Nate. The timeframe of being able to collect data, get the data, get that back to me so that I can make sure that if those cattle are cataloged with any of those sales, that we have all that information with plenty of time.
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Yeah. So surprisingly, it may sound like a long process, but if we have 10 days prior to sale date and you As a customer is engaged with, allowing us to look at that past data, especially if we're requesting sires from, let's say, Angus, which they are good about handing over your sires if you request them that you would have purchased in the past. Same with the other breed associations. If you're able to stay on top of that for the first three days, we can run the evaluation within another two. And then we of course like to give ourselves a full week, basically five days to a week to be in contact with those feed yards regularly. And of course, all the way up till the day before the sale.
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So what we're going to say is give yourself plenty of time before those cattle need to be cataloged. Call. Yes, call Nate and say, you know, hey, I'm thinking about this. And while I say that is that probably one of the best things to do is just get a hold of you and you can talk with an individual producer and I can say, nate, I've got, I've got a potload of calves. I've got 100 steers that I think will work great for this. Is that the best way? Just talk one on one and get the ball rolling?
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Oh, yes, definitely the best way to do it. And really a phone call to start out is always the best place to start. You know, it's easier to talk to somebody over the phone than it is over email. That way we don't miss and, you know, have one drop out or drop into spam. You know, I'm more than happy to take any kind of phone call and really just tell me what your operation is and we could start looking at things and kind of give you some examples of past successes as well. And that's really the best way to go about it.
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Tigger.
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You know, we're just fortunate that we continue to grow and we continue to see these kinds of cattle get paid for. Because at the end of the day, if you're going out and purchasing sires based off of these types of traits and you're not getting rewarded for them, you're just leaving dollars on the table if you're buying high end bulls and nobody knows about them.
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Nate Smith with Top Dollar Angus. Thanks for explaining the program. And at just four bucks ahead to get those cattle verified, you, it's real easy to find out more. And to get ahold of Nate, just head to top$angus.com and we'll have all their information available in the show notes for this episode @ranch it upshow.com Time for a break. And when we come back. We've got markets, we talk recaps, we talk horses for sale and lots more on the ranch it up radio show. Go nowhere and keep it locked. Galvie and Balancer Producers Seed Stock and Commercial Ad Genetic Technology from the American Galvie Association. They provide genetic tools to both seed stock and commercial producers. From being a part of the world's largest genetic evaluation and providing some of the most accurate EPDs in the industry to offering a wide variety of DNA tests, the AGA delivers its members and customers tools for success within the beef industry. Head to galvi.org for more information. From the American Galvie association we run a lot of high milk producing mama cows in our herd. Mitch Kenobi of Norfolk dealt with scours in his herd so bad that we.
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Sent samples off to South Dakota State and Kansas State.
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I heard about farmertan. As a producer I know it's our job to limit our inputs, but when it comes to Farmitan, dad and I don't blink an eye. It is a must for every calving season. Adding Farmitan to your livestock's nutrition this fall will rig your new herd of scours in the spring. Go to farmitanusa.com Call Joe Knopp at 340-3323 Attention cattle producers. Boost your herd's trace mineral status with Axiota Animal Health's Multi Man 90. This injectable delivers essential trace minerals known to support cattle health and reproduction. Don't settle for less when it comes to your herd health. Trust Axiota Animal Health to keep your cattle in prime condition. Visit your local supplier or veterinarian to learn more about multi min 90 multi min 90 because healthy cattle mean a healthy bottle. Welcome back everyone to the Ranch it up radio show. That time in the program we check in with Kirk Donsbach, Stonex Financial Incorporated. Recap of the markets from last week. Kirk, numbers wise, what do you got for us buddy?
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Good morning Tigger and all your listeners out there. As of Friday, June 13th, August feeders close the week at 305.97 and a half. That's down 402 and a half on the week. The CME feeder index was up 10.94 at 317.10. That left the basis at a positive $11.12 versus August futures. The big news was obviously Friday in the Iran Israel conflict and oil sharply higher and the equity sharply lower. August live cattle closed the week at 212 and a quarter. That's down 647 and a half on the week with cash trading 240 early in the week and mostly 235 late in the week. In the south it was 242 in the north on very light volume. That left a five area weighted average of 334 at 237.50. The basis versus June futures is a positive $12.55 and against August futures it's positive almost $25. So a very wide basis choice. Boxes closed up $12.80 at 377.80. Very nice box movement. This week the weekly slaughter was 558,000 head. That's down 24,000 head from last week and 57,000 head less than the same week last year. Dressed weights were down one pound at 871 pounds. That's 24 pounds higher than the same week last year. The combination of higher dress weights and lower slaughters decreased yearly production by 100th of a percentage point at 2.9% less than this week last year. Draft this up. September corn closed the week at 428¾. That's down four and a half on the week. Corn is really struggling to develop any bullish momentum on the charts.
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Hey all, Mark van zie with equietmarket.com coming up this Wednesday, June 25th, we have our monthly horse and hay online auction. Bidding opens at just a hundred dollars. No reserves. All horses will sell. Featured lots include Lily Pie, an AQHA Buckskin Mare 200515 hands can shoot off of her rope, offer her herd horses she side passes loads stands perfect for the farrier from Tippetts horses in Seattle, Washington. SQH Tuxedo Blue and AQHA Blue Roan Gelding 2021142 had 15 rides on him as a 2 year old. Started under saddle good prospect ready to finish your way. He sound loads leads and comes to grain. And then we have foxy, a chestnut mare 2005. Been on pasture recently but she used the saddle halter wrote. She's doing well when rating and responding to commands, but she could probably use a tune up from Howling Wolf ranch in Edmont, South Dakota. Featured haylots include 300 small square alfalfa bales selling on 650 bale lots. This is first cutting 2025 80% alfalfa, 20% orchard grass, no weeds, shedded thistle twine from Wedmar Auction in Deep River, Iowa and 66 large round brome bale selling on two 33 bale lots. This is five by five net wrap put up right from Norton farms in Plattsburgh miss bidding opens at just $100 on the horses and is currently live, but they'll all sell the morning of Wednesday, June 25th at 10am Central Time. You got a horse to sell. Regular online horse auctions fourth Wednesday of every month with hay sales Every Wednesday on equinemarket.com and auctiontime.com Are you a.
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Part of the awakening in agriculture? You know, the one about mental health? Hey hey, I'm Shea Wanner and I host the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast Loren and Bridget from the Rural well Podcast. Shared tips on how to identify and treat declining mental health. Here's a small portion of our conversation. Last week at 2 I was at a speaking engagement up in Durham area. I had this lady come over to me. She must have been yeah, late is like really? And with a bit of a tear in her eye after I had explained generational trauma and validation. She said, I never knew why my parents didn't encourage me and validate me until tonight. And she said, everything you said is absolutely how my family did life. And so I see a bit of an awakening, to be honest, among some of our older farmers. I have a number of older farmer clients that are looking for, you know, my relationship with my son who's taking over my farm or my daughter is taking over my farm isn't what it needs to be. How do I get there? Listen to the full story by searching for casual cattle conversations on your favorite podcast player. Happy ranching folks.
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And now that's going to wrap it up for today. A big thanks goes out to our crew. Nate Smith with Top Dollar Angus Kirk Donsbach Stonex Financial Incorporated Mark van Zie with equine market.com Shay Wanner with Casual Cattle Conversations the Boss Lady Rebecca Warner AKA Beck. A big thank you goes out to our partners ranch channel.com Superior Livestock Productions and Superior Livestock Auctions Wolf Cattle Jorgensen Land and Cattle Transova Genetics Axiota Animal Health bringing us Multi min and Lactopro the American Galvy Association Imogene ingredients bringing us pharma 10 Westway feed products, madora Boot and Western Wear Allied Genetic Resources and allied feeding partners livestockmarket.com equinemarket.com auctiontime.com the Tri State Livestock News RFD TV Wrangler in this fine radio station and crew. So glad you all came with us one more time as we ranch it up. Be sure to like and follow us on Facebook at Ranch It Up Show. Our email is ranch it up showmail.com call and text 24. 7 that phone number is 707-Ranch 20. That 707-726-2420. Spread the good word and join us again next week where it's always Tigger and Beck approved. Stay ranchy and ranch it up.