Keeney Angus 50TH Angus Anniversary Bull and Heifer Sale, Nov 10, 2012

with all these trips pending, I believe it in my best interest to get started trying to sell some cattle to pay for my airline tickets...you gotta start early when the best ya got is Unwanted ... I`m going to put a really hard sell on Dr. Voss on this calf as a Longhorn alternative, though that would create need for even yet another airline ticket in 2014 as I hope to calve out the HBR heifers as part of the deal; that too, puts added pressure on selection, for I want to be done checking by 11.00 am, spending the afternoons fishing, golfing, and resting and sleeping in the hammock by the big lake with my Ipad close-by...I know DV likes to read pedigrees, so here`s this calf`s immediate maternal pedigree...

paternal grand dam



dam



maternal grand dam



so yes, the point is the calf is a maternal half sib mating, and you just wouldn`t think that two nice, 1200 lb plus cows could have just a strange looking , little dink...I couldn`t get him pictured as he truly looks, small, long necked, little thick tyke, without making him even worse...so in typical registurd fashion, I opted for the better pictures...




now Larry has in fatherly fashion chided me for showing too much intention before I ever know the results, but I continue to put the cards on the table as they fall... what the hell if something doesn`t work, go read Advantage, nothing registurd works well long term in hindsight, though it`s great while being promoted...this story sure isn`t great, though I have named the calf Mighty Mite for evidence exists that his genetic reach might be beyond his phenotype...
there is a second step neccessary to make seedless fruit, beyond breeding....the seeds must be removed, and sometimes even with the best of intentions....you know the story, might even have experienced it if you are a real farmer or rancher.
so this 9 month old bull calf by Unwanted weighing about 750 is herding cows already as if he owned them...isn`t heterosis wonderful? now to control it...


from little tykes grow mighty mites

the buy line for this years fall sale is
come help us celebrate our first 50 years, and hear our plans for the next 50...

Mike,
How does Mighty Mite compare to Nubbin in phenotype? Can't tell from the pic...he looks thicker.

mighty mite is very different; early maturing, and is quite thick proportionately, as all Unwanted`s are...they`ll most always need to be crossed to keep folks happy... but then again, don`t most all need a cross to be happy?

Mighty Smite's dam be a 3 year old now?

Bootheel wrote:

Mighty Smite's dam be a 3 year old now?

I think so...maybe DV keeps papers so he knows so most of my idenity of the cows just by looking is being lost...too many cows, and now of too little importance to the overall population goal...you can reconize Sniff`s dam as quick as I...btw, she looks so fit, you can have her too when you get the inbred daughter at 10 years of age

I figure Robert will soon dominate this thread, so I better score some selling points while he finishes baling hay ....
Larry mentioned the composite herd at Ft. Keogh , of which we saw few of and discussed little about...but someone asked if they sold any of the bulls, and the herdsman said, "yes, about a 100 @ $1500/bull, and given the high price of bulls at most sales, they sure were pleasaed to get them....this was very encouraging to me, nor from a composite standpoint, but from the fact that where ever you go, not everyone wants to pay $5000 for a bull...leaving a future for me who constantly tries to utilize methods that gets usable genetics to customers at cheaper prices...ie, not spending money to fatten or performance test, whatever you call it...no hoop jumping either to make work for the association.; so they can "honor" me for doing as they say..for at day`s end, none of that matters in the goal of making a better cow or delivering the genetics to a producer that makes a better cow...
at least I have one university guy`s attention....

here`s the quote...kbn created perhaps...the last sentence is pretty perfectionist as well, I doubt we need cull many cows based on carcass data of offspring...let`s get them pregnant first...50 of us in Miles City; Vicki was very good after we cut through the beginning bs; Andy Roberts was great from the beginning...cu in Princeton maybe; I`m on a crusade for producers to have some comprehension of maternal-terminal separation...thx, mk

The heifers from the MAG-60 program will also greatly enhance the ability of our producers to increase profits. {
oh

really?}
First, since all calves will be subjected to carcass ultrasonography, our cooperators herds can retain heifers with the genetic potential to excel in carcass traits. {
could be important as open, grass fed twos }
The ultrasound data can also be used to cull the cow herd of low performing mature cows
. Second, heifers not retained will be developed and sold in a premium bred-heifer sale. This heifer sale(s) should also increase the cooperator's opportunity to diversify their marketing options and increase the profit potential.



uk extension
That was not me. Only KBN is ridiculous enough to make those statements. Like you said, the last sentence is beyond stupid. I will chat with them to make sure they understand what is going on.

to change breeding direction of the current fad, sometimes you need to give some direction clearly

my little itinerary in what I hope is a successful effort to explain and promote the common sense concepts discussed here on the road less traveled....

sept 27...University of Kentucky Beef Bash, Princeton,KY...Where better to set up shop than in the halls of academia where common sense is sooo rare...usually about 500 people in attendance; half beauracrats and politicans...the charge of a very light brigade

oct 10...Rapid City, SD...Western Jr Livestock Show{into the valleyof ? }...Trait Characteristics of Cattle Types
oct 11...visiting area breeding herds

oct 12...Larkota Angus, Kimball, SD...Viewing and discussing closer bred "Tru-line" type projects Brian has begun...

Nov 10...50th anniversary sale, proceeded by a program of telling the healthy and humane story of beef production

tenative speakers
Kathy Hendley...Cows, Kids, Grass and the Family Farm
Tom Dystra...Marketing the final products, yes, plural, of beef production
Roman Keeney, The economic outlook for Beef Production
Mike Keeney, ABC Genetics, producing more calf fom less cow...

anyone would be most welcome to join us on any leg of the journey on this road less traveled....all I need to find at the end of the road for it all to be a success
is another Joe Hendley, a Craig Hilman, a Luke Perman, a Jocelyn, a Brent LeBaron, {whom I`ve not met beyond conversatin } and many more exampes here..the odds are against that happening, but on we go, for the sweeter the success when we do find another pilgrim on a journey for truth...

I am hoping to have a special guest KC poster at the sale November 10 that few have met...I`m willing to pay his way here; since I just discovered today that he now lives much closer...I`ve said enough; doesn`t everyone just love a mystery guest?

20 heifers in this group...selling in pens of 5...learning how to use the camera; apologize for the heavy breathing...no Tom, I was not filming from the hot tub...and Pat, I see what you mean about needing genomic docility evaluation...maybe I could find some cattle that would keep their distance so I could video easier...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHFejCIhOlk&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Du5KxVyq8&feature=youtu.be

I made sure I got some trees in the video...so I could say they were raised on a timber pasture...

MKeeney wrote:

20 heifers in this group...selling in pens of 5...learning how to use the camera; apologize for the heavy breathing...no Tom, I was not filming from the hot tub...and Pat, I see what you mean about needing genomic docility evaluation...maybe I could find some cattle that would keep their distance so I could video easier...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHFejCIhOlk&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Du5KxVyq8&feature=youtu.be

I made sure I got some trees in the video...so I could say they were raised on a timber pasture...

Yup i saw the TREES. that is a pretty fair pen of heifers i did like the structure of what they represent.You need to add some commentary as that might increase their value to the avg Joe you target, Like Great, fabulous, unprecedented, Oh hell just call the remarkably and you will have people tearing down the fences to buy one of those heifers. Or you can just do it the right way like you are, with little or no fanfare........... the world needs to see those mike, i doubt there are 20 as good at any sale this fall.

I`m thinking of buying these Select Sires sired heifers just to have around for comparison sake...

http://lexington.craigslist.org/grd/3270485257.html

like that Wagyu cross type in the second picture???


now what does it tell you about the value of AI stud bulls and the fallacy of that ignorant anti-crossing breeding, AAA sponsored study produced by Nevil Speer when a fellow quits using "TOP Angus AI" epd bulls, and goes and buys a Hereford bull to put on registered Angus cows to make some pounds ?

and what does this tell you about the success rate of using outlier bulls?

Quote :

Smokin good sale IMO. A "good one" could not be bought for less than $5500.

if it takes $5500 to own a good one, they must be rare...and if a good one is rare, then a breeding program is a complete damn failure...

MKeeney wrote:

and what does this tell you about the success rate of using outlier bulls?

Quote :

Smokin good sale IMO. A "good one" could not be bought for less than $5500.

if it takes $5500 to own a good one, they must be rare...and if a good one is rare, then a breeding program is a complete damn failure...

Can I qoute that????

W.T wrote:

MKeeney wrote:

and what does this tell you about the success rate of using outlier bulls?

Quote :

Smokin good sale IMO. A "good one" could not be bought for less than $5500.

if it takes $5500 to own a good one, they must be rare...and if a good one is rare, then a breeding program is a complete damn failure...

Can I qoute that????

well absolutely

We all know you get what you pay for, the more money you pay out the better product you get. It got to be true, I heard it all my life!

I now know why, when I was 16 and bought 2 heifers sired by a $25,000 bull, back in 1976. I should have only bought 1 and paid twice as much and she would a been my top cow, instead they were worthless culls having a hell of a time weaning a 300 pound calf.

MKeeney wrote:

20 heifers in this group...selling in pens of 5...learning how to use the camera; apologize for the heavy breathing...no Tom, I was not filming from the hot tub...and Pat, I see what you mean about needing genomic docility evaluation...maybe I could find some cattle that would keep their distance so I could video easier...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHFejCIhOlk&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3Du5KxVyq8&feature=youtu.be

I made sure I got some trees in the video...so I could say they were raised on a timber pasture...

Mike after watching your video I went out and loaded up the feed truck


Maybe if I feed them enough, those blue sky heifers just might grow into a sweet pear like the one below.

I`m glad that bottom heifer is going to leave her mark on a herd other than here...I suggest she`ll leave the herd rather than leave a mark...but she`s what the registered business is about..."the best"...and shes a temporary proof that you can "have it all" for just a little while...given her helter-skelther pedigree, the only way to re-create her is Pat`s way...throw a lot of milk in the churn, and see which one becomes the next cream...
but fair play, I used to be impressed with the 2 yr old`s progeny that matched the cows; but now I know better...I`ll just cash some unwanted coupons and leave the miracles of the timber pastures to someone else...

All kidding a side, Very nice set of heifers, would like to see them out standing in my field.

Gus wrote:

All kidding a side, Very nice set of heifers, would like to see them out standing in my field.

Gus,
they are sure ok; I calved the same crop last year; they were ok too...these were produced in my cousin`s herd; by my bulls or derivatives thereof...I bought them well fed; turned them to super grass that held up through the dry period; now on grass that is on the mend; and yeah, they are pretty heavy...instead of big epds, these are big heifers
Is that a tree from a timber pasture or a bale of cornstalks on that truck ?

MKeeney wrote:

Gus wrote:

All kidding a side, Very nice set of heifers, would like to see them out standing in my field.

Gus,
they are sure ok; I calved the same crop last year; they were ok too...these were produced in my cousin`s herd; by my bulls or derivatives thereof...I bought them well fed; turned them to super grass that held up through the dry period; now on grass that is on the mend; and yeah, they are pretty heavy...instead of big epds, these are big heifers
Is that a tree from a timber pasture or a bale of cornstalks on that truck ?

Hell gus it looks like you cut every dam tree in iowa, i agree those heifers would stand up to any anywhere you go saw some in SD that woulod as well, it looks like you got some to. As a wise man said Ill take good cows over good numbers any day.

MKeeney wrote:

Is that a tree from a timber pasture or a bale of cornstalks on that truck ?

I stole the picture link from a post from Dylan Biggs

Chamber Commerce 2 minute Tuesday powerpoint presentation; 250 people...critique is welcome



No, I`m not the Marlboro man, I’m Mike Keeney a farmer...to be more specific, a cattle breeder and beef producer. This November is the 50 th anniversary of my buying two Angus heifers that changed my career course from professional baseball to cattle breeder; a very pragmatic change given my athletic ability.
Keeney`s have participated in some semblance of farming in what is Pulaski Co before Ky was a state. In celebration of our farming heritage and my 50 th anniversary as a cattle breeder, I`m inviting you for lunch and more at the farm on Saturday, November 10. I want to show you how in tune with nature beef cattle are still raised; how they convert inedible, land conserving grass into nutritious, healthy, and delicious beef.



There are 35,000 beef cows worth near $50,000,000 in Pulaski Co, running on an estimated 140,000 acres of land; over 1/5 of the land area of Pulaski Co; for an investment of near one half billion dollars in cows and land alone. The beef business is the largest and cheapest provider of green space in the nation, and the one thing I do have in common with the Marlboro man;



the beef business is the last vestige of freedom and independence in American agriculture; largely defying the temptations of socialized food production which has starved the citizenry in most every country of the world where instituted.
I’ll be around after the meeting if you have any questions; we have passed out a program schedule and list of speakers along with directions to the farm. There are so many middlemen in food production that sometimes we beef producers forget who our customer really is; you, my friend, the people who eat beef, have the final approval of what I do ...and so in appreciation and to create greater communication between producer and consumer, I again invite you to the farm to spend an hour or the day Nov 10; to share the air of freedom , independence, and prosperity that I have enjoyed for a lifetime.

whoa!!! and thx

some appreciation from me, eh Grassy...very helpful post, and it gets deleted ...thx

MKeeney wrote:

whoa!!! and thx

some appreciation from me, eh Grassy...very helpful post, and it gets deleted ...thx

That is one hell of a good start and I am sure it will get better from there, thanks for the share.

MKeeney wrote:

Chamber Commerce 2 minute Tuesday powerpoint presentation; 250 people...critique is welcome



No, I`m not the Marlboro man, I’m Mike Keeney a farmer...to be more specific, a cattle breeder and beef producer. This November is the 50 th anniversary of my buying two Angus heifers that changed my career course from professional baseball to cattle breeder; a very pragmatic change given my athletic ability.
Keeney`s have participated in some semblance of farming in what is Pulaski Co before Ky was a state. In celebration of our farming heritage and my 50 th anniversary as a cattle breeder, I`m inviting you for lunch and more at the farm on Saturday, November 10. I want to show you how in tune with nature beef cattle are still raised; how they convert inedible, land conserving grass into nutritious, healthy, and delicious beef.



There are 35,000 beef cows worth near $50,000,000 in Pulaski Co, running on an estimated 140,000 acres of land; over 1/5 of the land area of Pulaski Co; for an investment of near one half billion dollars in cows and land alone. The beef business is the largest and cheapest provider of green space in the nation, and the one thing I do have in common with the Marlboro man;



the beef business is the last vestige of freedom and independence in American agriculture; largely defying the temptations of socialized food production which has starved the citizenry in most every country of the world where instituted.
I’ll be around after the meeting if you have any questions; we have passed out a program schedule and list of speakers along with directions to the farm. There are so many middlemen in food production that sometimes we beef producers forget who our customer really is; you, my friend, the people who eat beef, have the final approval of what I do ...and so in appreciation and to create greater communication between producer and consumer, I again invite you to the farm to spend an hour or the day Nov 10; to share the air of freedom , independence, and prosperity that I have enjoyed for a lifetime.

gave my talk today; thought it went well... beauracrats known to me told me there were few business in the 250 people there; just the beauracrats hired to help business...the keynote speaker, guest of the United way, was from the state cabinet of health and human services...and what she descrided as a success of her dept, i saw as the failure of pulaski county business and people...