Foster Bros. Farms - Show Ring Accomplishments

Testimonials

Dear David,

Thank you very much for allowing us to use your bulls for the collegiate carload judging contest at the National Western Stock Show this past weekend. Your bulls were evaluated by more than 250 students from 51 universities and junior colleges. There were many favorable comments about the quality of the classes and the manner in which they were presented. The overall impression of the contest was also very favorable.

Over the years, the carload judging contest has gone through various changes. The National Western Stock Show is committed to the success of this event, but they realize it would be impossible to conduct without your support.

Thanks again for your contribution to this unique and very educational event. I look forward to working with you at next year's show!

Sincerely,
Clint Rusk
Superintendent
Carload Judging Contest

Dear David,

On behalf of the Oklahoma State University Department of Animal Science and the Livestock Judging Team, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to you for your support of the 2008 National Western Livestock Judging Contest.

It is only through the efforts of people like yourself that we continue to have what I consider one of the most important educational activities for our students. This year's contest was excellent and certainly an experience that was beneficial to all the students that participated.

Again thanks very much for your support of the contest.

Sincerely,
Mark Z. Johnson
OSU Livestock Judging Team

You should see the Calberta Black Impact X Patches calves. By far, by far the best in the bunch. The heifers are better than the bulls. I will be taking pictures soon and posting them, but I'll send you a copy. The best $12,500 I ever spent.

Scott Ashorn

David,

I began using Chi-Angus bulls in 1997 on my small herd of mostly commercial Brangus cattle. Previously I had been using Simmental and Brangus bulls. I keep from 50-70 cows, and use native pasture. My hay source is Tifton Bermuda grass. I try and plan for about 1 animal unit per 4 acres. Weaning weight for my calves had run about 480-500 lbs per calf.
The first Chi-Angus bull I used was leased, and I ran him with a Simmental bull in the same pasture. You could sure tell the Chi-Angus calves in that group. They averaged almost 100 lbs. per calf heavier than the Simmental calves. I sold my Simmental bull real quick and leased 2 Chi-Angus bulls for the next calf crop. The following year I purchased 2 Chi-Angus bulls. I still received weaning weights of almost 600 lbs. per calf.
Since that time, I've kept and raised several heifers each year to put back into my cow herd. This made my calves 3/4 Chi-Angus. As of this time, I have 20 Chi-Angus x Brangus cross cows, 8 pure blood Chi-Angus cows, and the rest are commercial Brangus. My average weaning weight for calves in 2006 was 625 lbs. per calf, (with no creep feed).
Most years, my heifer calves don't even get to the auction barn. They end up being sold at private treaty to friends and neighbors with small herds, as replacements.
Two final things that I've enjoyed with these Chi-Angus bulls is the fact that the bulls I've used are even tempered and easy to handle, and the calving ease (I’ve had to pull only two calves since 1998).
Chi-Angus has fit my program well in our East Texas Piney woods area.

George Wages.....
Agency Manager- Nacogdoches County Farm Bureau

February 25, 2007

Our ultrasound business was started by Justin Gleghorn in 1998 while he attended Kansas State University. Justin was trained by John Brethour in Hays, KS. Although trained on feedlot cattle, he scanned only purebred bulls and heifers in the beginning. He continued to scan cattle part time while finishing his Master of Science at Kansas State University. In 2000 he moved to Lubbock and started his PhD coursework. During this time the ultrasound business grew. In 2003 Justin went to work for the Clayton Livestock Research Center in Clayton, NM as a research associate, conducting research on feedlot cattle. In 2004, Justin and Levi Berry purchased the ultrasound equipment from Texas Tech University and Ultrasort Cattle Services was formed. The decision was made to focus on feedlot cattle and offer increased marketing options to cattle feeders. Currently we service seven commercial feed yards and sort approximately 50,000 head a cattle a year, including 2,000 head of seed stock cattle. Accuracy in quality and yield grade determination is of highest priority for each customer. Our ability to evaluate carcass data on a weekly basis, along with grid marketing experience gives Ultrasort Cattle Services a substantial offering to both seed stock and commercial producers.
Initially, data from Foster Brothers Farms showed that cattle were muscular and lean, but improvement could be made with intramuscular fat. With that foundation, each set of cattle have improved in their expression of intramuscular fat; while maintaining muscularity and leanness. We believe Foster Brothers Farms has successfully implemented the technology and utilized the data to improve areas of weakness in their herd. Their cattle successfully combine the traits necessary to market cattle on a carcass basis without sacrificing growth, frame size, or live performance.

Justin Gleghorn
Levi Berry
ULTRASORT CATTLE SERVICES